Italian restaurant Don Giovanni has clapped back at a ‘vulgar’ reviewer following a comment that was left on the business’s Facebook page.
Bosses at the establishment have asked for customers to ‘be kind’ whilst dining at their restaurant after receiving negative feedback in which a customer called a waitress a “little scrote.”
The woman also said that the service she had received was “appalling” and that should would “never” be returning to the multi-award-winning restaurant after having been left to wait 20 minutes for a drinks order.
In response, the restaurant replied to the comments in detail, stating that they were “not a fast food restaurant” but a “fine dining” establishment that “serve our food fresh, not out of a microwave.”
The team also said: “Please refrain from using vulgar language towards our staff online or in person. Our team are hardworking, passionate and dedicated to”
“We can appreciate that the road out of lockdown has been turbulent and we are beyond happy to welcome you all again into our restaurant each week. their roles within the Don Giovanni family.”
As well as replying to the Facebook review itself, the restaurant team also screenshotted the conversation and uploaded it to their Instagram page with a message asking “please be kind.”
Image: Don Giovanni
In the Instagram caption, the restaurant team took the time to share some statistics highlighting the issues that have blighted the hospitality industry in the past two years – including the fact that the vacancy rate in the sector is now around 10 percent, stating that 3,000 unfilled jobs are currently being advertised in Manchester alone.
The full post read:
“PLEASE BE KIND WHILE YOU DINE.
“We can appreciate that the road out of lockdown has been turbulent and we are beyond happy to welcome you all again into our restaurant each week.
“All we ask is that you be kind while you dine.
“We understand not everyone works within the hospitality industry and might not have a complete understanding of the vulnerable position our industry is in.
“Here are a few things worth noting:
• The vacancy rate is now around 10% (200,000 staff across the UK and 3000 solely in Manchester) • 1/5 workers have left our sector since the start of the pandemic • Each hospitality business came out of lockdown at the same time meaning that every business is now on the look out for staff
“Anything you find unsatisfactory can be raised with your server or our managers during your visit. They will be more than happy to help rectify the situation.
“Please refrain from using vulgar language towards our staff online or in person. Our team are hardworking, passionate and dedicated to their roles within the Don Giovanni family.
“We thank you for your continued support.”
The post has been liked hundreds of times, but there have been some mixed messages in the comment section.
Asked for comment, Don Giovanni’s general manager Allel said: “As a premium, well oiled, city centre establishment I would say we have seen it all – but these are exceptional times we are in.”
“We have a long-standing management team, who take pride in what they do and the dining experience of each guest.
“On the rare occasion when it doesn’t go to plan, as management we take that personally and do all we can to rectify that situation.
“But as management, we must protect our staff and our business, and such incredibly rude behaviour and language simply will not be tolerated by us.
“Yes, if someone is unhappy we welcome that being brought to our attention, but abuse and vulgar language being used to describe our member of staff is simply unacceptable to us.”
Feature image – Don Giovanni
News
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
“We are definitely going to see the very best of what Rochdale has to offer over the next 12 months and people will come from far and wide to see it.”
Featured Image – Rochdale Council
News
The Lowry Theatre undergoes revamp following Biffa Award grant
Danny Jones
The Lowry in Salford Quays has had a bit of TLC with one of its biggest theatre spaces undergoing a pretty significant refurb this past month.
Following a well-deserved grant distributed via the Biffa Award, a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through community and environmental projects across the UK, the legendary local theatre received nearly £75k last year.
As a result, all 440 seats and various other aspects of The Lowry‘s Quays Theatre have now been renovated and refurbished.
The short story is, she looks more gorgeous than ever – see for yourself:
Being initially handed over in March 2024, The Lowry was awarded a total of £74,816 to reupholster seating in the venue’s Quays Theatre with new padding and fabric.
After almost 25 years of constant use as one of the most popular theatres in the North, the seats in the Quays Theatre were much in need of a refurb, and with work completed in December, Lowry visitors can now enjoy watching the venue’s wide range of theatre, dance, comedy and drama in comfort.
The work was actually carried out between July and December, with seats being carefully removed in batches and reupholstered off-site.
This was made possible due to the Biffa Award’s most recent ‘Cultural Facilities’ theme, which aims to improve recreation, interest and education, drawing funds from the UK government’s wider Landfill Communities Fund.
The old fabric and padding were disposed of sustainably, with lots of it being repurposed where possible to minimise waste and all the new materials used meet current guidance for safety and quality.
The Lowry’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Development, Gwen Oakden, said of the long overdue update:“It is so important that our audiences are able to enjoy our world-class performing arts programme in a comfortable and welcoming space.
“For many visitors to the Quays Theatre, this is their first experience of live performance – often to see a family show or as part of a school trip. We really want it to be the best experience possible, and for them to begin a lifelong relationship with Lowry.
“As a registered charity, without the generous support of this Biffa Award, for which we’re hugely grateful, we couldn’t have carried out this important work for our audiences.
As we head into our 25th Anniversary year, we are delighted to be able to welcome audiences and visitors can enjoy the beautiful and revived Quays Theatre.”
As for the Biffa side of things, Grants Manager Rachel Maidment added: “We are delighted to have supported The Lowry in refurbishing the Quays Theatre seating, ensuring audiences can continue to enjoy performances in comfort.
“Through Biffa’s Cultural Facilities theme, we fund projects that provide engaging and inspiring spaces for communities. The Lowry is a key cultural venue, and we’re proud that our funding, made possible through the government Fund, has helped enhance the experience for visitors for years to come.”
Like most Mancs, we love The Lowry, so here’s to hosting countless more theatregoers in the most comfortable seats possible for generations to come.
We’ve been to some brilliant performances around here of late.
Georgina Pellant -
6th October 2021 
