A popular bowling venue in the Midlands is conducting an investigation following a frustrated mother’s claim that her son’s birthday party was “ruined” due to a food service mix-up and an allegedly unhelpful manager.
Hayley Whitehouse, 40, from Upper Gornal, shared how her son Joseph was left “crying” and some of his friends left early without eating or seeing the birthday cake at Tenpin Dudley.
Hayley had paid £212 to book the venue—formerly known locally as Dudley Bowlplex—for a two-hour party starting at noon on Saturday, June 6. With 26 children invited, it was set to be the biggest turnout from Joseph’s school that year.
READ MORE: HMRC Introduces Earnings Limit for Winter Fuel Payments Affecting State Pensioners
READ MORE: The ‘Perfect Addition’, a Rollercoaster, and Injuries: Assessing Birmingham City’s 2024 Loan Players
However, what was meant to be a joyful celebration quickly turned sour. Hayley and the other parents were deeply disappointed by how the event unfolded.
“We arrived 15 minutes early to set the tables in the soft play area, but the kids’ meals never arrived on time,” Hayley said.
By around 1:30 pm, half an hour before the scheduled party end, many children began complaining of hunger. When Hayley inquired at the venue’s desk, she was told the food order had been forgotten and was only just being sent through to the kitchen.
Guests started leaving by 1:45 pm, many without having eaten. Upon complaining a second time, Hayley asked to speak to the manager. She claims the manager approached with a “bad attitude” and failed to address concerns adequately, which only escalated tensions further.
“The parents were frustrated and had gone to the bar to try to resolve the issue, but the manager walked off, continuing to serve other customers,” Hayley recalled.
The food eventually arrived at 2 pm, precisely when the party was supposed to end, but still with missing meals and confusion over orders. Cold chips were dumped in baskets, untouched, while two children’s allergy-friendly meals—one nut-free, one dairy-free—were mixed up with regular orders.
Ice cream that was part of the package was set on a separate table, without any spoons to serve it. Joseph’s birthday cake was eventually brought out at 3 pm, but by then, only about ten children remained to sing Happy Birthday.
“I was embarrassed because I’d invited everyone,” said Hayley. “They had all gone out of their way, brought presents, and were excited for the party. It was the biggest turnout from his school, and it was just such a shame. Joseph was crying at the end—it was terrible.”
Hayley added that Tenpin Dudley staff offered a free party next year as compensation but stressed that the immediate event needed to be saved.
Responding to the complaint, a spokesperson for Tenpin Dudley told BirminghamLive: “We are very concerned to hear of Ms Whitehouse’s complaint and are taking her concerns extremely seriously. We have launched a full investigation and will be in touch directly with Ms Whitehouse at the earliest possible opportunity.”