Ashdown Park Hotel and Leisure Club - Gorey

My 6 year old daughter has epipens for peanut and Sesame allergies.My husband, myself and my daughter stayed.We booked the restaurant in the hotel for dinner that evening.We were handed the menu for children and the adults menu.I was shocked to see the children's menu had peanuts and Sesame listed as an ingredient is almost every dish. Even the jelly and ice cream.Goujons, sausages etc.All listed with those allergens in brackets beside them.On some of the adults dishes all allergens were listed after certain dishes (this is visible on their website if you download their menu). I called over a waitress and asked why were peanuts and Sesame listed beside the goujons and sausages?She said it's because they handle nuts in the kitchen.I asked did they actually contain those ingredients or was it just because of the nuts in the kitchen?She didnt know so I asked her to go talk to the chef and find out.She came back 5 mins later and said she can't guarantee anything as they handle nuts in the kitchen. I asked her to please talk to the chef and ask what is safe for me to order for my daughter. We would have been open to anything at this stage as she was hungry and getting a bit uneasy.Another staff member approached us then and he said sorry guys we can't guarantee anything out of the kitchen.I asked him could she not even have plain pasta?He said 'there are nuts all over the kitchen'. I asked him did the sausages and goujons actually contain peanuts or were nuts handled in the same area as raw meat? He said he couldn't say either way. I asked again what does this mean? That I can't order anything at all for my daughter? He said its up to you. I asked what about breakfast is that going to be the same problem? He said yes. I asked do they even have boxed cereals for kids at breakfast and he said yes. So I thought at least she can have coco pops.Then he recommended I order the chicken and mash potatoes for my daughter that it would probably be the safest. At this stage we asked to speak to a manager. About ten minutes later a manager approached us. He was very nice and said we had been misinformed! That yes they handle nuts in the kitchen but that it would be OK for her to order sausages, chips or goujons. I told him she doesnt have an airborne allergy that I know of so ordered the sausages and chips for her. He just kept saying we handle nuts in the kitchen. He apologised and put the order in for us. Now this whole process took one hour from start to finish. Our reservation was for 6:15pm and it was finally sorted at 7:15pm. It is an absolute disgrace that they were marketing family breaks and food for children when they cannot meet FSAI food labelling guidelines and can't cater for people with allergies. We thought we were going to have to check out and go to McDonald's for our tea. This would have broken our daughters heart as it was a birthday treat for her to stay in a hotel. It actually ruined the night for us as we sat there with multiple staff coming and going giving false information and scaring the life out of us. As parents with a child that has life threatening allergies we deal with these issues on a daily basis. We've eaten in plenty of restaurants and cafes and find that the majority are good with labelling and can give honest feedback on what I could order for my daughter. I was just disgusted at this hotel. I know we're not going to be the only family that visits over the midterm or summer and if they don't tighten up their food handling practices in the kitchen there's going to be a child or adult suffering anaphylaxis.We won't be returning.

Menu Top Tips

Ask to speak to the manager before you order anything. The staff are clueless about allergies.

Venue Top Tips

Ring ahead and ask for a copy of the menu

Recommended Dish

Sausages and chips for for 6 year old