Upset over review of Eastbourne restaurant

A row has broken out after a restaurant in Eastbourne town centre responded to a review left on Trip Advisor by a paralympian.
Tuk Tuk in Terminus Road SUS-190703-112111001Tuk Tuk in Terminus Road SUS-190703-112111001
Tuk Tuk in Terminus Road SUS-190703-112111001

Disabled cyclist Tim Challinor visited Tuk Tuk in Terminus Road on two consecutive nights and while he praised the food, he criticised the service on the second night and said he was ignored when he wanted to get drinks.

His review prompted what he described as an unpleasant onslaught from the Tuk Tuk management who called him a sad pathetic lonely man.

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The management at Tuk Tuk has since said they overreacted with the words they used in the reply but that they were angry at the time at what they saw as a vicious review that could ruin their business.

Mr Challinor, who lives in Canterbury and had been cycling around Eastbourne as part of his training to get back into the paralympic team, said, “It wasn’t a bad review that I gave Tuk Tuk, I gave an honest opinion. But the reply from the management is dreadful.”

Mr Challinor was injured while working as a firefighter 19 years ago and took up cycling representing Britain on the international scene until he had brain surgery four years ago.

He began training again and stayed at the Afton Hotel during his trip to Eastbourne visiting Tuk Tuk on Friday and Saturday February 22 and 23.

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In his review Mr Challinor said, “Ate here two nights on the run as it was ok the first night. Novel idea with taster curries in little pots. The mutton was quite tasty. On the second night I ordered a lot of food but was totally let down by the service. I was there for 1 hour 45 mins and only spoken to twice. I couldn’t get any drinks. Just because I was there on my own it’s no excuse. I won’t go again.

The Tuk Tuk management replied, “You sad pathetic lonely man. You came on a Friday night and as we were not that busy you told the waiting staff your life story and respectfully we listened even though we could not care less that you are a paralympian.

“You returned Saturday night, we were very busy and I could see from the kitchen you kept wanting to talk to our waiter but he was busy serving and making drinks for other customers so could not give you his full attention.

“You were sat next to the bar and all night all your demands were met like ordering three times. When you finished you had a hissy fit that we didn’t treat you special.

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“Do yourself a favour mate go on a dating website find a girlfriend or a boyfriend and go to dinner with them. We are not your friend, we don’t want to hear your sad life story and I really don’t appreciate you giving us a bad review and ruining our business simply out off retaliation.”

The management at Tuk Tuk told the Herald, “We are always happy to talk to the customers. The staff were as polite as they could be on what was a very busy night for us. We felt the man’s review was malicious.”