The opening of Savini at Criterion in Piccadilly Circus should have been an historic occasion with Milan’s most celebrated hospitality name showcasing the finest all-day fare in London’s most spectacular dining room. However thanks to BT, which has left the restaurant desperately attempting to obtain a telephone line since November 2015, the dream is descending into a nightmare.
This sorry tale began over four months ago with a simple request which should have taken a matter of days to complete.
Over four months, 1,000 calls, innumerable appointments, no shows and demands for payment later, and Savini at Criterion is still without a telephone number.
Says Savini’s Chief Executive Sebastian Gatto, “It is ridiculous that one of the world’s biggest telecoms companies has been unable to provide us with the most basic service. Since this process began we have agreed to all requests for payment – running into hundreds of pounds – and had multiple appointments made and then cancelled. Engineers have turned up on site, the most recent being on 4th March, but all have been given the wrong exchange code.
“The effect on our business is unquantifiable, but there can be no doubt it has been very damaging. The only way that our customers can make a reservation is via our email address, which is not always convenient. Moreover the situation has meant we have been unable to undertake a proper marketing and communications campaign which is vital for any new undertaking.”