No Frog at Dunstaffnage

[DaveParry]

Just had the first sail of the season from the winter lay up to Dunstaffnage. Was planning a nice meal in the Wide Mouthed Frog to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

No luck though as it's not opened for the season yet! I also heard while I was there that the latest plan to open at Spring Bank had now been put back, with questions about a lease or something. Poor show really - especially as they still took my £20 for a visitor berth and had no keys left so I couldn't even use the shower block last night!

Had to do with a bag of pasta from the wee shop on Dunbeg instead. Not the most romantic! Crew now not so keen on sailing for a while.

Is the place in financial difficulty or something?

 

[stevepick]

As a berth holder I have found the deterioration of the frog over the last few seasons to be a casebook study in how not to run a business. Its a stunning location, with dining views to equal the best on the west coast, the rooms are well furnished and spacious, superb langoustines are landed on the pontoon. A restaurant and pub (Dunbeg's local) should be a straightforward piece of management with the level of passing, local & marina trade. I perceive a lack of application and skill from the marina managing director.
How many other marinas in Scotland don't have a hostelry on site or within 5 mins walk? I can only think of Rhu, and the town of Rhu has plenty of bars/hotels.

I am not impressed.


Steve

 

[Bav32]

No frog Dunstaffnage

Must admit that I gave up eating there on a matter of principle.
A few years ago I was there for dinner. If 8 or more people book a table together they charged a 10% SURCHARGE on the basis that the cook and waiters " had to work harder".
I would have thought it might have been an idea to give you a DISCOUNT for large numbers.
Share the thoughts about marina management not really thinking too much about the customers viz, a couple of years ago they closed the laundry facility for a week whilst the new equipment was being installed... This in the busiest week of the summer, West Highland race week.
Is this not the thing that "management" plan to do in the middle of winter?

I know the West of Scotland often gets a bad reputation for the poor visitor experience.
As a native, I have to agree that it's often justified!
PS Really good Indian Curry shop in Oban

 

[webcraft]

.
AFAIK the Frog is leased to a separate person/company who run it. The problem therefore may be beyond the control of the marina management. I have always found the people who actually run the marina and chandlery very helpful and friendly.

It is however as you say a bit of a poor show at the start of the season. We transferred the first night of the Chentlemans' Cruise to Oban (Kerrera) because the Frog was shut. However, the management there had managed to close off half the pontoons - which were supposed to be in commisson for the May weekend but weren't - and we ended up paying for a marina berth although we were rafted up. The bar/restaurant at Kerrara wasn;t oppen either, but at least we cold get the free ferry into town for pre-cruise refreshments.

It seems to be a slow and slightly chaotic start to the season up here - I guess the blood is slow to start flowing after a long cold Winter. Everything was fully up to speed in Tobermory when we got there on the Friday, but the snazzy new loos still shut at nine o'clock and the Mishnish was freezing cold with no heating or fire on. That's a place that has gone a long way downhill since the days of live music seven nights a week - it would seem the owners have lost all interest in the yachty shilling there.

- W

 

[stevepick]

Nick (Webcraft)

I have no issue with the day to day running of the marina and boatyard - it is run extremely competently and enthusiastically by Tim (marina manager) and the folks in the yard and office. If there is still an issue with the Frog it is still an issue for the Managing Director, they chose to lease it out , since they couldn't run it themselves . I just want a convenient place to have a drink or 2 of an evening without having to use a taxi all the time.
Still, the restaurants/pubs in Oban, and the the excellent Cafe in the garden center next door to the marina during the day get my business at the moment.

Fingers crossed it opens and is a success, it should be putting money into the marina to help fund improvements, and I am grumpy because it does not!

Steve

 

[dunstaffnage engineer]

ive been told that the frog will be opening soon as new tenants have taken on the lease....

 

[alan_d]

At the beginning of June there was a notice at the pontoon gate saying that The Frog would be reopening at the end of the month. It is now the twenty-fifth.
(Makes no difference to me, I shan't be back there till October.)

 

[Doghousekeeper]

Is the place in financial difficulty or something?

Losing £400K pa was what I heard. If that is true, then I'm not about to agree with your post, Steve

Whatever the problem there, I do hope that someone sorts it out pdq. Dunstaffnage used to be - and should be again - a great place to visit

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

Man man, what's losing £400k per annum compared to the gastronomic pleasure the Frog used to give to visiting yachtsmen..... and there were the lovely students who waited at table.They also waited forever before passing on the order.... lovely but completely useless... and there was the continuous banter from the kitchen. Well, not so much banter as a wide range of expletives when they had to deal with more than three orders.
Oh how I miss it......not!!!!!

 

[Doghousekeeper]

Harsh (but unfortunately not too far from the truth)

I guess that having - allegedly - the most highly paid manager of any UK marina (something like double the average) hasn't helped the balance sheet.

 

[asteven221]

A few years ago we stopped at the Frog by chance for some lunch on trip back from Fort William - by car. Honestly, the soup I had was the best I had tasted in mu life. Sure I know it's only soup but it was THAT good.

Last year we made a point of sailing there during our summer holiday and boy oh boy what a let down. The marina, lovely though it is, had rather unpleasent staff that were not exactly welcoming or efficient. We then went up to the Wide Mouthed Frog in anticipation of a lovely meal with views to die for. The views didn't disappoint, but the drinks prices were very, very expensive, the food was not just okay but very expensive in the context of quality. The service was just okay. All in all a bit of a let down really, which is a shame because it's a lovely (in fact stunning) location. In fact it's so nice you would think it would be quite difficult not to be successfull.

 

[Ubergeekian]

All in all a bit of a let down really, which is a shame because it's a lovely (in fact stunning) location. In fact it's so nice you would think it would be quite difficult not to be successfull.

Welcome to the scottish tourist industry, which still has to learn - or care - that stunning scenery doesn't eliminate the need for quality, service and value for money.

The worst commercial breakfast I have ever had in my life was at the Crinan Hotel: the best was in a farmhouse B&B two miles away.

 

[Ian Downes]

The Frog is dead

If you intend to visit Dunstaffanage and leave in a healthy condition DO NOT EAT AT THE FROG! My wife and I had planned to stay at the frog for three nights but cut our stay short after only two. The reason being that the frog is now under new ownership and although the new owner assured us that he's used to running a thousand room hotel with a further eight hundred rooms in reserve, I feel he neglected to tell us that it must have been a prison he ran!
Our first night there we were woken by screaming kids and an even louder woman at 0600! The second night we ate in the resterant and my wife was sick all the next day. The food was TERRABLE andwe left most of it. Breakfast was even worse with the bacon being too salty to eat and the eggs still raw.
The accomodation was fine, but neither the tv, or free view would work properly and the owner allows his staff to park in the dissabled spaces.
My wife and I have stayed at the frog many times in the past and yes it was expensive, but the food was always good. Now however it's easier to throw your money overboard..............and safer than staying and eating at the frog.
BE WARNED, STAY AT THE FROG AND CHANCE BEING VERY ILL AFTER.