Thetford Garden Centre in Breckland

Service very poor. Arrived on a coach which was pre booked with garden centre. Order taken quickly as we were the first ones off of coach but then waited 45 min for food and coffee. Did complain was told you were not first (they lied) as being a table of 9 we know we got in early, table's that arrived after us got their food before us. Others on coach had to have their food and drinks as take away as they took too long to serve. Staff rude and unhelpful.

Visited as part of a coach trip going onto a Thursford spectacular. Stopped here with the group before. We had an hour stop, we ordered coffees, teas and scones for 8 people. Service was absolute rubbish, drinks arrived randomly, different times as with the food. Last coffee to arrived 45 mins after first ordering. A very bad experiance then become worse as when we complained to the waitresses, one of whom was not English and she clearly had no customer skills whats so ever, she become defensive, quite rude and tried to blame us for being a large group. I would stay in my opinion the management of the tea room need to get a firm grip on the kitchen timing and co-ordination of orders. Also, for service staff run a course in English politeness would be very useful. As a regular coach trip into Norfolk we have all agreed never to visit again. Poor, poor experience

Love this garden centre, big carpark, the staff are very friendly and helpful. It is well stocked with all your gardening needs and more. The cafe is next to none the food staff, and their cheese scones are so lovely, well worth a visit

Service very slow yesterday and today I get your busy ,maybe more staff

Great place. Love getting gifts here,always something new.

Such a lovely place, quality products and good shopping experience. customer service is really good.

Lovely place but was a bit annoyed to find they charged an additional amount when i asked for a my decaf coffee to be 'strong'.

Good choice of plants and garden equipment to choose from and as you go around you will come across items for the house and a clothes area and an area which has food and finish off with tea and cake from the restaurant which has a wide range on the menu of food and drinks

A lovely visit and such kind staff. Dad loved the ham egg and chips. Thank you

A group of 6 old school friends met here for coffee and lunch. Lovely atmosphere and a good menu choice We were looked after by Sally who was fantastic. She was very attentive and friendly and even though she was rushed off her feet and when we paid the bill she found time for a chat. Sally is a great asset to the restaurant and if you have an employee of the month I would nominate Sally. Thank you. We will return in the summer.

The best roast beef for Sunday lunch. Waited for 45 minutes for a table but were given a buzzer so plenty of time to look around the lovely garden centre. All the staff very friendly even though they were busy. Would 100% recommend and will be returning soon.

Always very pleasant. Good food and excellent staff. Did prefer the traditional cakes to tray bakes as available in the past.

Good selection of xmas goodies, well laid out, but a little bit expensive.

Nice atmosphere, good range of products, lovely caff.

I visited today with my daughter in the hope of getting seated in the restaurant, to he told that there was over an hour wait for a table. Fair enough, we came at a very busy lunchtime. We decided to get a takeaway instead. While we were waiting for our order, a couple approached the front of house manager, someone who he clearly knew, hugged him, asked him what the wait for a table was, was told over an hour, but he still proceeded to seat them despite lots of people waiting for tables, including 2 older ladies, who I belive had been sitting waiting for at least half an hour. Another lady who had been waiting with her family, spoke to the front of house manager and he was very dismissive, wouldn't admit what he did was wrong, and told her it was his decision. This is NOT good seeing as there were a lot of people waiting for tables, and this couple just walked right up to him and got seated as they knew him!!!!! This is unacceptable and disgusting behaviour for a manager on a very busy day.

Food was very nice but the wait was over a hour for food. We had finished drinks and was still waiting for food. When I asked how long food was going to be was told there is a wait and he would find out for me but never did come back.

A very good Garden Centre, be prepared to spend time there, you won't regret it.

Good food and service very clean the service was fast

Excellent food excellent service

Excellent aquatic department. Great selection of fish tanks and aquarium products. Tropical and coldwater fish. Lots of unusual species, some really rare fish species here. The plants are good too.

Very large garden centre with a full range. Plants looked very good, healthy and well maintained. Cafe good. Staff friendly and helpful

Friendly staff, nice layout of store and great restaurant.

Went for lunch with a friend. Food was nice and staff were friendly but I had a jacket potato with prawns, average size not a big one and it was £12.99 and it didn't even come with a side salad. For that price would definitely expect more than a medium sized jacket potato

Birthday treat for lunch. Lovely, large open dining area. Comfortable seating. Service very good. We did have to wait approx 30 minutes for a table, but when we were taken through, there were at least 6 or 7 tables available, so we couldn't understand why it took so long. Quiche and salad I had was very tasty and well made and presented. Would recommend here.

A really great range and lovely staff. The cafe is always very busy so expect a long wait.

What a bargain we had. I purchased a hand made fire bowl. It was cheaper that the on live suppliers. It also came with some free items. Excellent restaurant, fri staff , well stocked centre

Huge garden centre.so much to see ..super restaurant.definitely reccommend

amazing food and friendly staff.

An hour wait for a table it's utter ridiculous... and to be told if we don't like it we don't have to wait! Utterly disgusting for the price

On Sunday i was there with friends and it took over an hour to get our food, whilst people who arrived after us got theirs. Our food was cold and had been sitting out. It was reheated and now i have food poisoning. Would not recommend and can’t give zero stars.

Stopped there for the first time. When to the cafe the services was terrible. Would not go there again. Would not recommend.

Looking very festive for both Halloween and Christmas.

Large garden centre with an obviously popular restaurant and very busy car park. While staying in the area, we visited on a couple of occasions to have a look, initially, then popped in to get a card and present as we left Thetford. This looks to be a pretty good garden centre on the basis of our brief visits. Nice staff, good layout, great machinery department and more Christmas stuff than you could shake a sprig of holly at!!! ...and I suspect they sell holly! Garden centres are now shopping emporia, aren't they? The car park is well laid out and has recently been extended. It could easily be twice the size, given the obvious footfall. 4-stars definitely.

Called up mid week to ask about booking tables which fair enough they don't , however said if we got there for half 11 we would be fine. Came in for mums birthday and had to wait for a table and after 30 minutes did get one. There was four of us in total, Including a little one. Credit to the staff who were very friendly and welcoming even when it being very busy, the saving grace in truth and stars would have been lower without this. Very impressed with the menu choice although was very disappointed to receive our food rather cold. I'm hoping that this was situational to the business and if I were to come back which is likely I will then adjust this review accordingly. (I have since been back to Thetford garden centre multiple times and have always had a nice time , amended from 3 stars to 5!)

Plenty of diverse and choice products. Great place for gifts.

We had a lovely time at the Thetford Garden centre Lime Kiln Kitchen. I took my parents for a meal and we had a bit of a wait. My dad has recently had a hip replacement operation and needed to sit down while we waited. Sally the waitress who served us for the whole meal couldn't have been more helpful. She got my Dad a chair to sit on while we waited and was very helpful and friendly when we were having our meal. Thank you very much for making our meal a pleasant and enjoyable experience..

Came here for afternoon tea which was amazing! Especially for me as I don't like cream or jam so to have cheese scones with cream cheese and chutney was a real treat. Sandwich and cake selection was also great.

I've been here many times over the years. Food is usually good, decor lovely but the staff are a bit hit and miss! Today's waitress brought our food over, didn't ask if we needed anything else, sauces etc. Cleared one plate away while the other person was stil eating but what has prompted me to write a review was when I went up to the till to pay she said we shouldn't have come up and should have paid at the table. I said I didn't know that. Some older ladies also came up to pay and she said oh why can't people stay seated! I said pleasantly maybe you need a sign? She said people should have been told when they sat down! She managed to take our money after the telling off but I found her really rude and unpleasant.

Over half hour wait for table.. buzzer didn't go off, had to go see if table free after waiting 45mins.. they seated us, took order of coffee and sandwiches,/toasties, took ages to come.. coffee luke warm, toastie burnt and dry, ordered another coffee and cake.. cake nice, coffee still luke warm. Staff said they very busy and staff off sick. Were turning people away we noted, maybe they should have done so sooner so not to disappoint those sitting waiting who finally get luke warm drinks and burnt food. Very disappointed as used to be good.

Lovely shopping experience Xmas already?

What a disappointing visit to the Lime Kiln Kitchen,chaos from start to finish ,waited 25 minutes for a table ( which was fine and we looked around the shop) but after the wait you expect a good service , our order was a scone and cup of tea and my son had a toasted sandwich and a coke( not complicated) drinks came,15 minutes later the toasted sandwich came with luke warm chips,15 minutes after that still no scone ,waitress comes over “ what you waiting on” was her question to me,disappeared didn’t see her again,another waitress comes over and says she’ll go and see where the scone is,son has finished his lunch by then ,I said to the waitress cancel the scone now my son was finished ,the scone then turns up which the waitress says she’ll take off the bill,by which time I was over it and ready to leave ,people on tables all around us having refunds for food that didn’t come or was very late or one persons order coming but not the others ,this was a shambles all round and I wished we’d just gone home for a sandwich ,a lot less stressful! I will not be returning any time soon.

Wonderful products form home and garden.. great cafe which allows dogs and has lovely food. Staff are always very friendly and welcoming.

***UPDATE*** Date of Visit: 04/10/2024 - Complaint handled professionally and courteously by Angela, and also the girl who served us for coffee & cake (ex Center Parcs) had excellent customer service skills - Thank you Date of Visit: 20/09/2024 - Although the breakfast(s) were well presented using quality ingredients, they were very cold. The service was way below average as no check-back was done by the waitress and no sauces were offered either. The coffee was very nice, however due to the numerous issues with breakfast, my wife and I both agree we would only return for coffee and cake in future, which is such a shame as the eating area has great potential; however it all just seemed very chaotic :(

What a little gem. We found a great variety of plants, very reasonably priced, & gifts. We were also delighted to find the pizza van & yurt, just beyond the outdoor plants. The yurt is such a lovely, warm & cosy place to enjoy a stone baked pizza & coffee. Colouring pencils & paper were a bonus for the children.

A good choice of everything for your gardening needs.

Great food, good service and a nice dining area not too cramped. Also staff are always polite and helpful.

Great staff. Great good quality food and goods. Great atmosphere..

The atmosphere is so cozy and all the staff are so helpful and friendly. All around just a lovely place to be.

Lovely location and fantastic restaurant..

Beautifill garden centre with a great cafe.

Enjoy walking around the centre and the selection of items available. Come for breakfast, Lunch or just a coffee as nice surrounding and staff always pleasant.

We had ordered a decaf tea and an Earl Grey tea and 2 scrambled eggs on toast, one on granary bread. The decaf arrived but no Earl Grey, we had to ask for it after waiting a few minutes thinking it was going to arrive. After approx 30 mins, and noticing the table next to us who had arrived and ordered after us, had received their breakfast. We managed to grab the attention of our server and said we were still waiting for food, he immediately bought ours back which led me to believe it must have been sitting waiting for someone to pick them up, they were both on white bread and cold. I had to go and find someone and explain the situation, when he bought the correct order back it was quite noticeable that there was less scrambled egg then the cold original. Definitely not up to the standard we are used to receiving here so very disappointed.

Had an afternoon tea for two , we had sandwiches ,scones and mini cakes, pot of tea, it was all very well presented and tasted good. 😋 The staff were friendly and polite would definitely go again.

Had an afternoon tea for two , we had sandwiches ,scones and mini cakes, pot of tea, it was all very well presented and tasted good. 😋 The staff were friendly and polite would definitely go again.

Lovely place and the cafe was exceptional. Lovely food and service.

In Thetford Garden Centre I can find high quality items and service is so friendly and professional which makes that shop my favorite one especially in Christmas time..

The Thetford Garden Center is a real treat as far as local shops go, whenever we have family visiting, we make sure to take them there for local souvenirs and gifts, as well as the cafe!.

Lovely place and the cafe was exceptional. Lovely food and service.

It is a lovely garden centre to visit I have moved so I don’t get over there much now.

We loved the food, service, and atmosphere. We will definitely be back..

I love coming to Thetford Garden Centre because of the quality and good range of plants, gifts and gardening tools. The cafe is great and the food is delicious. It's an all round lovely experience and the seasonal products are always worth a visit - some great gift ideas at Christmas. The team are super helpful and friendly and all these things make for a great experience. Keep up the good work..

Well equipped garden centre that is clean and organised in easy to find areas. Good choice and quality of food in restaurant. Helpful and polite staff.

Garden centre is always clean, tidy and beautifully laid out.

Great selection of odds and ends to browse through but way over priced. Yurt as a classroom is brilliant. Cheese scone was tasty.

Superb garden centre, great cafe and outside eating area for more casual food at rear of site. Has great selection of plants and lovely gift section. Something for everyone. Staff really cheerful and happy to help. Highly recommended.

I nice range of quality flowers for the garden and the house. Lots of other products such as decorations, garden tools, composts and children toys. The cafe is a tad bit expensive though. All in all I recommend visiting the centre.

I enjoy coming to the store. Apart from the excellent plants and garden related products, they have a wide range of interesting products, great for when you are looking for a unique gift. I was especially impressed with the way your team arranged a recent replacement for a swing seat that I had purchased. Also the food on offer is fantastic..

Absolutely stocked with everything you desire for the garden

Quality products and a fast variety. Cafe is excellent and service is second to none. Christmas displays are wonderful too..

The cafe is fabulous, I bring friends here with confidence. Grandchildren love the fish displays. Range of gift items is delightful.

Friendly staff and the food was really great

You provide upmarket choice, a large range of indoor & out door planting together with a great pet section, I always shop for Birthday presents and cards as the choice is superior. Christmas at Thetford Garden Centre is amazing!.

Love Thetford Garden Centre! Lovely staff and top quality plants and gifting. The Lime Kiln kitchen serves delicious food with again very lovely staff with a dedicated dog area!

Excellent variety of quality stock.

Great fresh displays, so much to look at indoors & out with great helpful staff

Great choice and good service. Some products are a bit pricey. We love the restaurant as well..

Lovely Garden Centre with a wide array of gifts, plants and garden merchandise. Also a great restaurant which always has a good selection of gluten free options.

Excellent service, good food and value for money..

Wow! What a Breakfast after a long night shift!…… Staff were fab, great service and thee nicest breakfast we have ever had in a lovely setting!! Definitely Worth a visit!…… Happy Days! ………⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ No photo to show the food as we ate the lot!!!😍

Great plants, bird food and other products. Friendly staff. Lovely vegan food in the cafe. Easy parking. Lovely location..

An absolute must to visit! Gorgeous food in the cafe with quick and very friendly staff

We like the lime kiln food and nice to wander around and pick up some presents for family and friends.

The plants are always strong and healthy; there are lots of other interesting items; I love the cafe!

A lovely morning in the garden Brilliant choice of plants and tasty food in the cafe

Lovely food good service . Lots of things to look at in shop

Good variety Knowledgeable staff. In machinery dept

Good choice of products, nice to browse, fab cafe and friendly staff.

Staff are friendly helpful and knowledgeable about your products and services.

Friendly, cafe is nice and have a good selection of pet treats..

Great food, great service, great location.

Lovely coffee shop where dogs are welcome. Plants in good condition and lots of gift ideas, however it is a little expensive on some items.

Fabulous garden centre, lots if parking, restaurant is very good too 😀

Nice family run business with good variety of product. Large spacious premises nicely laid out. Good cafe and great customer service - always a win in my world 👍👍

Excellent range of products. Very attractive displays. Every season is catered for. Friendly helpful staff.

Extensive range of plants and garden accessories matched with friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Great facilities, shop has plenty to offer. Bought several great tools for the garden, hanging baskets etc as well as clothes, gifts and pet goods. Everything you need in one place. Friendly staff, cafe has a good selection for those with gluten intolerances (including high tea). Dog friendly.

So much variety in what they sell - not just plants. A great cafe to have something to eat and drink. I often meet up with a friend here as the cafe is so good we have lunch and then spend the rest of the afternoon taking in all the wonderful things they sell. We never come away empty handed!.

Brilliant selection of gifts and plants on offer

Such a lovely variety of items to purchase. Staff are very friendly 😃.

Had a lovely cuppa followed by a mooch which was what we wanted. Found some gifts and started to get ideas for the garden this year. Will be back soon to get what we need. Love the feel of this garden centre. Helpful staff and fabulous cafe make this a good experience whenever we visit.