Pub near Oxford defended after £700 wake food backlash

A post on social media shows a picture of the £700 buffet provided at the Abingdon Arms in Beckley's High Street, which left Wendy Larkin, who booked the wake, "speechless".

However, the owner of the Abingdon Arms has defended her family run business, and claims that the photo circulating on social media does not show the full buffet.

The post on Facebook, posted by Wendy's son Mike, has received more than 150 comments and been shared by nearly 200 people. 

The post describes the service as "appalling" and said: "I'm absolutely shocked they think that was an acceptable price to pay for the small amount of food they served.

"They should feel ashamed of their service."

Ms Larkin, who booked the buffet at the pub for her father's wake, told the Oxford Mail that the buffet offered "unidentifiable, dried up, curling sandwiches" and that she was "shocked and horrified" upon seeing the food last week. 

Ms Larkin said: "I was speechless to be quite honest.

"I expected to send my dad off in a nice way and it looks like I've cheapskated.

"The whole thing has been unbelievable."

The picture of the food posted on social media (Image: Contributed)

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In response to this, owner of the pub Victoria Macpherson has defended her business.

She said: "In response to the vendetta on our family run business, we sympathise with the grieving family in question. 

"When corresponding with the family on June 30, they refused the offer to discuss this issue in person and chose to attack us on social media in an attempt to defame our business.

"The photo circulating on social media sadly does not show the second table of the buffet we provided and is untrue, missing five additional items provided by us. 

"We provide puddings and unlimited hot refreshments in the price and we never charge a service charge or a venue hire charge.

The Abingdon Arms

"We cater for on average three wakes a week and this would not be the case if in fact, we were in a position to upset grieving families. 

"The guests stayed for many hours into the evening and ordered from the a la carte menu too, with only positive comments about the day."

She described the incident as a "social media storm" and urged people to remember "there are always two sides to every story".

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She continued: "In short, this matter started with a complaint about us not supplying a salad which had not been ordered and has spiralled into a social media storm based on photos that only show part of what was supplied by us.

"Using influential blogging friends to broaden their personal campaign in an attempt to bring a small business on its knees. 

"We ask each individual sharing this malicious falsehood of our business to remember that there are always two sides to every story and in this case, we have been unheard.

"It’s a very sad time for the family but equally a sad time for a family owned business operating from a community owned pub that tried to help them."