The Friary Guildford Reviews Summary

Shopping Experience

Pros:

• "This place has been transformed over the past 5 years from a retail area with irrelevant shops to arguably the best shopping area in Guildford."
• "Good selection of high street shops."
• "Brilliant, massive shopping centre with three floors the third floor being a food court with plenty of food stations to choose from."
• "Such a great place to go shopping as it has so many shops including primark, topshop and urban outfitters."
• "Great variety of stores, lots of unique stores to explore products."
• "Very nice place to go shopping, everything is easy to find and all the shops are organised well."
• "A lovely shopping centre. Has all the shops on trend and fashion."

Cons:

• "Facilities are normally not the cleanest when I've used them over the years."
• "Parking is not as convenient, especially on weekends."
• "Over priced sterile franchise stores and food outlets."
• "Awful bland shopping centre - just like 99% of others."
• "The same boring shops in a very boring shopping complex."
• "Long walks are needed to visit shops."
• "Shops are really small with not enough variety."

Accessibility

Pros:

• "It is located next to the bus station while train station is a short walk."
• "Could not find disabled parking entrance adjacent car park but generous spacing and great to be able to access shopping centre with wheelchair."
• "Easy access to each floor there is 2 lifts, 2 escalators."
• "Also near train station, walking distance!"
• "For disabled visitors, there is a dedicated mobility place, where you can park in an excluded area away from other cars, and hire mobility scooters to get around easier."
• "Conveniently placed right next to bus station and two minutes away from the train station."
• "It's literally only 3 minute walk from the Guildford station it makes it the perfect place to pop in on these chilly days."

Cons:

• "Closed all doors off but one so disabled people have to walk for miles to get in... and no compassion when this was pointed out to staff... absolutely disgusting."
• "Unfortunately only one of the 2 lifts working as a disabled carer this meant queuing."
• "I think the car parking charges are excessive if you are only visiting for a short time."
• "Unfortunately being in Guildford the traffic can be horrendous and parking can be difficult at peak hours."
• "Only downside is, that they don't have a separate parking for customers, but you can find one across the road."
• "There are more parking places available over the weekends."
• "Carparks are grossly over priced."

Food and Dining

Pros:

• "The food court is at the top with a few choices."
• "Great selection of food outlets"
• "Upstairs has places to eat McDonald's, kfc + others nice to have a choice of food outlets all in one place."
• "Food court upstairs has plenty of seating and a good wide range of food available."
• "Costa Coffee provided a quick service, nice latte and cheese and ham toasty however the trays were absolutely filthy."
• "For a food hall the price seemed reasonably for what was displayed on menu...scores absolutely zero for taste..."
• "Food court has a good selection of retailers to choose from."

Cons:

• "4 stars because food court wasn't particularly clean and toilets leave a lot to be desired."
• "The down side is the selection in the 'food court', McDonald's is about the only reliable option."
• "Top floor food court provides only fast food, and it is very busy and overcrowded."
• "The food court can sometimes be very busy and no space to sit however."
• "For a food hall the price seemed reasonably for what was displayed on menu...scores absolutely zero for taste..."
• "It's busy and can feel a bit cramped at peak times."
• "Possibly the worst shopping centre I've been to in the U.K."

Customer Service and Security

Pros:

• "Centre - Clean and well staffed with visible security"
• "All of the staff who work there are so lovely!!"
• "The staff at friary are so friendly and helpful."
• "Got to just write in respect of the Irish security guard named Mark... Really refreshing to have someone so classy, so eloquent, in control but able to express empathy towards us."
• "Excellent security too concierge is great. You always know you are safe in the centre."

Cons:

• "I take a dim view of when security chooses to treat people who are taking photographs with such high degrees of suspicion."
• "It's a pity the covid Marshalls were so rude and abrupt though."
• "Went to the shopping mall with my niece and two great nieces, very disappointed with the level of security and safety around the Mc Donald’s area regarding teenagers."
• "Thank you to the security guard who told me off and instructed me to move when I stood still for five minutes whilst out with my children."
• "We felt unsafe just walking the streets."
• "There is a need for vigilance."
• "Shop assistants unhelpful, especially in Post Office."

Cleanliness and Maintenance

Pros:

• "Centre - Clean and well staffed with visible security"
• "Clean, airy and well maintained."
• "The actual center itself is clean, well lit up, beautifully organized."
• "Toilet - Clean and maintained"

Cons:

• "Facilities are normally not the cleanest when I've used them over the years."
• "4 stars because food court wasn't particularly clean and toilets leave a lot to be desired."
• "Dirty. Not lots that you could get."
• "The toilets could be maintained better, particularly with toilet roll always on the floor and ensuring the soap dispensers actually have soap in them."
• "Toilets are always a bit of a mess or completely out of order."
• "Went to the soft play area on the top floor and my son suffered a serious head injury due to a solid unit not being properly covered in soft material to make it safe."
• "Costa Coffee provided a quick service, nice latte and cheese and ham toasty however the trays were absolutely filthy."