PUBLIC criticism of Burnley Council's flagship restaurant has caused a rush of cancelled bookings, claim Labour bosses.

Three opposition councillors who told of dry bread, shrivelled sausages and frozen chips served up at the Mechanics were blamed for causing Christmas bookings to be cancelled.

There is set to be little festive fun as bookings for Christmas dinners have been slashed from 600 last year to just 70, despite council spending of about £2.5m to refit and improve the premises.

But the newly-opened Inn at the Wharf, just a few doors away, is packing them in with many days already fully-booked.

Chairman of contract services, Coun Abdul Aziz, blamed the downturn on fellow councillors publicly criticising meals at the Mechanics and those comments being reported by the media.

At the last council meeting Couns Harry Brooks, Gordon Birtwistle and Enid Tate all criticised the standards of meals served at the council-run Mechanics which is losing £500 a week. Coun John Harbour told members of the policy and resources committee he had been at a meeting of Gannow Community Group and they cancelled their planned Christmas lunch because of the Press reports.

He said a satisfaction questionnaire had been filled in by more than 200 people and 70 per cent said the service, quality, price and food was good or very good.

But Coun Brooks said: "Those surveys are questionable on various grounds. They were collected and analysed by the very staff trying to justify themselves in the eyes of the public.

"There is not a lot of point surveying people who have continued to use the place. The people we want to find out about are the ones who used to come and then stopped using the catering service."

Coun Aziz added: "We realise there is a problem with the catering and we have set up a working group who are dealing with it and hopefully sorting it out."

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