Shocking Experience at the Venue on Leslie

We recently hosted an event at the Venue on Leslie, and I can confidently say it was one of the worst experiences I've ever had. While the space itself is quite nice, the management completely ruined the experience and we encountered significant issues that dampened the experience.

To start, we arrived to find that the venue had just put manure on the grass. The smell was overpowering. It was not only unpleasant but also unprofessional to have such a situation at a venue hosting private functions. Additionally random people wandered into our private event without any management oversight.

We were also disappointed with the lack of clarity regarding their policies. Unfortunately, when the caters arrived we were informed that they could not utilise the plug points/electricity at the venue to fry the food, we found ourselves in a bind as our catering setup was delayed because we had to scramble to find a gas stove on a Sunday. This was incredibly frustrating and put a damper on the flow of the event. This delayed the event by about 2 hours. It would have been helpful if the venue had suggested alternatives or offered any assistance in securing equipment, especially considering the last-minute nature of our situation.

To make matters worse - the manager was unprofessional and rude, as the event was still going on (we had the venue until 18h00), at around 17h00, the manager and her staff started cleaning up and were basically kicking everyone out (with zero consideration for the delay caused by the venue’s lack of communication), which left many of us shocked and embarrassed.

The way this was handled was downright hostile. It felt like we were being treated like a nuisance rather than valued guests. Communication was poor, and there was no effort made to address our concerns and make the situation better.

Additionally, the manager abruptly instructed the bartender to stop serving drinks before the event had even concluded.

The manager's interaction with the catering team was equally frustrating. They were told to leave prematurely, despite the fact that we had not yet wrapped up the event. This lack of consideration for both guests and vendors was incredibly unprofessional. The manager prioritized closing down over ensuring a positive experience for everyone.

Oh and there was only one bathroom available for all the guests, and it was dirty and poorly maintained. This was incredibly inconvenient for a gathering of our size.

If you're considering the Venue on Leslie for an event, I strongly advise against it for any event where a good experience is a priority. No one wants to deal with a manager who has such a lack of respect for their guests. It's clear that the management needs to focus more on customer service and less on rigid policies. Save yourself the stress and look for a venue that values its clients!