A STOCKTON Heath restaurant has hit back after a vindictive social media post and reviews targeting its premises.
Hungamaa restaurant on London Road opened in November 2024. This week, a malicious post was put on the Living in Stockton Heath Facebook page by someone questioning the cleanliness of the restaurant.
It contained a picture of a chair with a box and rubbish surrounding it and claimed it was where the chefs and serving staff sat on their breaks smoking. The post was removed swiftly by the admin page, but had been widely viewed and was impacting the restaurant.
They have now hit back on Facebook, writing: “From the moment we opened our doors in November 2024, we have been overwhelmed by the warmth and kindness of so many of you. Your support and kind words, and your presence in our restaurant means the world to us.
“This journey hasn’t been easy, but it has been incredibly rewarding because of you. However, along the way we have also faced some challenges. We’ve noticed a pattern of vindictive reviewers and social media posts – most likely from competitors or those who are not happy with our arrival.”
The restaurant has tried to rise above it, focusing on what they do best “creating a welcoming space with great food and warm hospitality.”
The post on Living in Stockton Heath (which has since been deleted by admin) deeply hurt the staff.
“It implied that our chefs may not be hygienic or our kitchen is not clean – something that couldn’t be further from the truth. These words stung because they attacked the very heart of what we stand for – honest, passionate cooking in a place where everyone should feel safe and welcome.”
The post was created by a user who doesn’t even exist. And the photo shared alongside it was of a shared space used by another restaurant for their delivery drivers.
“These kinds of false claims and misleading posts can be incredibly damaging to small businesses like ours, which work tirelessly to build trust within the community.”
The restaurant was awarded five-stars in a recent food hygiene inspection by Warrington Borough Council. “We take immense pride in what we do, and we would never compromise on the trust you place in us.”
When Hungamaa opened, they invited neighbouring businesses and residents to share a meal with them “to experience first-hand the love and care we pour into everything we do.”
They now humbly ask residents for their continued support if they’ve dined there and enjoyed it. The reviews and kind words “help drown out the negativity and remind us why they started this journey in the first place.”
The post led to an outpouring of support. One resident wrote: “We had a fabulous meal at Hungamaa a couple of weeks ago and will definitely be going back.”
Another added: “Hope your business thrives.”
A third resident said: “I’m so pleased I no longer have to travel to Chorlton! You’re a fantastic addition to the village and my family’s top choice for an Indian meal – ignore the trolls!’
Another said: “We’ve eaten in the restaurant several times and had takeaway. The food is outstanding and the service equally as good. Keep up the great work.”
Dikendra Gurung, from Hungamaa told Warrington Worldwide: “We just feel that the sheer volume of support we have received have actually drowned the negativity the original post was sowing. Plus the admins took the right action by removing the post immediately.”
