The Spectator Anmeldelser 

I cancelled my subscription on 20th December, or so I thought. Despite receiving email confirmation, they have continued to debit my card. They have not taken any action to refund me despite repeated contact leaving me no choice but to raise a dispute with my bank.

This is unexpected from a so-called reputable magazine. They really should be doing better!

I would like to thank the Spectator for a wonderful informal garden tea party, I thoroughly enjoyed the event.... especially the Royal Marines Bands marching past at the bottom of the office garden, practising the Beating Retreat, which added to the occasion.

Sadly my dear wife, the true subscriber to the Spectator, was unable to attend the party. As I was to be her favourite guest, I took on her role and found a friend to accompany me.

Although nobody knew anybody, everyone started to chatting to the person next to them. Going to get another cup of tea, or something stronger, one got distracted and lost in the crowd, which started a whole new conversation with another stranger.

As the party drew to a close, the chief editor gave us a tour of the Spectator's wonderful office, telling us a little about the magazine's long history, as well as the day to day operation of producing the magazine to fulfil the aspirations of all those who work at the Spectator and meet the expectations of its readers.

As we left to go home, my friend, who had never heard of the Spectator (!), was so impressed he decided to subscribe. As for me, I will be more assiduous in reading my wife's copy of The Spectator.

Thoroughly enjoyable occasion with very attentive and friendly staff. The whole event was convivial throughout and it was great to meet some of the Speccie writers and fellow guests. The refreshments were fab too.

Fantastic party - beautiful location and great to be able to meet so many welcoming people from the magazine. Terrific afternoon - most grateful for the invitation.

There was a warm welcome. It was good to get to see inside No. 22. In the garden, there was a relaxed intermingling of staff and guests, the amazing opportunity to meet star journalists and cartoonists. There were nice things to eat and drink. For a bit of focus and diversion, a good humoured, funny Fraser Nelson presided over a free raffle.
Really, this was a very pleasant couple of hours spent in the company of friendly, interesting people.
Thank you Spectator.

A Friendly and brilliantly organised Tea Party in The Spectator Garden. We travelled down from East Yorkshire for the day and we are so glad we did as it was a great opportunity to meet your favourite writers and fellow subscribers. If you have never been to a Spectator Event do give it a try. Especially the wine classes, This was our first event organised by the Spectator and we now hope the first of many . Subscribe!

We had a wonderful time! Lovely to meet some of the Spectator team and to chat. How pleasant they all are!

I went to a marvelous party,
I must say the fun was intense,
We all had to do
What the people we knew
Would be doing a hundred years hence.

Fun, informative German Wine Tasting Masterclass at IOD, Pall Mall.... well organised, entertaining speakers & now know more about the magic world of German wines.

Great venue, interesting people, well organised. The wine was very good and the wine Makers were incredibly knowledgeable entertaining and helpful. Highly recommend @

A fascinating event, and completely unique. Everything was right, the way the wine was presented, the choice of venue, the food, the interesting content and presentation. I also enjoyed talking with other guests, and meeting up with previous acquaintances.

The Spectator lunch event at the Caledonian club had all the winning elements for a superb event, namely enlightened speakers from the world of wine and global politics, delicious food and amazing wines from winesofchinauk.co for which the tastings were curated by Janet Wang author of 'The Chinese Wine Renaissance'. A truly enjoyable event!

I have been trying to renew my subscription to nearly two weeks.
Subscriber for more than 45 years.
Frustrated is not the word!
Colin S Heaton

Here is my Spectatoresque review of The Spectator...

Yay. Twas brilig 'pon the October morn and - such was the closing in of the evening - one had but a frettles-cusp of a chance to snarf down my Chateau Margaux 1998 'fore old mother night swept in across the Cambridgeshire sky.

Dark and ripe twangs of berry fruit did tickle - not just my memory sweet and dear reader, but also pangs in - dare I to mention - the trouser areas of my personage and wardrobe - but memories still were resurged of Perpignan summers, Bouillabaisse evenings, and such pleasant twaddle bespaken twixt young floppy-haired fools such as I.

At that very moment I was both "was" and once was - the thought swept in as ghostly and instant as the October night: "Are there any other verb-ese (verbose to obese) who might drabble-out something such as the aforementioned stanzas over so simple a sentiment as a sup of wine?"

My quest and new purpose stood to attention like a soldier chastised mid-droop, when there was only one place where the twinkling grandiloquence and saucy societal reach-arounds were celebrated in sufficient aplomb. The Spectator.

Abash and shy - somewhat like a young Mediterranean fish market apprentice handling a furious-sharp filleting knife for the first time - I entered the gentle covenant of a trial subscription. Hope bubbled up like a teenage swig of Lambrini straight from the bottle, huddled within a cinema bus stop. This abstract emotion soon bubbled up the nose, spluttering gaffaws, and lurid backwash - dearest, sweetest, genteelist cherubim of a reader.

In the shortest time reality yawned out the grizzled trouser turnip of reality - the writing therein was foppish, frumptulated, gumphified and self-proctating. The same instant I suffered the fatal instinct that my time were never to be returned, so-fore and henceforth, never shall my subscription be, I decreed.

This - my undulated joy explosion of a reader, perhaps nay surified as the readiest of readers in Christendom - is where my piffling snivelfest of a tale disappears down it's own gynaecological examination. As many moons later my bank statements reveal the shock-horror that The Spectator hath unashamedly been billing even though I cancelled!

6 months - half a year - 15,780,000 seconds and I am still unable to get my £40+ pounds refunded. I learned a scathing and slippery life lesson. Riddle me this... is there anything grander and more entitled in life than the Spectator's opinion of itself? Pith, twaddle, and a shiny penny to any who can answer.

Bought the Spectator subscription through there online app, which uses Google pay. Google took the money but the spectator magazine has no record. After several emails backwards and forwards, neither Google nor spectator will take responsibility for sorting it out. Decided to write off the cost of subscription as my time is limited

Great magazine keep up the good work enjoy reading always informative
Simon

I keep trying to get an answer for why I don't have access despite monthly charges to my credit card.

Update: Finally someone informed me I was registered with Spectator World, not UK.

My first Spectator event ( theme English Wines).I felt most welcome - Jonny Ray convivial host - invited excellent Speaker Henry Jeffreys presented his book 'Vines in a cold Climate' -he also choose the English Wines matched to delicious courses.Not only enjoyed the lunch but came away with some new knowledge.Have shared Henry's book with others- cracking read.Wonderful location and good company. I will look out for another event .

I have not attended a Spectator lunch since before Covid, but I was delighted to see that the standard has not fallen in the slightest.
Henry Jeffreys was an entertaining speaker and delightfully incorrect. The wines we tasted and the food were superb.
I look forward to my next visit.

Went to the Spectator lunch for Chateau Angludet and found it incredible! Very good company and a good lunch. But the wines were amazing and the speaker from the Sichel family excellent. I ordered a case of magnums the next day!