Dropper, I don't see this as a thread to bag out Mark. It started as something different but it's turned into a general feedback thread. There are plenty of positive remarks and a fair share of bad ones.
I've done two orders - one pickup and one delivered (I live 5h out of Newcastle). Pickup order was excellent, quick turnaround and he gave me a polite call about some stock he didn't have.
2nd order has been nothing but a frustration for me. I don't have a LHBS so rely on so I order recipes as I need them, about 3 at a time. I put in my order in April, 3 weeks before planning to do a brew, and tried numerous times to contact him. The fact his website number is different to his current one made it impossible - I had to get a relative to go to the store to get him to give me a call. I've called him 3 times about this order, and 3 times now he's said he'll call me back but didn't. I still don't have my stuff and I have no idea when to expect it. In the meantime I've used another supplier I know I can rely on.
Had I not seen the feedback from others in my situation in this thread I wouldn't know what the hell was going on. It seems everyone expecting a delivery can expect not to get one.
Regardless, had I not seens others' feedback I'd be completely in the dark. Feedback doesn't need to be positive. I've had a good and bad experience and I'm sure if I still lived in Warabrook I'd be in there every 2nd week throwing my cash at him and continuing to give him positive feedback. As it stands I don't have the luxury, and I won't be dealing with him for delivered stuff again. If he can't fulfil delivery orders then he really shouldn't have that option available on his web site. Imagine you weren't a member of AHB and had just come across the web site? Wrong phone number, no response to e-mails, nothing turning up in the mail etc. etc. Just an order sitting in limbo.
Otherwise I'm very much keen to drop in and check the place out when I'm about next. In the meantime I'm joining the milling brigade and am going to get some sacks of malt to tide me over whenever I might want to brew. As it stands I have 2 empty kegs and no grain.