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So I made my decision and below is the letter I sent to the companies HR department over the weekend after simmering about how mad it has made me. This is a company which makes many claims about the people it employs and the ethics around that policy. Maybe I shouldn't do this but I really don't see why I should put up with this. See what you think...

 It's the people who work with us who make us different and help us build and maintain our success.  We pride ourselves on attracting, recruiting and retaining the very best.

That's a quote from your website. It doesn't even come close to matching my experience with your Company.

I applied for the Head Chef position at ** through an agency. An interview was set up with the GM for S**, and all went well. I was then told on a Friday that I would be required to attend a second interview in London. Unfortunately because of the short notice and the start time (09.45) I was not able to get any kind of offer for a fare, but nonetheless I booked.

I attended my trial (I was told it would be 09.45 - 14.00) and all went well, at 14.15 I was told that the person interviewing me was running late so I carried on working until 14.45. By 15.00 I was led outside to wait....it started raining so I moved inside and asked for a coffee. I called the agency who had organized this to tell them and to find out if they had heard anything, at this point no-one had actually contacted me. At 16.15 the lady from HR finally arrived   and apologised saying they were short staffed and important things had to be attended to. I explained that I had booked a return which I would now miss however having got up at 04.30 to be on time and having done what I felt was a good shift, I decided that despite being 21/4 hours later than I was told, I would carry on with the interview. I was told that I should send on any receipts to cover extra ticketing and it would be covered, I chose not to do this as I felt this might put me in a poor light. The interview was successful and the feedback I received was overwhelmingly positive. I was told to expect a third stage interview. The agency called me to arrange for a final interview  in Lr where it was expected I would receive an offer. I made arrangements to finish my temp shift early so I could attend the interview (last Tuesday afternoon). I was called in the morning to say that the interviewer could not make it for the arranged time I would have to be earlier. I could not do this at such short notice, (but I still lost the work I was due to do). I was told to expect a phone call the following day, I arranged to not work on the day so I would be free to have a proper telephone conversation . The telephone call never came, once more I had turned down work so I could be available to have a discussion regarding an offer, again the call / meeting never happened.  On Thursday I received one missed call (came up ‘number unavailable’ I could not answer the call as it came around 11.30 and I was getting ready for lunch service. Since it registered as unknown I couldn’t return the call. Later in the day I put in a call to the agency to express doubts over the progress and to flag I was worried about my treatment. On Friday I had a missed number (one time) from a S**d number at about 14.30 I spoke to my agency and they confirmed it most likely was @@ calling from Stratford. I explained I was driving  however by this time I had serious doubts about working for this company.

At 16.00 I called James at the agency to turn down any offer of a job with ## which may be forthcoming. I felt (and still do) that I have absolutely no faith in senior management in their dealings with me and as a result I don’t feel it represents a working relationship. This is basic stuff here, I’m not expecting any special treatment, but I do expect that when arrangements are made then they are adhered to or else changes are made in good time. I am thoroughly appalled at my treatment  by ##. You have cost me time and money, and failed on the most common courtesy of making a telephone call on the day you said you would. I feel you have not taken me remotely seriously  and I feel completely cheated. Look at the above and tell me how I would be regarded if I was over 2 hours late and then made a last minute cancellation or completely missed making a phone call. Aside from my first interview you seem incapable of making an appointment and sticking to it.

I am completely aware that the people involved are busy, what you don’t seem to understand is that other people are also busy and my appointments are no less important than anyone else’s.

I’ve sent this because I want to be sure you are in absolutely no doubt why I have turned down this job, although I went through at great length with the agency why I was turning down the job, I cannot be sure that they will tell you exactly why since they will obviously want further work with you.

I believe unless you examine your interview process the statement at the top of this letter and others on your website look like nothing more than lip service, the desire to be seen saying the right thing, but based on my experience your actions do not match up.

Sincerely