NightQuarter Cob Loaf Festival fail as people complain of dry bread, long lines and cold fillings

COB loaf enthusiasts who attended the much-anticipated Cob Loaf Festival on the Gold Coast over the weekend have been left disappointed with complaints of frozen fillings, long lines and ‘fake’ cob loaves.

COB loaf enthusiasts have been left disappointed after attending NightQuarter’s Cob Loaf Festival with complaints of frozen food — and cob loaves that weren’t cob loaves.

Punters took to Facebook to vent their frustration with the Helensvale event, which saw around 7000 swarm through their gates to taste test the highly-anticipated festival.

The event page has since been deleted.

One of the cob loaves purchased at the Cob Loaf Festival at NightQuarter. Picture: supplied

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Mel Morey of Pacific Pines, who arrived at NightQuarter around 6.30pm on Saturday night with her group of friends said there were huge lines — and most cob loaves were already sold out. The festival began at 4pm.

“Just about 90 per cent of everything was sold out,” she said.

“And when it wasn’t, you had to wait 45 minutes for it and by the time you got to the front of the line it was sold out.”

She said there was a map provided to punters who could then choose where to get the cob loaves from, rather than one section dedicated to the festival. She said this made it difficult for people who just wanted to sample a cob loaf.

“We finally found an Italian vendor that wasn’t highlighted on the map,” she said.

“(Their cob loaf) was amazing, it was really good.”

But other reviews of the cob loaves available were not favourable.

Ms Morey said people she spoke to at the event complained of dry cob loaves and exorbitant prices.

Some cob loaves were not actual cob loaves, instead loaves of bread cut in half and then filled.

Others on Facebook complained the cob loaves were tasteless.

Delrae Forrest wrote on the now-deleted Cob Loaf Festival at NightQuarter page: “Don’t get the maple bacon Mac (sic) & cheese cob. tasteless and definitely not worth $15.”

Joney Dan replied: “Don’t get the classic spinach cob, frozen in the middle.”

Kacey Findlay wrote about the mac and cheese cob: “Dry and not cheesy at all! Breads (sic) cold and not toasted.”

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NightQuarter spokeswoman Michelle Christoe said the event was “was the definition of viral” and that the response to the event was “unprecedented and unexpected, but the NightQuarter community of vendors, local mums and dads, high school trainees, passionate foodies and families rolled up their sleeves to deliver a great event.”

In response to complaints on long lines, Ms Christoe said vendors were serving up a cob a minute and that staff were communicating with customers and suggesting alternative cobs when others became unavailable.

She said: “A handful of complaints were received; some constructive and some not. Some vendors and junior staff were upset by the unfair criticism given directly to them on the night by several of customers who attended the event.”