Beware of the Shady Oak Beeston,

[Poyser1]

How disappointed we were when we took friends for a lunch time meal last Tuesday at the Shady Oak at Beeston near Chester. We moored directly outside the pub on their new moorings and settled ourselves in the conservatory with lovely views of the canal and castle. However, as we waited for our food to arrive, we looked around and noticed huge cobwebs and dead flies hanging down from the light fittings and window frames of the conservatory. One of our party came back from the ladies toilet complaining that the bolt fixing the toilet pedestal to the floor was sticking up and the pedestal was lose and able to rock from side to side. There was no soap in the dispenser, making hand washing before eating very difficult. Dark green life forms were developing along the backs of the basins.

Our meals were ok except for my husband`s. His, so called, 8oz burger came as a tiny, burnt and misshapen piece of minced meat served between two pieces of dry roll and a salad on the side. We complained about the burger and were met with a sour faced, unapologetic woman who seemed to be put out by our presence interupting her otherwise quiet lunchtime session.

We have since emailed those who may need to know our concerns and are awaiting their replies.

[Scooby]

How disappointed we were when we took friends for a lunch time meal last Tuesday at the Shady Oak at Beeston near Chester. We moored directly outside the pub on their new moorings and settled ourselves in the conservatory with lovely views of the canal and castle. However, as we waited for our food to arrive, we looked around and noticed huge cobwebs and dead flies hanging down from the light fittings and window frames of the conservatory. One of our party came back from the ladies toilet complaining that the bolt fixing the toilet pedestal to the floor was sticking up and the pedestal was lose and able to rock from side to side. There was no soap in the dispenser, making hand washing before eating very difficult. Dark green life forms were developing along the backs of the basins.

Our meals were ok except for my husband`s. His, so called, 8oz burger came as a tiny, burnt and misshapen piece of minced meat served between two pieces of dry roll and a salad on the side. We complained about the burger and were met with a sour faced, unapologetic woman who seemed to be put out by our presence interupting her otherwise quiet lunchtime session.

We have since emailed those who may need to know our concerns and are awaiting their replies.

 

Went there last year, called in at dinnertime for a pint and a sandwich, was on the pricey side we thought for something which wasnt that great, wont be rushing back..

[carlt]

One of our party came back from the ladies toilet complaining that the bolt fixing the toilet pedestal to the floor was sticking up and the pedestal was lose and able to rock from side to side.

This has been deliberately designed to mimic the sensation of sitting on a Pumpout toilet, on a boat, in order to make boating customers feel at home.

[Laurie Booth]

This has been deliberately designed to mimic the sensation of sitting on a Pumpout toilet, on a boat, in order to make boating customers feel at home.

Brill

[journeyperson]

I agree The Shady Oak is very disappointing. It looks inviting and as has been said is in a lovely location but it is shabby and we weren't impressed with the food either.

[magpie patrick]

Haven't been for donkeys years, It used to have one great attribute, Dad (or later, me) would park the car in their car park, launch the dinghy in the canal for a trip to Bunbury and back, and purchase of a pint secured permission to leave the car in their car park for the day, free of any other charge

[journeyperson]

Haven't been for donkeys years, It used to have one great attribute, Dad (or later, me) would park the car in their car park, launch the dinghy in the canal for a trip to Bunbury and back, and purchase of a pint secured permission to leave the car in their car park for the day, free of any other charge

 

They have let my wife leave her car in the car park FOC for the weekend - well, for the price of a meal. Wasn't it called the Royal Oak years ago?

[magpie patrick]

They have let my wife leave her car in the car park FOC for the weekend - well, for the price of a meal. Wasn't it called the Royal Oak years ago?

 

yes but before my time, Nick Holsens 1971 lists it as that, but by the late 70s it was the shady oak

[journeyperson]

yes but before my time, Nick Holsens 1971 lists it as that, but by the late 70s it was the shady oak

 

I have a box of slides labelled Trip to Royal Oak and Beeston 1969.

 

The cottage across the canal from the pub is interesting; the one nearest the bridge. It has a drawbridge to the front door, a modern steel construction. It also has a working water wheel tucked under the side elevation right on the road. I think it is used as some sort of hydro-turbine.

[the grinch]

Wasn't it called the Royal Oak years ago?

 

 

its just a shadow of its former self

[Tim]

This has been deliberately designed to mimic the sensation of sitting on a Pumpout toilet, on a boat, in order to make boating customers feel at home.

 

Surely they should mimic a cassette?

[kienik]

in my opinion the Shady is the best it has been in about 20 years, it used to old, tatty, bad service etc etc.

 

The current owners have turned the place around and now its as busier as ever, i went to an Elvis tribute night a few weeks ago wit some fellow moorers and it was a fantastic night, there must have been three hundred people in the beer garden watching Elvis that night.

 

You may have caught them on a bad day but i would say that dont write it off completely, i work for a pub company as a training and development manager and part of my job is to go out and trouble shoot in the businesses that are experiencing issues ranging from customer feedback, to actual standards of service and i can say that the shady oak is fantastic comapred to some that i have had to visit in our group of branded pubs.

 

TO ADD, I DO NOT WORK FOR THE SHADY OAK AND IT IS NOT PART OF THE COMPANY THAT I WORK FOR, SO THIS IS MY OWN PERSONAL EXPEREINCE AND SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS A BIASED ONE.

 

to add, give it another go as you may well have caught them on a bad day.

 

Nik

[BlueStringPudding]

I've been to the Shady Oak a few tiems as it's on the edge of my home turf, and it's always been great. I've eaten there once and the food was okay. As for the fixtures and fittings being missing in the loos - that's a Cheshire thing! I don't think I've been to a single fully functioning loo since arriving in the county a year ago! And I wee a lot!

 

I'm surprised you found the place dirty though, it's always been spotless when I've been there and there's always been a really nice welcome. I last went there about 3 months ago and everything was shipshape.

 

Perhaps they're having some problems at the mo.

[mrsmelly]

I've been to the Shady Oak a few tiems as it's on the edge of my home turf, and it's always been great. I've eaten there once and the food was okay. As for the fixtures and fittings being missing in the loos - that's a Cheshire thing! I don't think I've been to a single fully functioning loo since arriving in the county a year ago! And I wee a lot!

 

I'm surprised you found the place dirty though, it's always been spotless when I've been there and there's always been a really nice welcome. I last went there about 3 months ago and everything was shipshape.

 

Perhaps they're having some problems at the mo.

As others have said, give them another chance you may have hit them on a bad day or you may even be running a pub nearby as the original post is placed by a member who gives no details of themselves, as to location, age, gender etc etc etc etc etc so anyone can moan anonimously and I for one will not take heed of it one jot. After all posting anonimously would be like not turning up at court to back your claims up in a legal dispute, not worth the paper its written on..............

[carlt]

We could always get this thread closed...by slagging off a boat builder.

[Laurie Booth]

We could always get this thread closed...by slagging off a boat builder.

Don't tell me The Shady Oak is into boat building !!!

 

As others have said, give them another chance you may have hit them on a bad day or you may even be running a pub nearby as the original post is placed by a member who gives no details of themselves, as to location, age, gender etc etc etc etc etc so anyone can moan anonimously and I for one will not take heed of it one jot. After all posting anonimously would be like not turning up at court to back your claims up in a legal dispute, not worth the paper its written on..............

I hope it's a woman as she talks about "her husband"

[Ian B]

Was here about 3 months ago, we are up to Waverton

 

tomorrow and we will DEFINITELY not be stopping at the Shady Oak

 

Just tell us when it changes hands and we will give it another chance

[Josher]

Ah, the 'nappy' pub - remember it well!

[carlt]

Don't tell me The Shady Oak is into boat building !!!

No, merely a wry comment on the double standards employed.

 

Offer a mild criticism of a boat yard, that has legged it with someone's life savings, and the thread is locked, posts deleted and people warned.

 

Slag off a pub, that maybe had an off night and dished up a duff meal and it's open season.

 

Pubs are struggling enough, to stay in business, without the busiest canal forum giving them bad press.

Edited July 17, 2010 by carlt

[dor]

I've been going to the Shady Oak on and off for the last 20 years. In my view it is definitely in one of its 'off' periods. A few years ago it tried to go upmarket and the food was good, but expensive. Then it went through its 'dodgy' pahase until they did a runner. Since then it has declined further - I can only echo the OP's comments about it being dirty, and the staff offhand. A friend had fish & chips, the former of which was a burnt crust containing a trace of carbonised marine life, possibly. The landlord was pretty offhand and commented something along the lines of "well that's how it comes".

 

I just don't believe that the OP just 'hit an off night'.

 

I have no commercial interest either way in the business.

 

Edited to add:

 

Pubs are struggling enough, to stay in business, without the busiest canal forum giving them bad press.

 

OK, I take it all back. However would you want to go and spend your hard-earned cash at this pub when there are plenty of others that want your business and are prepared to offer decent food and service to justify it?

Edited July 21, 2010 by DHutch

[carlt]

OK, I take it all back. However would you want to go and spend your hard-earned cash at this pub when there are plenty of others that want your business and are prepared to offer decent food and service to justify it?

I think you completely misunderstood my post.

 

I am commenting on the double standards, on moderating criticism of businesses, not whether it is right or wrong to name and shame.

[dor]

I don't think I misunderstood it at all. The bit I quoted is what I was commenting on. The view expressed seemed clear enough.

[carlt]

I don't think I misunderstood it at all. The bit I quoted is what I was commenting on. The view expressed seemed clear enough.

Obviously far too subtle for you then.

 

My comment was comparing the "poor old boatyards have enough on their plate" view with the "couldn't care less about pubs going bust" attitude.

 

Personally I think we should be allowed to make, substantiated, critical comments about businesses that may have provided poor service but it isn't my forum so I am happy to abide by the forum owner's decision.

 

What I don't think is right, though, is the inconsistency, depending on the nature of the business being commented on.

Edited July 17, 2010 by carlt

[journeyperson]

Pubs are struggling enough, to stay in business, without the busiest canal forum giving them bad press.

 

The busiest canal forum also has a thread running for people to praise and recommend pubs they visit and like.

[carlt]

The busiest canal forum also has a thread running for people to praise and recommend pubs they visit and like.

Again, you too, miss the point.

 

You are not allowed to criticise boatyards, on here, but you are allowed to criticise pubs, that is the point.

 

The lack of consistency is the issue I raise.

Edited July 17, 2010 by carlt