Has anyone been to The Folly (Napton) recently?

[Morat]

I'm heading onto the Oxford next week and was wondering whether it's worth planning a stop there... I've been before and enjoyed it but can't remember whether it's open or closed or any good at the moment!

Thanks

Morat

[Athy]

When last sighted (last August), open under new management and quite good. The adjacent shop is open too. Good place to stop.

[Nightwatch]

When last sighted (last August), open under new management and quite good. The adjacent shop is open too. Good place to stop.

Wot he said.

 

Thanks Mike, saves me typing.

 

Martyn

[CV32]

Great welcome, nice food and they are doing meal deals during the week. Was there a week back.

[alan_fincher]

We were actually there today.

 

Excellent beer - excellent food.

 

We are "veggies", but the carnivore stuff looked equally appetising.

 

(One warning if you don't know - they don't take credit or debit cards.)

[Morat]

AHh excellent tip, thank you!!

 

Well it looks like we'll make an evening of it then. Thanks for the help, folks.

[Nightwatch]

We were actually there today.

 

Excellent beer - excellent food.

 

We are "veggies", but the carnivore stuff looked equally appetising.

 

(One warning if you don't know - they don't take credit or debit cards.)

Thanks for the word of 'warning'. Rarely do we have cash onboard.

 

I 'may' be allowed into the Folly sometime..............I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity. I was granted permission once, I skipped off down the tow path to find it was not open. (a couple of years ago.)

 

Martyn

[Bod]

There is a cash machine in the village Post Office Stores, I believe.

 

Bod

[MtB]

Last time I was there food was orf, but they happily gave us a chinese takeaway menu to order from, who delivered to the pub, and they even gave us plates and cutlery to eat it with!

 

Nice place. Recommended.

 

 

MtB

[Peter Thornton]

I can never understand why a business doesn't take credit/debit cards.

[bottle]

simple

 

It costs the business money and some businesses are working to fine profit margins to make a living.

[MtB]

I can never understand why a business doesn't take credit/debit cards.

 

Because...

 

1) The bank and transaction charges eat into your meagre profit margins (if you are a pub).

 

2) A separate bank account along with ID verification, credit-worthiness checks etc is required. Not everyone qualifies.

 

 

MtB

[alan_fincher]

A notice on the door of the Folly actually said "cash and cheques only", but there was a footnote that they expected to have a card machine in the future, (can't remember exact wording).

 

I know we have been to places that say they need a dedicated phone line to operate a card facility, and being in remote places, the extra phone line has not been straightforward to obtain, and hence "no cards" until they can get one.

 

So that's a possibility, although I do know a pub that maintained that story for years - indeed may still be doing so.

[Keeping Up]

It's just a shame that "that picture" doesn't hang on the wall of the Gents any more.

[Starcoaster]

You can run a mobile card machine without a phone line at all, like MB does, so that sounds unlikely.

I feel sure we have been there recently, ie not the time MB had Chinese ordered in, but can't for the life of me remember, and I never know which of the pubs round that way are which anyway...

One of them serves terrible food that MB and I have fallen victim to twice now, I'd know it if we passed it again but I can't recall the name!

[ADF]

In October 2011 I was fortunate to stop there for lunch. I remember to have a 'fish-and-chips' that was good, but average. But my wife ordered a beef pie, and she was the lucky one. I tried a bit, and it was beautiful. The best one we've ever tasted.

 

I like to cook quite a bit. We travel a lot through Europe. We enjoy eating and tried so many foods from all over the place. And the beef pie at The Foley's was something special. If they're the same people cooking now than then, I don't know. Nice place anyway.

[John P]

Ah, memories! Dropped in to the Folly one hot (!) autumn day in 2011. it was tea time and I had a hat full of sloes collected from the local hedgerows. The bar was cool and peaceful and the beer in good condition. Paradise! Picked up some gin whilst passing through Banbury and made a great batch of sloe gin.

[Martin Megson]

I ate there last week. Chicken ham & bacon pie was very good. Beer good and staff welcoming. Well worth a visit.

[Sanddancer]

Used to go there all the time when moored in the area the dog loved the free treats near the door, moving back to the area this month so the folly will once again be on the map for me.

[cloggy]

There Beef and Cheese pie was fab last time we where there

[IanM]

Went to the Folly this afternoon and had their Sunday roasts. Very recommended!

 

We just planned to have a drink but the thankfully decided to stay for something to eat too.

 

Now sat on the boat still feeling full

[Morat]

Seconded

What a great pub it is now, welcoming and snug with good food. I'm especially impressed by the way they've gone for a full range on their menu from 7.95 pub grub up to £20 fillet steaks and some very tempting specials.

[Athy]

I can never understand why a business doesn't take credit/debit cards.

I can never understand why a pub should. If you can't manage to have the price of a pie and a pint in your pocket when you go into a pub, don't go into a pub. Credit cards are fine for major purchases such as furniture or white goods, but people who try to use them in a pub really are either disorganised or taking the piss. Perhaps you would like your local confectioner to take a credit card for a 60p Mars Bar, or a market trader to sell you two pounds of potatoes on Visa?

Cash is always easiest for smaller transactions, and traders like it too. I would never insult a publican, and demean myself, by offering to pay for a round with my Mastercard.

[Willber G]

... people who try to use them in a pub really are either disorganised or taking the piss.

IYO. If I'm going to stay a while in a pub I'm happy to put my card behined the bar and pay at the end of the session - one transaction that makes it easier for everyone. It has worked well in Germany for ages.

(In my local I run a tab and settle up at the end of the month, which is sometimes an eye-opener!)

[Athy]

Is that a variation on "Yello", which our colleague Malc inexplicably uses as a greeting?

 

Try taking real money in next time, it will make it even easier (and cheaper for the publican). It's easily available from banks, providing you've got some - and if you haven't got money you shouldn't be spending any.