Pubs that you wouldn't bother with a second visit.

[Captain Fizz]

The pub business is going through a really difficult patch with a constant stream of closures. Sometimes though, you just despair.

Called in for lunch yesterday at The Old Royal Oak at Hillmorton Wharf.

We joined the queue to order food and after a 15 minute wait, finally made it to the front.

The young lady serving apologised for the delay and started to take our order.

Ham and eggs Sorry runout of ham.

Classic burger. Sorry run out of beef burgers

Finally settled on Cod and chips x 3

We then waited for 45 minutes before it arrived.

Serving food on a huge plate does not make it a large portion, it just makes it difficult to fit three meals on a small table!

The fish was over cooked and dry.

All together a very underwhelming experience that we will not be repeating.

[craftycarper]

sadly it seems that any pub that is situated on a busy road, canal or other busy route does not give much of a toss about customer care the best ones are normally tucked right out of the way and rely on good service and rep to get repeat custom thats how i find it myself

[Laurie Booth]

Too many to list

[glenvar]

On the other hand one of the best must be the fox at hanwell,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,don't know why im underlining?

[Guest]

sadly it seems that any pub that is situated on a busy road, canal or other busy route does not give much of a toss about customer care the best ones are normally tucked right out of the way and rely on good service and rep to get repeat custom thats how i find it myself

 

That can often be very true but there are exceptions. One of the best pubs near to where live is the Lion Inn at Blakey Ridge on the North Yorkshire moors situated on the busy Casleton to Hutton-le-hole road. Pulls in loads of passing trade and the food and beers are great.

 

Well worth calling into if anybody ever gets up here.

 

http://www.lionblakey.co.uk/

[Laurie Booth]

The pubs to avoid are

 

1 Pubs that allow dogs

2 Don't allow dogs

3 Allow children

4 Don't allow children

5 Smoking areas

6 No smoking areas

 

[Mac of Cygnet]

On the other hand one of the best must be the fox at hanwell,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,don't know why im underlining?

 

'Cos you accidentally clicked on the U button.

[LoneWolf]

The pub business is going through a really difficult patch with a constant stream of closures. Sometimes though, you just despair.

Called in for lunch yesterday at The Old Royal Oak at Hillmorton Wharf.

We joined the queue to order food and after a 15 minute wait, finally made it to the front.

The young lady serving apologised for the delay and started to take our order.

Ham and eggs Sorry runout of ham.

Classic burger. Sorry run out of beef burgers

Finally settled on Cod and chips x 3

We then waited for 45 minutes before it arrived.

Serving food on a huge plate does not make it a large portion, it just makes it difficult to fit three meals on a small table!

The fish was over cooked and dry.

All together a very underwhelming experience that we will not be repeating.

 

isn't that a Hungry Horse pub?

Huge soulless place with laminated menus offering mostly orange food?

What were you expecting?

[glenvar]

 

'Cos you accidentally clicked on the U button.

Thank you , and it may be the fact that im completely computer illiterate

[Lady Muck]

isn't that a Hungry Horse pub?

Huge soulless place with laminated menus offering mostly orange food?

What were you expecting?

Hungry Horse chain in dreadful isn't it, the Moorhen on the Stort in Harlow is one of these too, especially don't recommend when they do family fun days. Unless you bring your own earplugs. They are family pubs only suitable for people with very young kids who want to eat burgers. Everything is from the freezer and they are always out of stock, they're all like this. I understand how they make money as there are plenty of young kids in our family. Wipe clean surfaces, chips and balloons become more important than how well the beer is kept, don't they? Edited November 2, 2013 by Lady Muck

[carlt]

Hungry Horse chain in dreadful isn't it,

They were great in the 80s when they served huge portions of real food.

 

A waitress in the Old Royal Oak gave me her phone number with the bill once, many years ago whilst I was sat with the ex and the Out-laws.

 

She apologised profusely and said she thought we were brother and sister.

 

I found the whole thing hilarious but the ex was fuming...one of the reasons she became the ex.

[LoneWolf]

Hungry Horse chain in dreadful isn't it, the Moorhen on the Stort in Harlow is one of these too, especially don't recommend when they do family fun days. Unless you bring your own earplugs. They are family pubs only suitable for people with very young kids who want to eat burgers. Everything is from the freezer and they are always out of stock, they're all like this. I understand how they make money as there are plenty of young kids in our family. Wipe clean surfaces, chips and balloons become more important than how well the beer is kept, don't they?

 

yup, no wonder we're turning into an obese nation

 

At least you know what you're getting the minute you walk in the door though and can adjust one's expectations accordingly (& order lager)

[bag 'o' bones]

Hungry Horse chain in dreadful isn't it, the Moorhen on the Stort in Harlow is one of these too, especially don't recommend when they do family fun days. Unless you bring your own earplugs. They are family pubs only suitable for people with very young kids who want to eat burgers. Everything is from the freezer and they are always out of stock, they're all like this. I understand how they make money as there are plenty of young kids in our family. Wipe clean surfaces, chips and balloons become more important than how well the beer is kept, don't they?

From my experience of running a food led pub, just because something comes out of a freezer doesn't automatically mean it is of poor quality. I think you would be surprised on just how good some of the frozen products can be. For example we used to sell a lasagne made by Emile Tissot. It came in a white plastic tub which you just popped into a mason cash dish and wanged in the microwave! 3 minutes later and hey presto one lasagne that tasted great which I would challenge anyone to create a home made lasagne that was any better. We even used to sell the lasagne frozen for our customers to heat up at home!

I would agree that some things just don't freeze very well, carrots being one of the classic examples. If the carrots on your plate seem rubbery and tasteless then they have likely to have been frozen at some stage.

[PiRSqwared]

If you choose carefully, the food is ok at The Moorhen. I eat there most Fridays with a load of other Harlow boaters. For a tenner including a pint I don't expect Michelin stars!

The poor choice of ale and the gaggles of children, however, are the real drawbacks, which is why the Plume of Feathers in Gilston is where I'd rather be.

[ditchcrawler]

Don't the Roux restaurant supply ready made dishes to the trade?

[dave moore]

Hi

 

Several days ago I posted to flag up the Anchor pub at Caunsall, close to the Staffs and Worcs canal below KInver. Truly a little gem, in my opinion. No replies from members.

 

Start a thread with a negative theme and watch the replies flood in.....funny, that!!

 

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[carlt]

 

 

Start a thread with a negative theme and watch the replies flood in.....funny, that!!

 

 

Only if it's a pub.

 

Say anything negative about a boat builder and the thread is deleted or emasculated.

[Delta9]

The Boathouse in Braunston. I would go back there for a drink, it's a nice location to sit in the summer and watch the boats go by and you can moor right outside, but the food is bloody awful.

Edited November 2, 2013 by Delta9

[ditchcrawler]

The Boathouse in Braunston. I would go back there for a drink, it's a nice location to sit in the summer and watch the boats go by and you can moor right outside, but the food is bloody awful.

I would rather go there to eat than the HH, in fact I do.

[Delta9]

I would rather go there to eat than the HH, in fact I do.

I've never been to a Hungry Horse pub, but most chain pubs seem to be awful. In fact every pub meal I've had in the UK has been pretty awful except for a nice steak I had at The Encore in Stratford on Avon. I generally try to avoid pub food now.

[Lady Muck]

From my experience of running a food led pub, just because something comes out of a freezer doesn't automatically mean it is of poor quality. I think you would be surprised on just how good some of the frozen products can be. For example we used to sell a lasagne made by Emile Tissot. It came in a white plastic tub which you just popped into a mason cash dish and wanged in the microwave! 3 minutes later and hey presto one lasagne that tasted great which I would challenge anyone to create a home made lasagne that was any better. We even used to sell the lasagne frozen for our customers to heat up at home!

I would agree that some things just don't freeze very well, carrots being one of the classic examples. If the carrots on your plate seem rubbery and tasteless then they have likely to have been frozen at some stage.

We visit a hungry Horse more often than you'd think as a relative likes it, it's average fodder, i don't mind it although our visit last sunday was awful, everything was sticky and dirty and my chicken was raw. Not good enough. But I buy those long life boil in the bag lamb shanks that they serve in there, myself, you can get them in boxes of four for a tenner in costco, handy for boating in the summer when you fancy a roast and are miles from a pub.

[Boat&Bikes]

They were great in the 80s when they served huge portions of real food.

 

A waitress in the Old Royal Oak gave me her phone number with the bill once, many years ago whilst I was sat with the ex and the Out-laws.

 

She apologised profusely and said she thought we were brother and sister.

 

I found the whole thing hilarious but the ex was fuming...one of the reasons she became the ex.

Did you ring her?????

[Mac of Cygnet]

The weird thing is that if you read reviews of pubs you've visited, they can vary enormously - literally one man's meat is another man's poison. We went to the Eagle and Sun at Hanbury Wharf, right opposite the Droitwich Junction canal. Only because we were there. It was our 40th Anniversary meal out, and was rather awful. But I've just looked at the Tripadvisor reviews and they vary from:

 

 

 

We had a family meal at the Eagle and sun just the other week. The staff were faultless, excellent hosts. The service was spot on and the food even better. there were approximately 25 of us in all, but every dish we were served was top notch. If you want a great value meal, you won;t go far wrong here.

 

To:

 

 

 

“Vile”

Reviewed 28 August 2013 via mobile

Well what can I say apart from.... Never again!!! Rude staff even ruder manager... Food of poor quality and dirty... Plates and glasses everywhere...

So there you are.

[Guest]

The weird thing is that if you read reviews of pubs you've visited, they can vary enormously - literally one man's meat is another man's poison. We went to the Eagle and Sun at Hanbury Wharf, right opposite the Droitwich Junction canal. Only because we were there. It was our 40th Anniversary meal out, and was rather awful. But I've just looked at the Tripadvisor reviews and they vary from:

 

 

 

To:

 

This very true, but I tend to look at the overall feedback on trip advisor and see what significant majority have to say.

 

It's also true that fake pos and neg reviews are not uncommon on there.

 

Like any service industry pubs are at the mercy of who ever is working on a particular day.

[cheshire~rose]

Pitcher & Piano in Brindley Place, Birmingham. I cannot believe how bad it was considering you only have to walk a few paces to have a choice of umpteen other eat & drinkeries:

 

My review:

 

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g186402-d730562-r179729662-Pitcher_Piano_Birmingham-Birmingham_West_Midlands_England.html#REVIEWS

This very true, but I tend to look at the overall feedback on trip advisor and see what significant majority have to say.

It's also true that fake pos and neg reviews are not uncommon on there.

Like any service industry pubs are at the mercy of who ever is working on a particular day.

 

I always think it is worth noting what type of experience the reviewer was looking for as well. If it is a couple going to a chain that caters for kids they may score a lot less than a big family and vice versa.