Black horse Pub

[bigcol]

Sharon's birthday Sunday

Went to the black horse for Sunday lunch about 3 ish

2 starters I had the Brie, and sharon had crab something, a small flowerpot,funny looking toms and salad, and 3 prawns! no crab,that was taken of the bill though!!

They run out of roasts, grills, and nut roasts. ,We settled for fish and chips

They run out of cheese cake, and the crumble we settled for ice cream with brownie

Had 2 pints, and sharon 2 x double vodkas and coke.

 

£54.40

 

Staff were great, but to date the most expensive fish and chips, to date!!!!

Fish was small, though chips were nice and hot, but the smallest ramekins of mushy peas ever, 50p size,

kid you not!

 

We chose to eat their, but won't be going their again.,

 

Wife rubbed me nose in it yesterday, she passed Ho Hos fish and chip, in Gifford park shops (next to sizzlers pub) yesterday, 2 fish, I large chips

Tasted the same but..... I won't and can't mention the price lol ... Cheap as .....

 

Have to wait till we get back to sizzlers Gifford park. Fantastic meals and a decent price!!

And a roast!!

 

Col

 

Edited spelling and forgot to metion ho ho. Best Chinese ever

Edited July 8, 2014 by bigcol

[LEO]

Interesting, I have had some good but top price meals there.

 

It is worth making your observations known to the 'Chain' which currently leases the restaurant - they are always grateful of observations and a free meal voucher may follow.

 

Beefeaters are the best chain of restaurants - some good offers, prices reasonable and if you ask for a customer survey card (filled in via computer) a voucher for a free bottle of vino is emailed to you.

 

They have served me well over the last few weeks (and years) - just recently 2 free rumps steaks and a 40% of main meal vouchers and 2 bottles of wine have come my way.

 

No connection - just have been using the Crow's Nest at Tring for 30 odd years.

 

Competition in the restaurant business if fierce and feed back is always welcome.

 

Hope that helps.

 

L.

Edited July 8, 2014 by LEO

[junior]

Col, don't you have history for getting the price of chips/food wrong?

 

Or am I thinking of somebody else?

[bigcol]

Col, don't you have history for getting the price of chips/food wrong?

Or am I thinking of somebody else?

???? Wasn't me honest!!!!!!

 

Lol.

[Athy]

It might be helpful if you mentioned in which town or village this pub is situated 0 there are quite a few Black Horses around the country and it would be good to know which one to avoid.

 

Do Beefeaters still exist? I haven't seen one for years. In 1970s St. Albans, the Beefeater was the restaurant where you took a girl when you really wanted to impress her (worked for me), but I thought they had gone the same way as other erstwhile St. Albans nosheries such as the Golden Egg.

 

Another chain, which I guess was in competition with Beefeaters, was Angus Steak Houses. I don't think they are still going either.

 

EDIT: the St. Albans place may have been a Berni Inn, not a Beefeater, I think they quite resembled each other.

Edited July 8, 2014 by Athy

[canalpubs]

If that's the Black Horse in Milton Keynes its a Vintage Inns Chain pub. Typically, small portions, not high quality but a high price !

 

I have complained before (Fox and Anchor Coven) about the amount for the money and was told that is how the meals come - got the feeling of like it or lump it !

[bigcol]

I sound as restaurant food is all I think about

Seriously not true lol, special occasions, and every now again.

 

I quite happy beans on toast man, in front of the TV or a bad of donuts

 

 

Col

[b0atman]

Vintage inn had quite a few free meals in them due to poor service and sub standard food saying that some of them are excellent.

[bigcol]

If that's the Black Horse in Milton Keynes its a Vintage Inns Chain pub. Typically, small portions, not high quality but a high price !

 

I have complained before (Fox and Anchor Coven) about the amount for the money and was told that is how the meals come - got the feeling of like it or lump it !

 

Yes canal pubs

 

It was the one in Milton Keynes, forgot the bridge number, ( might help folk)

But yes your right small portions coming near a la cart sizes, but normal and overpriced food.

it was hot piping hot though staff were nice.

[LEO]

It might be helpful if you mentioned in which town or village this pub is situated 0 there are quite a few Black Horses around the country and it would be good to know which one to avoid.

 

Do Beefeaters still exist? I haven't seen one for years. In 1970s St. Albans, the Beefeater was the restaurant where you took a girl when you really wanted to impress her (worked for me), but I thought they had gone the same way as other erstwhile St. Albans nosheries such as the Golden Egg.

 

Another chain, which I guess was in competition with Beefeaters, was Angus Steak Houses. I don't think they are still going either.

 

Yep, still going - part of the Whitbread chain, Beefeaters are celebrating 40 years of serving steaks this year - hence some of the offers.

 

Angus steak House are still going in London, Bernie Steak Houses disappeared some years ago.

 

I use Whitbread outlets a fair bit as they tie in with Premier inns/hotels.

 

We have just had a couple of touring holidays and pre booked, the rooms work out at £29 p.night. with a money back offer if the rooms is no good (had to invoke this twice over the years). Have stayed in 7 so far this year.

 

Often these P. Inns have a Beefeater or equivalent restaurant attached.

 

L.

[Athy]

Thanks for that information.

I had a look on the internet and it seems that Berni Inns became Beefeaters about 1990, so I guess I was right on both counts. Or perhaps wrong on both counts. I had not realised that Berni's were established by two brothers whose surname was indeed Berni.

[Boat&Bikes]

Cant comment on the food quality but £10 for starters, £20 mains and £10 desserts plus £15 for drinks sounds about right to me?

 

Ian.

[sueb]

Cant comment on the food quality but £10 for starters, £20 mains and £10 desserts plus £15 for drinks sounds about right to me?

 

Ian.

Sounds expensive to me.

[Mike Tee]

Yes canal pubs

 

It was the one in Milton Keynes, forgot the bridge number, ( might help folk)

But yes your right small portions coming near a la cart sizes, but normal and overpriced food.

it was hot piping hot though staff were nice.

Great Linford, between 76 and 76a.

 

That place has changed hands so many times over the past few years. Was once a pub that had a rough reputation, through various refurbs, owner operated, italian cuisine etc. Some awful, some great, but if a place can't consistantly supply good food its off my list. As to cost, I'd rather go out once every few months, pay a relativly high price for good, well cooked food, than get cheap tasteless out the freezer food that is two for one. Years ago I had one of those cheap ones at The Peartree in MK - it was so tasteless, I had no idea if it was beef or pork (may well have been chicken).

However, the mooring there is fine, and the pub have put a tap outside for boats to fill up (at least, my mate put one in during a refurb and said they should leave it for boaters!!)

[bigcol]

Hi Ian

 

The point I was trying to make was that they had run out of most things inc their roasts at £12.95

, but we paid a lot of money for fish and chips on a Sunday.

And their portions are very small. Nr a la cart small lol

Don't get me wrong the atmosphere was nice, felt for the waitresses keep telling customers over and over again they've run ot of most things though.

 

Some of the reactions were funny, ie walking out, and with a family sitting down ordering drinks, then getting told no Sunday dinners, grills, and things etc from the mains and starters

 

Isn't it like KFC running out of chicken

Or a fish shop running out of fish lol

Edited July 8, 2014 by bigcol

[Boat&Bikes]

The running out food I agree is not good though maybe they cook from fresh and had an extra busy day? But £10 for fish and chips is about what I paid last week at the Nelson in Braunston and have paid in quite a few places.

 

Ian.

[adam1uk]

If that's the Black Horse in Milton Keynes its a Vintage Inns Chain pub. Typically, small portions, not high quality but a high price !

 

I have complained before (Fox and Anchor Coven) about the amount for the money and was told that is how the meals come - got the feeling of like it or lump it !

 

it's funny, if you look on the Vintage Inns website, the Black Horse doesn't come up. But the Black Horse's website is clearly the same design and same offers as Vintage Inns (and there are three so-called sister pubs which also don't feature on the Vintage inns website). Is there a sort of semi-detached status that the BH has?

[BlueStringPudding]

I had an appalling meal there once.

took two hours to arrive.

the place was being run by two teenage lads.and when my meal came (which it did only after after two complaints from me) it was microwaved (I don't recommend microwaved pasta) hard round the edges of the plate and cold in the middle.

I refused to pay and made a verbal complaint followed by a written one.

 

many days later I got a reply apologising and saying if I came back and paid for two meals I could have two deserts for free.

 

Bloody awful service.bloody awful food.bloody awful customer care.needless to say I'm never going back.

Edited July 8, 2014 by BlueStringPudding

[Keeping Up]

The Black Horse isn't a Vintage Inn. It was a Vintage Inn briefly while it was ludicrously renamed the Proud Perch but reverted to being the Black Horse when it got promoted one step up the quality ladder and hence became more expensive. Same pubco but different chain.

 

Get yourself a Gourmet Society card, it gives you 25% off the total bill including drinks at the Black Horse,all Vintage Inns, and lots of other places. The price seems more reasonable then.

 

We had awful service there before it became a Vintage Inn, and while it was a Vintage Inn, but since then we've always had great service and good food so with our discount card we'll certainly keep going back there.

[Tesla]

It might be helpful if you mentioned in which town or village this pub is situated 0 there are quite a few Black Horses around the country and it would be good to know which one to avoid.Do Beefeaters still exist? I haven't seen one for years. In 1970s St. Albans, the Beefeater was the restaurant where you took a girl when you really wanted to impress her (worked for me), but I thought they had gone the same way as other erstwhile St. Albans nosheries such as the Golden Egg.Another chain, which I guess was in competition with Beefeaters, was Angus Steak Houses. I don't think they are still going either.EDIT: the St. Albans place may have been a Berni Inn, not a Beefeater, I think they quite resembled each other.

It was a Berni Inn in the town centre in the 80's, I remember it well....

[Boat&Bikes]

I had an appalling meal there once.

took two hours to arrive.

the place was being run by two teenage lads.and when my meal came (which it did only after after two complaints from me) it was microwaved (I don't recommend microwaved pasta) hard round the edges of the plate and cold in the middle.

I refused to pay and made a verbal complaint followed by a written one.

many days later I got a reply apologising and saying if I came back and paid for two meals I could have two deserts for free.

Bloody awful service.bloody awful food.bloody awful customer care.needless to say I'm never going back.[/quote

 

When was this appalling meal?]

[Daiboy]

Anyone tried Wetherspoons? If there is one near, go to it. They have a plethora of establishments throughout the country (I think around 800 or so). Great meals, great beer and mostly good service, although you might find some of the clientele a bit iffy.

[stagedamager]

The MK wetherspoons are truly awful. There are two within spitting distance of the theatre at the top of Campbell Park, and one the other side of town. Plenty of nice eateries in MK though, The Plough at Simpson and The Barge at Woolstone have always been good. Saying that I have never had a bad meal at The Black Horse. the Giffard Park is ok as a local too. If in the Campbell Park area, the Slug and Lettuce is ok too.

Dan

[BlueStringPudding]

I had an appalling meal there once.

took two hours to arrive.

the place was being run by two teenage lads.and when my meal came (which it did only after after two complaints from me) it was microwaved (I don't recommend microwaved pasta) hard round the edges of the plate and cold in the middle.

I refused to pay and made a verbal complaint followed by a written one.

many days later I got a reply apologising and saying if I came back and paid for two meals I could have two deserts for free.

Bloody awful service.bloody awful food.bloody awful customer care.needless to say I'm never going back.[/quote

 

When was this appalling meal?]

 

September 2012. Not been back since.

[bigcol]

Looked at a recite and just completed feedback form

 

It's a best village pub