please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The White Hart is a nice country pub. It is large, warm and with a good selection of beers. You can go there, sit down on a large selection of seating and have a decent beer with friends. The staff are polite and helpful, if a bit disorganised. The food is probably the best pub food in the village, but don't expect gourmet.
The issue for me is the consistency of providing the village with the service its sole purpose is to provide.
Too often you walk past the White Hart to closed doors and closed curtains. I understand that certain times in the day will be more quiet than others and there are certain costs attributed to keeping a pub open, but the costs to reputation of closing are much higher. A pub is a centrepiece of a village community and needs to be open to serve the community during the hours expected without exception. Being closed at 17:30 on a Friday is inexcusable, as is closing on a weekend evening to host a private function. If you host an event, include the community as well (Note that this is common behaviour in good, popular pubs).
The pub's attitude (which the above behaviour is a constituent of) leaves a slightly stale atmosphere and which, in my opinion, could be perceived that they are loosing interest in the regular business of the village community.
In summary, a decent pub which needs to be careful of the attitude it purveys to potential regular custom.
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Superb food. We only had the garlic bread with sundried tomatoes but the best I've tasted anywhere and the size of a pizza for under �5. Friendly staff and comfortable, sociable atmosphere. Dog friendly in bar. Hard to fault.
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why on earth wait till now to post a comment(see below)
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Our last visit to the White Hart for a Mothers Day lunch was disappointing.
We could not book for the time WE wanted and were stuck in a dark corner, although only a third of the tables were occupied. Obviously this is the comfort limit for the kitchen. The staff were pleasant and service was prompt but the roast meal was disappointing � the meat was not freshly carved. The meal was not good value.
The beer is well kept but the landlord needs to make customers feel more welcome.
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Whilst visiting the area this weekend spent two pleasant evenings here. Pleasant decor, attentive bar staff, well cooked and presented food. wil definitely return.
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Great pub Great ale
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comfortably the best pub in Henfield. It works well as a pub and also for eating. Gyles the landlord has had a reputation for grumpiness in the past, but is much more cheery these days. Only thing that isn't ideal is that because it is a Hall & Woodhouse pub the draught ales are all a bit bland, but they do keep the range of Badger bottled ales too.
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This is the nicest pub in the village by far and certainly does the best food. They have a roaring log fire in the winter and a little garden out the back if you want to be outside in the summer.
Beer is always well kept, and the staff are always friendly, altho I agree that Gyles the landlord can have his grumpy moments!........ but then can't we all!
We have taken many friends in here and they have all loved it.
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Previous reviews seem pretty polarised! We visited in May and the service was friendly and attentive, the food very reasonable and the whole atmosphere realaxed and welcoming. OK, it was Sunday lunchtime and not Staurday night, grumpy landlord may have been sighted, but he didn't have any effect on our enjoyment.
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This pub is the only one worth drinking in in the village. Its clean and tidy and the beers not bad. The staff are pretty good.People expect to much .Its only a pub for god's sake. If you don't like it don't drink there you don't have to be so nasty about it. The best thing is you don't have to drink along side aresholes like eljefe. I wonder what they do for a living that their so good at.
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there isn't much more anyone can say about this shit hole and the complete prick that runs it, come on hall and woodhouse, do yourselves a favour and get a landlord that actually wants to work behind a bar instead of fobbing all the graft off on all his young bar staff, perhaps if TBH had a pub giles could work there with him, the biggest 2 arseholes in the county working together... what a team???
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i used to go in alot before the current obnoxious ar***ole took over, no wonder its only the kids of the village drink in there, all these comments about the landlord are spot on, if you don't believe me go in and see for yourself, its free to look so you wont have to put your hand in your pocket and fork out for one of the most expensive pints in the village. go straight across the road for the most friendly atmosphere in the whole village and have a pint in THE BELL
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Standards still being maintained. Bar and table service obliging. Beer in good condition. A spacious, clean and warm pub. A menue to satisfy most and the food excellent. When busy plate to table time can extend but worth the wait. A good plate of fish & chips is served.
Recommended.
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I liked this pub, decent quality food and good beer. Nice spacious interior, and didn't notice any grumpyness from the staff, the service was very friendly
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Really liking the new decor, very smart. Menu covers all bases, nothing mind blowing but not sure its aiming for that. Food tastes pretty good thou & you cant fault the generous portions. It could be & should be the best in Henfield but I have to agree about the landlord!
anonymous - 25 Nov 2007 23:38 |
This is a lovely pub. Lovely decor. Lovely food. Lovely beer. But the landlord is MISERABLE, UNPLEASANT, UNFRIENDLY, DISINTERESTED IN CUSTOMERS, and generally the reason why a lot of regulars who used to go into the pub during the days of the Farrells (Carrie and her parents Vince and Chris) no longer bother going in there. No-one has that many bad days in their life. He is just generally miserable. If he isn't working then why is he reading the newspaper in the pub and then moaning about having to serve customers who had the audacity to come into a pub for a drink? Shocking.
anonymous - 2 Nov 2007 10:33 |
The last two visits to this place ensured that I will never go again.
Visit 1: 12.15pm, a Sunday lunchtime. Young barman busying about the bar disappears. Landlord just inside the bar area, by the gate, reading the paper. I wait and wait. I ask the landlord for a pint of bitter - he serves my saying grumpily, "I'm not on duty at the moment". To which I'm tempted to reply, "Then why not f@#k off upstairs instead of giving the wrong impression to the customers!"
Visit 2: early evening. I ask for food, wait for ever and get an overpriced plate of microwaved rubbish.
Never again.
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This is one of the nicest pubs in Henfield now, apart from Giles the landlord who is tired of it and obviously doesnt wish to be there any more.
Food not bad if a little pricy.
beer kept quite well.
Cleanest pub in the village.
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If you want to try any of the pubs in Henfield start with this one. They serve a good pint and you can get something really nice to eat in civilised surroundings, we were not disapointed. It looked as if everyone was enjoying their meal and left empty plates, I would have been happy to order anything being served. Good access and parking. Plenty of room and still retains character. Good service, patronised by regular discerning customers. The landlord could have looked happier but I guess we all have our problems. Thanks for recommendation on the Sussex Smokie, excellent. Don't confuse the White Hart beef burger with the McDonald's crap that is thrown out on the side of the road. Well recommended but not (in my opinion) suitable for children.
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This place has just been done up - very nicely decorated now with pine tables, new chairs and nicely painted walls.
Food is very good as well. Excellent in fact. Especially as a lot of it is local Sussex fare - I can recommend the Sussex Smokie.
Miserable barsteward though in the landlord. He is not happy in his work. If only he was pleasant to the customers and then this would be a right cracker of a pub.
anonymous - 14 May 2007 21:44 |
I use to drink here a lot when the two gay guys ran it. They kept the place absolutely spotless, and it was possibly the best Pub in the village along with the Gardeners when Terry Kirby had it.
On a recent visit last year after a few years away from the Village, I was quite surprised at the change in the place. Certainly a lot more grubby and the local clientele had also moved on by the looks of things.
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Wonderful timber framed old world pub. One half is a restaurant, the other is a traditional half-light village bar. Very relaxed yet warm and busy with local village life. It's a roomy place with a long bar served by three charming, intelligent and attractive bar maids. Everywhere you look in this pub you see an atmospheric photo opportunity. The pub is an ex-King & Barnes run by Hall & Woodhouse so the beers are all Badger. Four pumps are on the counter, three are active - First Gold, Tanglefoot and K&B's Sussex. My First Gold was in perfect condition. Cool, sweet and delicious with healthy smack of hops in the finish. A splendid place!
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great pub, good food with a jolly landlord.... worth a visit
anonymous - 7 Mar 2006 21:48 |
This pub is a lovely pub if you like tradition, character and warmth. There is a sense of welcome as you enter and the vast array of beers is great. Not too pricey but not too cheap and doesnt attract too many chavs!
Food is good and there is a pretty good choice but overall a good old village pub.
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