The Surrey Oaks, Newdigate

I have to say this is the most unwelcoming pub I have ever had the misfortune to visit!!! After 2 months of planning our local pubs outing to Brighton, we searched for a good traditional pub to stop off to on the way back. After going through The Good Pub Guide we decided on The Surrey Oaks, As 25 paople turning up to a pub at 7pm on a Saturday night can be a bit unexpected, the organiser of our trip made two calls four weeks before the date to The Surrey Oaks to check this was ok. So we diverted from our route to find this pub with everybody looking forward to a nice refreshment break. As soon as we entered the pub the the gentleman and lady behind the bar looked at us as if we were something unpleasent on the soul of your shoe!! however we stayed and purchased a drink and yes the beer was very good. After we had paid for this large round the landlord then asked us to remove our coach from the car park as it was not " in keeping with the image of the pub". The landlord has a right to say who comes to his pub but there is ways of speaking to people without being rude. This was suppost to be a nice end to a very enjoyable day but ended making everyone miserable. I noticed that this pub is holding a beer festival soon, I would like to advise people that they go in groups of no more than four as large groups are blatently not welcome. I could understand if he was obviously busy but with the current situation of pubs in Britain who can turn away passing trade. We should have stopped at The Six Bells !!!

27 Jul 2008 21:05