Selborne Arms, Selborneback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Excellent selection of well-kept ales, including two brewed locally. Very helpful & friendly barstaff.
Weren't serving food till 7pm on a bank holiday Monday which seemed a bit late: four separate parties asked about food while we were there.
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I had a "pint of prawns" at lunchtime (£6.50) - took almost 15 minutes to prepare and arrived barely unfrozen ( you can get fresh prawns!) and most half grey. Looked and tasted strange and watery. Returned them and waitress happy to take a different order. On payment of the bill she said, although alternative £1 cheaper kitchen told her she had to charge full price for prawns ie they didn't accept anything wrong with food. Neighbouring diners also had the prawns and said theirs also tasted strange but apparently didn't complain - as many diners do not who don't want atmosphere spoiled. After considerable debate they reluctantly agreed to reduce by £1. We have happily eaten at the pub many times over the years but it is disappointing they now do not seem to rate customer satisfaction highly and are determined to get every last pound whatever the food quality. Definitely would not recommend unless they show evidence that they can improve food quality and customer service
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The Selborne Arms is a pub that serves food, rather than a restaurant that sells beer. That's why people like me value it and make a beeline for it whenever I visit Selborne. if people want to bring their kids and dogs out with them for a meal then there are plenty of places they can go instead. I hope the management realise that beer drinkers who value old fashioned pubs that havent been tarted up or 'gastrophied' are valued by many of us even if we don't always take to cyberspace to say so!
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I've read the comments here with interest, and in particular the comments made last year by the pub's management about heating. I regret to say that when we were there yesterday we found the pub really cold, and left the pub with much colder feet than when we arrived.
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Welcoming barman, decent enough beer on the Saturday we walked there (from Petersfield, so quite a schlep) but no food after 2pm on a Saturday seemed odd. I realise that staffing is a struggle in these hard times but at least some hearty snacks (no, not nuts, crisps and more nuts) might fulfill the wishes of the many walkers passing by in decent weather (I saw two groups leave when told no food). Paninis, cheese on toast, scotch eggs etc aren't rocket science. Still, as the landlady says, they're about beer first and it was good. Nice village as well.
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Well said Hayley. It's about time you replied to some of these ridiculous comments! We are regular users of The Selborne Arms and cannot understand half these comments! Always have a great range of beers, always well kept and changing all the time. Good friendly atmosphere. We eat here occasionally but mainly drink. Keep up the good work!
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Really sorry to have to do this but I feel if this is the way people make their 'complaints' about your pub then we should be given a chance to reply! I have repeatedly reported a couple of the comments for removal due to factual inaccuracy but to no avail, so this is the only comeback we have. I will only respond to the last five comments as others go back too far now. I have no problem with people making a complaint if they have had a bad experience but surely the pub should have a right to reply? So here goes...
With regards the comments of Sabiston on 2nd May, the chicken wings starter was �3.95 on the menu, not �5.95. This is a huge percentage increase that you have added on to the price and of course makes it seem unreasonable. We are by far one of the cheapest country pubs in the area for fresh, homemade, locally sourced food!
With regards Featherways of 23rd November, I am extremely sorry you were unhappy with your steak and kidney pie but the choice is new potatoes and vegetables or simply chips - this is very clear on the menu. The choice is not potatoes OR vegetables! As for the toilet, yes, one of the ladies toilets is an add on and uses a SaniFlo system which is unfortunately rather noisy. I can honestly say in 11 years we have had no complaints about this.
With regards Slickslinger of 7th December, we have been at the Selborne Arms for 11 years and have never allowed dogs in, sorry. Our predecessors stopped them from coming in due to the many fights they had in the main bar and we have not started it again. We do welcome dogs into the garden and provide dog bowls for them. We do not have flagstone floors. I am not sure where that comment comes from. As for not wanting the after work trade - we have tried in the past opening at 5pm and 5.30pm and were completely empty until about 6pm so we went back to opening at 6pm. We are open all day Saturday and Sunday. Also, I am very sorry there was not a beer that you fancied on at the time. We did have several winter beers, stouts and porters on over the winter but we do also get many of our regulars favourites, of which Swift One is most certainly one.
That also really leads on to Ladiesview of 6th February. With regards the beers, we have 3 regular beers on the bar - Ringwood Fortyniner, Suthwyk Old Dick and Courage Best. We also have two pumps that change in the winter and four in the summer. On these pumps we get one firkin of each ale so there is never the same one on for long. Therefore how this can be described as 'boring, lacks imagination and a flexible approach' is beyond me. I am sure our many local breweries whose beers feature regularly on our bar would love to know their beer is boring. As for the cold I apologise to everyone who has been in over the last winter or two. The heating could not cope with heating a building built in the 1600s in the extreme weather conditions we had. We have now had the whole system replaced and a new boiler fitted at great expense. It is certainly not and never has been that we 'could not be bothered' to heat the place properly as stated here.
I know the website says not to take comments too seriously but that is all very well for them to say. I have had many customers tell me that they have read them and they don't understand why the comments are bad when they have really enjoyed their visit, but people unfortunately do not as often go away and write a good comment as a bad one. Whatever is said here about our many awards, while we are a food pub and have won Dining Pub of the Year, we have also won 'Best Creative Outdoor Area' for the South in the Great British Pub Awards and CAMRA Pub of the Year 2011 for East Hampshire. We are certainly not just about food. We are very proud of our real ales and we work hard to keep the Selborne Arms a pub, not a restaurant!
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I too can't understand why this one gets awards........this is the second time we sat in the cold, they can't be bothered to heat the place properley and only really want to sell you FOOD !........The staff even acknowledge yes its cold & yes there is no heating where you are sitting..................PECULIAR customer service ......
NOT GREAT, - boring choice of beers, lacks imagination and a flexible approach.
Greatham Inn wins every time or just stay in Alton, its not worth driving out here its OVER RATED !......and doesn't deserve the custom.
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I recently came back to the area and made a "b" line for the Selbourne Arms, anticipating a warm welcome for me and my black labrador, a great pint and a roaring fire. What a dissappointment. Tunrned up at 5.30 and had to wait until 6 (so they obviously don't want the after work drinking trade) and, when the door eventually opened, they wouldn't let Jack in. There are flagstones on the floor in the bar area, so why no dogs? I asked whether he couldn't come in because he was black and the response I got from the barmaid was as cold as the smoking room Jack and I were forced to sit in. I fancied a dark, winter beer and found nothing of the sort. I ended up with a lovely pint of Swift One but it was miles away from what I wanted.
Looks like the place has turned into a restaurant and so why CAMRA want to give it an award I can't tell you. Perhaps it's further proof that they've lost the plot.
Anyway, if you like real pubs where dogs are welcome and the fire blazes, why not pop down to the nearby Greatham Inn?
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All a bit odd, really. Went there with a client. His smoked salmon salad was great. Our steak and kidney pies weren't. Untrimmed meat, tasteless thin watery gravy. And we had to fight to get both potatoes and vegetables, since (we were told) one can only have one of the two things, not both. Coffee machine broken as well.
Loos are a sensory hazard - massive machinery operating under them which is intensely noisy and very big vibration, so be aware of this if you have anyone in your party who has sensory issues.
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Excellent choice of real ales and ciders and very good food. �5.95 for delcious home-made pate, apple bread and chutney is certainly not expensive!
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Absolutely outrageous - 1 (small) piece of cheese on toast with a teaspoon of green tomato chutney = �4.95! 4 chicken wings = �5.95. Better pubs in the vicinity with more affordable/value for money food.
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Visited for lunch midway through a walk,
Food and beer were very good, well worth a visit.
Only slight criticism is the lack of vegatables with the pie if you choose chips, other stuff came without veggies as well.
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Can recommend the Selborne Arms 'beer bat' - consisting of three third of a pint glasses mounted on a long wooden board. A great way of sampling the excellent selection of real ales, which included Crop Circle, Old Dick and 49er. Why don't more UK pubs do these sampler racks, which we've enjoyed in a number of US brew pubs?
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Visited here on Sunday following a walk in the superb local countryside. Roast beef still as good as 13th Dec (and plenty of vegetables), plus the other choices in our party of 8 looked very appetising - including roast duck and imaginative ploughmans . I didn't get further than the real ales: Old Dick and Flower Pot ,both very well kept.
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Been visiting this charming country hostelry for a few years on and off, whn the opportunity arises. Alas they arise all too rarely, as the Selborne really does prove itself to be a corker each time. The ale selection is both broad, and served to perfection. Mostly local beers feature and breweries such as Suthwyk and Bowman making regular and welcome appearances. Cider is strong here too, with the complete Mr Whiteheads range available in bottle - well worth sampling if you can tear yourself away from the real ales!
I haven't eaten here for some years, but I have no reason to believe the offerings are any less tasty or hearty than in the past. My last visit was after lunch, during that glorious few hours in between sessions, where one can really take it easy and have a meaningful chat with bar staff and the few other customers who may emerge, beyond the usual niceties. We had a very jolly discussion with the barmaid, who was both charming and engaging, and it all helped to enhance the experience, as if the ale, cider and sweet aroma of logs burning on the nearby fireplace weren't enough.
The pub building has its obvious allure but don't miss the garden in more clement weather - it is suitable for families and provides a lovely outdoor lunch experience in Summer. I would be prepared to bet a reasonable sum that the commentator of 15 Sep '09 did not have a genuinely representative experience; go and decide for yourselves.
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Just had Sunday lunch here. Best roast dinner I've ever had in a pub. Beef was pink - perfect! Yorkshire puddings obviously homemade and served with proper gravy (no Bisto here), crispy roast potatoes and well-cooked vegetables which included green beans, cauliflower, sprouts, baby carrots and leeks. Seasonal real ales included Hogs Back's Advent Ale, a great one if you like the darker beers, Suthwyk's Old Dick, which the landlady tells me is the new name for Bloomfields, Ringwood Fortyniner, Hidden Pint and the beer they always have on, Courage Best. Although I often drink here and have had many excellent evening meals this was my first visit for Sunday lunch. Will definitely be back!
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Sept.09. We chose this pub to meet up as it's in all 3 pub guide books I have. We expected it to be good and it had a lot to live up to. Unfortunately it failed dismally.
The beer was excellent. That's where excellent ends.
We were in a group of 6 plus 2 children. The food was very average overall -- nobody was exactly raving about it -- and the Sunday lunch @ �12 was rather small. But the worst of it was the lack of vegetables. We had 5 of the 6 dishes with vegetables and the waiter brought out a small bowlful for all of us to share -- and that was 5 minutes after the meals had arrived. We queried the quantity for 5, asking for reassurance there was more coming. I won't bore with the details, but it was handled dreadfully; we all agreed it was appalling, and there's clearly a communication problem between the kitchen and the serving staff.
Maybe it was a one-off. This is the first pub I've really slated, but frankly we expected 10 times better... Sorry.
Footnote (not that it actually affected us): dogs not allowed in pub (crazy IMHO given the location), but sort of sums up the pub's arrogant attitude which is unacceptable at any time and suicidal in today's climate.
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Excellent pub, really enjoyed my visit for lunch on a Friday for my birthday.
The pub was busy, but the lady behind the bar served me efficently and nicely. The real ale was excellent, and the food, served quickly was very nice. No complaints whatsoever.
The pub was clearly busy, and had a minimum level of staff, but it all ran very well and everyone seemed happy with what they were getting. I've seen less busy pubs need more staff to acheive what this pub did with what appeared to be the Landlady on the bar and serving food, and the Landlord in the kitchen.
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Agree with the comments below. Superb, well-kept beer, and friendly bar staff. Real fire and comprehensive (if pricey) menu. Food not absolutely *amazing* but not bad at all for a pub.In general a very good place to stop for a pint and lunch.
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Ringwood Fortyniner, Bloomfields Bitter, courage, superb Flowerpots Stormchaser, Goddards Special Bitter, Hogs Back Zig Zag, Hidden Ace, Thatchers Gold cider (keg). Lovely bar area, country window squarely behind the pumps had sun streaming thru, old wood floor, large inglenook, hop adorned ceiling beam, hops also around bar servery of smaller, traditionally furnished, �Hanger Bar� to right of entrance. Beyond the bar is a rustic dining room set for dinner, wood tables, polished glasses - duck at very low entrance. The chef owner is clearly serious about food although I�m unsure about the wisdom of the blackboard menu leading with chateaubriand as the �37 (for2) may discourage the avg punter from reading on to more regular dishes such as stk & kidney pie at �9.90. Don�t picture a gastro pub though � it is certainly somewhere I�d like to go for a meal but that does not preclude a very happy visit for beer alone, or more affordable lunchtime bites. To the rear a spacious covered, but open, conservatory style outbuilding with a central wood burning stove and beyond this an enormous grassy & attractively planted and bordered beer garden with picnic sets and mature trees to the rear; even the bbq area is sympathetically fashioned in the style of a covered wishing-well. Wind around to the left to find a kids play area with climbing/swinging distractions. Friendly barman happily discussed the freehouse benefit of his being able to deal directly with brewers of choice, and that they were lucky to have 15 or more small breweries in the immediate area. Rustically furnished throughout with traditional settles, tables, stools, & a games corner had crib, shut-the-box etc. Easily worth the �4.40 rtn bus (14mins) from Alton, but the schedule is slender & the Selborne closes 15:00-18:00 weekdays. I�ll be back, for sure.
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REALLY Suprised by the comment below regarding food.
This pub is an absolute favourite in our house. Staff have always been friendly. Building is full of character with an enormous fire place which, particularly in the winter, gives it a great atmosphere.
Locally sourced food, and probably the best Chateau Briand I've ever eaten. A good selection of real ales too. Well worth an evening out.
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A pleasant sixteenth century former farmhouse, somewhat let down by the inevitable brewers pebbledash fronting the road. Inside, there's a lot of warm, mellow wood:most of thespace is given over to meals, but the bar area is pleasant enough.We sat in the garden with the dog-not raining for once.The steak and kidney pies were homemadeand genuinely good, though it was a pity that we couldn't have had both chips and veg:perhaps we could, but the pub was short staffed, though the welcome and service were friendly.
On the beer front, several new (to me) ales were available, including Bloomfields from Suthwyk/oakleaf which was refreshing and genuinely bitter.I don't usually run after blond beers, but Hidden Brewery's Fantasy was remarkably pleasant: the friut notes went very well with the above mentioned pie.Other beers were a couple from Ringwood ,a house beer-Zig-zag from Hogs Back, and a strong looking number from Irving of Portsmouth. (Not forgetting dear old Courage Best)
We enjoyed this pub, and would use it fairly regularily if we lived nearer.
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VERY disappointing food here post-Christmas. Cold plates, lukewarm food and my wife had inedible beef zhalefrezi. Grumpy staff as well.
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Fantastic food, great atmosphere & very friendly (& attractive!) staff. Occasionally have live music (great band -"Go Loud"?) which makes for a superb evening.
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Arrived at 130 after a two mile walk and received a great welcome and had a good reserved table. Food was verry very good and reasonably priced. Service was quick but not too quick. This is the best pub I have seen for some time.
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The pub was almost full at 13:00 when we arrived. But the free tables were pointed out to us.
There was a selection of 4/5 real ales.
There was a nice fire burning on a wet damp,dull day.
The staff were very cheery ,helpful and polite
We would echo the comments lout_from_the_lane with regard to the offerings of food. We also had desserts although they were pricey at �4.95.
You do need good eyesight to read the menus from the tables but they can be unhooked from the wall which solves that problem
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The pub is very unhospitiable. We arrived just be for 2pm when food is stopped serving and they said the kitchen was closed. The weather was terrible with pooring rain and one of the party were pregnant. however we could understand so grabbed a sandwich from the local shop and returned to ask if we could sehlter from the rain , buy a pint each and a bag of crisps and eat are sandwiches. Instead of a polite no or under the circumstances why not, the bar staff were very rude in fact unkind and we were told to leave all totally unecessary!
anonymous - 6 Jan 2007 22:46 |
The obvious stop when visiting Gilbert White's house that doesn't disappoint. Snack lunches are mostly �5.50 for jacket/ploughmans but with good quality fillings. I had smoked chicken and avocado jacket while my companion's ham and cheese had several proper slices of good ham and plenty of cheese. Mains start at about �7.50. Ales included 2 local micros Triple fff and Suthwyk and Ringwood the nearest regional.
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Excellent well kept beers with guests. Excellent food. superb friendly service
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This makes an excellent lunch time stop on a walk between Liss and Alton.
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This pub produces excellent and varied food with a french twist, a good selection of wines and beers including guest ales add to a very enjoyable meal.The service is very good and the friendly atmosphere is welcoming.
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