please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Like some previous reviewers we hadn't been here for years possibly even a decade. On early Saturday it was very busy and service was difficult owing to a no-show from one of the staff. I first started going here in the late 1970s when Andy was here, with his Dad picking up the beer from the West Midlands. There was also a bar billiard s table. Halycon days. The building has been considerably extended to offer separate dining facilities but we were the only people in there. There were some diners in the main pub part but not many which is hard to understand as the food was outstanding. Two of the eight handpumps were blanks and the remainder offered fairly similar styles although with a broad range of strength from 3.7 to 5%. No winter warmers, stouts or porters though and looking at their website, which lists the beers that will be available at any one time, no chance of there being any. We left around 10pm and it was fairly quiet by then. Yes as a pub the atmosphere was good, food was excellent, beer condition was good but the choice is what would make me rush back and that was sadly lacking in imagination. Andy niched himself a market place and so with a broader beer choice this pub could really be great again.
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What was once THE real ale destination pub in the local area has not had a review for three years and we now know why. Eleven of us set out on a Tuesday lunchtime to see if the old magic is still there. The opening times on the website were wrong, the place was shut and not due to open until 15:45 in the afternoon. This is a hard place to get to, requiring trains and buses for most of us so an unreliable website wastes everybody's time and money. After a long session in the Bat And Ball we decided to pop in. Four beers on eight hand pulls immediately dwindled to two - Summer Lightning and London Pride. Hardly worth the journey. A quick look at our watches told us a bus was due in twenty minutes. We were on it, probably never to return. A crying shame. Slerpy's comment below was right, the end of an era.
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I have been using this pub for nearly thirty five years and it is difficult to say a bad word about it.The first landlord that I remember was Andy who introduced some very rare West Midlandales to the South of England,this built the reputation of the pub.Sadly on this visit the current Landlady said that Bathams refused to supply then EVEN though she picked the ales up from them ! The pub is spotlessly clean ,as previously stated the pub has won awards for their food and have replaced the longed for midland ales with Bowman's Swift One. The end of an era.
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An update to my last post on here
Following our fab time last visit and hearing the pub has won awards for the chef we wanted to go back
Arrived 2pm on Saturday only to be told, sorry not serving now we want to watch the World Cup at 2.30. The pub was totally empty, we were the only ones in. Followed by children are not allowed in the oub either they will have to sit outside
YOu can imagine my disappointment at that! Had a pint of Breakspears Gold which was spot on as always. Why did they havw to let themselves down like that tho? They didnt even watch the football with us, they went upstairs to watch it leaving the pub empty.....
Felt it was worth updating as customer service should be all day every day and not forgotten because of the World Cup :(
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SUPERB! Cask conditioned ales were top notch, 5 on and I tried them all and not dissappointed in any of them, Swift one was my favourite
Whole family had food and that was top notch too.
No children under 15 in the main area of the bar so we had to eat in a side room but as it was lunchtime and we were the only people in that was Okay. We could sit in my restraunt area which is at the rear of the pub too.
Would highly reccomned this pub. Been on two ocassions and both were equally as good. Worth the 30 mile return trip!
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Excellent combination of local beer house and fine food. Definetly not a gastro pub but food is real quality. Don't have a Sunday lunch starter - the main courses are so huge (especially the lamb) your stomach won't thank you.
The highest point of the pub though is its beer range. Go any evening and treat yourself - usually 7 or 8 cask beers that change often.
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A pub with a big reputation for food and beer. 7 beers on when i paid a weekday lunchtime visit, these were pride, fortyniner, TT landlord , hogsback tea, exmoor gold, fff moondance and bowmans swift one. I had the latter which was in great shape. I didnt try the food so cant comment. There was only two other customers there while i was present so a little dificult to judge the atmosphere of the place, its a pretty basic two room pub interior with quite a lot of tables and chairs surrounding the bar area for eating purposes which take away from the pubiness of the place for me. That said its well worth a visit for the beers alone.
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I booked a table for Lunch on Saturday using the Sandrock's website form. When we arrived, according to the sign outside they didn't do Saturday lunches, but they did for us! A sign of the times, I guess. The Summer Lightning was excellent, with a good hoppy bite. I started my lunch with a prawn cocktail: large tasty prawns, no complaints there. For my main course I chose the home-made burger, with tasty cheese and bacon topping. Bowing, no doubt, to the healthy food fanatic lobby, the burger was a little too dry and fat-free for my taste. The fries were the opposite, quite greasy, caused no doubt by their being chucked in the deep fryer before it was hot. Madam had the home-cooked gammon salad. The meat was perfect: dry and almost crumbly. (I sampled it extensively!) Her pudding, a chocolate sponge with cream, didn't touch the sides on its way down. One little hobby-horse on so-called healthy eating: I can find no rigorous scientific study to show that "too much" salt in the diet is harmful. But that's another story!
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Seven ales on today all from the south- east.All were in very good condition. the pub is in the publican finals for both food and ale, not rally a great surprise. I make a point of visiting here every two years or so. do not misunderstand me but this wonderful pub once had Andy Bojack as manager and customers like the late British gentleman actor Gerald Flood . I would walk into the pub and be welcomed warmly by all and every pump would boast a pumpclip proclaiming an impossibly rare Black Country ale, many have gone ( Simpkiss, Wem and Davenports), some still exist ( Holdens ,Bathams)but for a young real ale enthusiast this was heaven on earth,so i'm not being curmudgeonly or overly nostalgic when I rate this pub as an eight.
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Serves the best BLT's Ive ever tasted as well as the best gammon and eggs, burgers and everything ive tasted there has been perfect, the comedy the other night was fantastic, its great to see dogs in pubs again and real ale is brilliant to see, we went in there the other day and was pleased to see children are welcome too and with the pub having 2 areas it was ideal, congratulations on the awards aswell, well deserved.
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Came in search of good food and was not disappointed. Reassuringly slim menu as all food cooked fresh on the premises. sumptious prawn cocktail followed by delightful wellingtons (beef for myself, vegetarian version for my partner). A shame (and surprise) that the place was almost deserted at 9.30pm on a Saturday evening. Will try sunday lunch and real ales next time.
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Visited as part of a pub walk. 6 ales were on: Landlord, TEA, Bowman's Swift One, Surrey Hills Gilt Complex, Hop Back Summer Lighning and a WJ King's beer.
Gilt Complex was top notch. A little off putting as you go in as it seems set out for food but it loked like there was a separate bar at the side. Had the feel of a locals pub. Quiet at around 5pm on a Sunday evening, deserves to do well.
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Went to this pub the other day and was very impressed with the selection of real ale on offer. The TripleFFF Moondance was spot on. This must be a great pub to have as a local but it was almost deserted at the time I visited (early saturday afternoon). No doubt Friday and Saturday nights are busier but to the residents of Sandrock/Boundstone - use it or lose it!.
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a lovely pub. Brilliant cask beer range and friendly staff. Wish it was on my doorstep!!! keep meaning to have some food (as it looks great and wins awards) but never got off the ale yet.
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Went out of the way to get to this place, and it was well worth it.
It had a massive range of well-kept real ales and an interesting menu. We went for the haddock rarebit, and they had no had no haddock, so we accepted cod instead. It was unusual and very filling. We had no room for puddings.
The combination of decent food with excellent ale makes this pub worth seeking out. Some of the locals were a bit too loud for our liking, but it's a big place and we moved to a quieter spot.
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This an excellent pub run by conscientious and friendly owners. An excellent selection of well kept real ales and really excellent food.
I have to admit we were nearly put off by the website (it�s a bit amateurish, far too busy and garish) plus large signs outside proclaiming their awards and offers (a bit like a �Harvester�). This would have been a shame because the actual pub is absolutely top notch and the professionalism of the owners shines through.
We will definitely be back.
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Not a bad pub at all but I do know some landlord's spend more time under Pseudonyms promoting their own pub rather than serving beer - Friday lunch times in particular.
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Yeah you have to wait for the food but that is because it is being freshly prepared. That is how it should be in my opinion!!
Anyway fantastic food and beer and the sunday roasts are huge and very nice.
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Went along on Friday lunchtime. Beer condition (Abbots Gate, I think) was excellent. As was the food (freshly cooked to order). Although busy, they advised there would be a delay for food, not a problem on this occasion. Great pub.
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Last pub we visited on our Hogsback day out before we shot back to catch the England secind half collapse against Wales on 2/2/08. Again beer selection and quality fantastic, efficient member of staff behind bar but why oh why oh why are pubs like this so quiet on a Saturday afternoon. Regulars from my pub who couldn't make the trip, due to Chesterfield beer festival, told me if there is one pub to visit in the area then visit this one. Come on people visit these independent pubs in the afternoon or risk losing them and only having chain pubs to visit.
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Found this pub using this site and so glad I took the chance to visit. Bright and airy. The food and beer selection would be hard to beat. Staff exceedingkly helpful. NOthing seemed to be too much trouble. So refreshing in this day and age. I would suggest booking table if eating Fri-Sun as the eating area is quite small. Well worth a visit.
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Winners of the Pub Food Innovation of the Year Award 2007.
Keep up the good work in 2008.
Great beer and ace food. Winning combination in my books.
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Had Kelham Island pale rider here today and roast pork with crackling, really, really good!
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I have visited this pub on many occasions and it is always fantastic, the beer is always top notch and there are always 8 on the pumps (you can even check which beers are on before your visit on their website thesandrock.com). The food has recently been taken out of the bar as much as possible although you can still eat in the bar, it is always cooked from fresh at the time of order. The landlord and Landlady are approachable (they seem to be working what ever time or time you visit), friendly and always have the time to answer any questions you might have. Staff are friendly and respectful, it's nice to go somewhere that still thinks manners are important, great pub.
anonymous - 9 Sep 2007 17:59 |
Bathams and Hop Garden Gold both excellent. Nice lunch, reasonably priced - good weather too. Very quiet for lunchtime on August bank holiday Monday. Hope a few more people manage the trip out to Boundstone - this place deserves your custom.
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A great choice of top notch beers. Friendly, enthusiastic landlord who knows his stuff and happy to discuss. Will definitely return.
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27th May 07 - eight beers on as usual. Managed to sample 3 or 4 during "brief" visit. Exmoor Gold a knockout. Refurbishment hasn't spoilt this pub in my view. Beer choice and condition consistently excellent. Well worth the mile and a half walk from home!
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Still a proper drinkers pub, tonight I had Kelham Island Pale rider, Enville Ginger and Holdens Golden Glow
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Good Beer, good food, dogs allowed, looks nice after refurb.
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Really nice new restuarant, my girlfriends and I never used to venture into this previously all-male preserve but now it is very female friendly with lovely toilets and loads of wines by glass. Had gorgeous seedy breadsticks with olives and chilli oil, wild salmon with asparagus and red pesto mash and raspberry sorbet, all beautifully cooked and presented, my three friends were also very happy with their meals although I may have had too many glasses of wine to remember what they had!!!!!
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Everytime I go to the Sandrock I try a new beer and it is always in excellent condition, last night I had Acorn Barnsley Gold, aswell as Bathams bitter which always has to be sampled here!! Had a big fat homemade burger with stilton and bacon in the bar, although the new restaurant might warrant a try next time for something more refined. I always thought this pub was great before the refurb but now it is really great.. the new toilets are a major improvement!
anonymous - 25 May 2007 12:01 |
Fair few beers on (including a smashing pint of Surrey Hills� Ranmore) all kept in pretty good condition.
Recollections of the inside are pretty hazy, but I look as happy as Larry in my mates photos sat in front of a long line of halves, and my piece of beer scoring paper has a big tick through it!
Definitely worth seeking out for another session this summer, very good place.
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Went here for a meal as it has now been refurbished and it was excellent. Only 6 out of the normal 8 real ales were on, but hey, you can't have everything!
They were all fab and the food was excellent. We really enjoyed both the restaurant, the non-smoking bar and the friendly staff.
We'll be back . . . .its still our favourite!
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Recently refurbished
Drinks prices ridiculous = �2.40 a shot of vodka �4.80 a double !!! That refurbishment price must have been sky high ....
When queried with landlord, tried to compare themselves to the nearby bat and ball ...
Cheap pub, with bad attitude - avoid at all costs. Totaly misrepresnation of the pub it should be
bunge - 17 Sep 2006 16:30 |
Ok but punters stuck in a time warp...looking forward to new restaurant
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Still serving superb ales of Black Country origin, which even these days are difficult to find elsewere in the locality.
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Brilliant pub, great beer, very friendly and knowledgeable guy behind the bar. One of the best pubs I have been to in ages. It will be closed at some time for a refurbishment, with a restaurant appearing, but the beer choice won't alter.
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God-like pub. Best in area by a long chalk. Will go here for my 40th birthday in September (and many times beforehand!!)as beer quality is always excellent! Food is also superb. Everything a pub should be and so many never get near to achieving!!
If you haven't been, go. If you run a pub go and learn how to do it better. If I could spend my life here and the Halfway House in Pitney (Somerset) I would die a happy man!!
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With brilliant food and lots of well kept real ales its becoming a bit of a regular haunt for us.
There is a regularly changing menu of seriously good home-cooked but still unusual food with at least 2 veggie options.
The very recent ban on pipe smoking is really welcome.
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On a very wet and cold Saturday lunchtime this was a wonderful place to grab a pint of TT and a delicious plate of Gammon, Egg and Chips. Roll on March 17th when i will be glad to call the Sandrock my new local.
neilp - 15 Feb 2006 12:37 |
Never was a cider house 'jockstrap' maybe you would have a better feel of pubs if you visit them more than once every 14 years.......we would welcome you with open arms and show you some great beer and food.....Manager, the sandrock
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Went here recently, first time in 14 years. Still good beer and food, shame it's got more of a food place now. Used to love the 'spit and sawdust' nature of the old cider house! Still, time waits for no man etc etc!
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Yes beer is good and the food is good - the homemade burgers are excellent. My only criticism is that there is no non-smoking area - something that's important if you're visiting places with wife and child. I'd love to visit again but realistically that's not going to be until next spring when it's warm enough to use the garden.
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Best pub in the farnham area for ales and good food 8 ales and the food is good
anonymous - 7 Aug 2005 23:02 |
8 real ales on 4 changing frequently, massive food portions, worth a visit
russell - 1 Jun 2004 17:56 |
An excellent Pub, a new addition to my top ten. Great beer range and quality. Sunday roast is excellent and includes pudding. Lots of sea food dishes as well. Well worth the hour drive to get there, and I'm lucky to have someone to drive back !!
Monty - 1 Sep 2003 12:42 |
Visited recently wide range of unusual ales,with many from the black country.range of food has increased dramatically since recent take over, including evening meals and sunday lunch which was not available before, worth a visit!!
David Walton - 12 May 2003 23:51 |
Visited in the summer of 1999 - had some great beer - hope its still the same now as it was then!
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Small friendly pub with a good range of real ales. Also sells food. Small beer garden.
Rachel - 26 Feb 2003 23:32 |
