please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
changed hands recently from independent to Shepherd Neame. While this means the food is substantially cheaper, it's now also much lower quality. shame, as this used to be a great destination for Sunday lunch. Not much more than another chain pub now.
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Often use this pub, and as said below it isnt the cheapest pub around but the food is very good and the beer has allways been fine. The monthly quiz is good fun too.
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Great location, especially in summer, good beer, ok food, friendly staff.
Massively overpriced beer and food and the wine list prices are ridiculous.
This does not stop us from going, very nice to walk there from Redhill, in the summer sit in the garden, in the winter by the logburner. If it was cheaper we would go more often.
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Nice pub with seats outside overlooking the cricket green. Food and beer both good, staff helpful and pleasant. Never been before, but the current 4.7 rating seems unfairly low.
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Went to Inn on Pond for first time for Sunday Lunch. Had booked in advance. Staff were welcoming. We were impressed with the standard of decor, which was smarter than I would of expected for a pub restaurant. A good selection of 1st and main courses. The goats cheese souffle was good, but could of done with slightly more seasoning and more cheese for my taste. Also the Thai fish cakes could of been a bit more fishy and spicy, after all it is Thai. Had the Roast Beef. Even though the meal was reasonably warm, but not piping hot, when it arrived, by the time I was half way through it was barely warm. Had to ask for horseradish. I was not impressed with the Yorkshire pudding, which was tiny, not crisp and slightly tough. I'm guessing it was from frozen and then microwaved, which at the price is not acceptable. The beef lacked flavour and was sliced too thin for my taste, and not enough of it. The rest of the vegetables where fine whilst hot. The mixed dessert to share was fun and a nice idea if you are undecided, with mini versions of five of the listed desserts. Given the location and the work that has been put into the interior, the food needs to be raised to a standard to match. I would say it is overpriced and not a pub for a foodie. As far as the overall experience goes, it was ok. Not sure I would return though.
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What a remarkable turn around this place has had over the last few months and all for the better. The new atmosphere is great. The staff look much happier and I was even able to have a meal without booking and without being made to feel like I was intruding. The new management seems to have this place cracked. Keep up the good work. Just one question...................... why wasn't it done sooner?
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I had a meal there last night and It was lovely great food and great service apart from the bar man who seemed to be drunk while on duty !!!! a shame really as it is such a lovely pub in a great area, I will come back and hope the bar man has sobered up by then.
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Yes - the owners do read all the comments and are grateful for bringing them to their attention. A new manager Penny Appel, has taken over The Inn on the Pond as from the 28th January 2010. We hope that everyone who had taken the time to post reveiws on this website will give The Inn on the Pond another visit and another chance. And, if their experience is improved let others know about it.
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I wonder if the owners read this and take anything from it. After having stayed away for some while due to having many of the aforementioned complaints I may well give it another try when the NEW MANAGER takes over. Hopefully it is someone with more flexability about them and who can stay sober and civil.
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I have been to this pub at least a dozen times over the past year for food and drinks in the summer outside. The Inn On The Pond is an enigma - it's location is beautiful overlooking a pond, common ground and a cricket pitch - the building and interior has been renovated tastefully however, I can not help mention several negative experiences here. The service for one is hit and miss, there is one female employee with dark hair who from her accent is Polish I believe and appears to be the manager - I have always found her to lack any warmth, charm and a welcome - please , please, please smile for once and treat people with a bit more warmth and as if you want their custom. The owners also I found lack any warmth and welcome unless you are in the "clique" of their own drinking sessions around the bar area - I have frequently been told by the female owner how " UP THE WALL" the kitchen is when ordering food or "YOU�RE LUCKY YOU GOT YOUR ORDER IN AS WE ARE GOING TO CLOSE THE KITCHEN COS WE CANT COPE" - again, please , don't make customers feel guilty about spending money in your pub! - Surely If the kitchen cannot cope then you need to address this rather than taking your frustration out on your patrons?. I have also been told that "I WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR A DRINK AS THE STAFF HAVE NOT STOPPED BEHIND THE BAR" to order a drink at the bar in the summer - again, please, I do not wish to know how hard you have been working, I simply would like to spend my money in your pub without being made guilty and that I am inconveniencing you! The food is ok at this pub, nothing more, nothing less but if not a little overpriced. This pub bizarrely closes at 3.00pm on Saturdays - I can not tell you how frustrating this is on a summers day watching the cricket - why????? I have seen dozens and dozens of bemused customer turn up and look so astonished that a pub at such a nice location on a busy Saturday summer afternoon closes?? I really really want to like this pub, it is my closest local and I am a great believer in supporting local business and for this reason I wander in every few months for convenience. But I leave vowing never to return!. Due to the pubs out of the way location the owners I think really have to encourage customer in and welcome them rather than see them as an inconvenience , they seem to put such little effort in at times.
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I visited this rural setting pub, if i dare to use the term so loosely, not even a month prior to friday night's visit just gone (18/12/2009) and i was quite frankly appauled with the lack of atmosphere within it's walls. The barman looks thoroughly bored and was then almost reluctant to serve us, as if we had the audacity to order drinks from him! After sitting down a dark haired early fifties woman was sitting at the bar with a man with glasses and back grey hair glared at me. I assumed after a short time that this was the manageress and proceeded to come to my hasty-yet-correct second assumption that she was rather worse for wear from the alcoholic products she was supposed to be serving!!
After quickly tiring of the employees and the barflies (who are the same thing) i exited and went to another pub barely a mile away from there which offered a proper british pub atmosphere which is more than can be said for the sorry state of the 'pond nowadays. Bring back the charming Marie.
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Doom bar was poor, plus not serving any food due to a large party of guests. Very nice location, so bit of shame!
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Whilst the Doombar was very good a few days ago, charging �2.90 for a pint of Coke is extracting the michael. Go somewhere else
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Beautiful setting for a pub, with a garden overlooking a pond and a cricket ground...tables and chairs scattered outside so you can sit outside in the sunshine and watch the sun go down, beautiful. Only problem is for some reason since it has been done up and new owners are in situ the meals in the garden have stopped...WHY????. do they think that on a lovely sunny day people will travel out to a picturesque pub which serves great food and eat indoors when they can drive for 10 minutes in any other direction and enjoy the sunshine in the gardens of any other pub with a garden.
Think this needs a thought or 2..as it is such a shame and i am sure loses clientel during the summer months.......and just one more constructive comment - any reason why the pub was turning away not only diners but drinkers on bank holiday Monday at 7.45pm....the only thing i could think of why the 4 people in front of us and our party was told that the pub was closing was that the landlady seemed to be a bit tipsy.
Apart from the closing at eratic times and the not being able to eat outside i think this pub has a great patronage - The patrons are friendly and although diminished from the much larger crowd who used to drink in the pub before the strange new regime applied. After all its the people who drink in the pub that make it what it is and as long as their enjoyment of the pub and the meeting of friends outweighs some of the eccentricities of the landlady i am sure i will continue to drink their (albeit in the winter months as i like to eat my meals outside during the summer!)
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Well decorated pub in a rural location. Good service.
4 beers on tap. Sharps Doombar and a new local beer brewed in Dorking called DB1 and Red River with the Horsham Bitter off. The Doombar was good. The DB1 and Red River were off. Complained about the DB1, did not have the heart to complain about the Red River. To have any chance of keeping good beers here they need to reduce the number available.
Stowfords Press Cider was ok.
Prices are relatively high for the area.
More of a food pub than a drinking pub.
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�2.95 ! that's expensive !!!!! Most Croydon pubs are �2.50 or below !
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Forgot to say - both only �2.95 a pint
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Now serving the popular Sharps Doombar and a new local beer brewed in Dorking called DB1. Ruddles and London Pride have gone!
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A nice setting spoilt by over-priced beer. I think that �3.10 is a bit much for London Pride, but they're obviously charging what they think the market will bear. We only had the one before moving on.
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Turned up today at just after 2.45 (a Saturday in August) - asked for something to eat - promptly told by the Polish(?) girl, "food orders stop at 2.30" and "we are closing in 10 minutes anyway" - didn't even ask us if we wanted a drink - customer nearby had just ordered a bottle of wine and his head nearly fell off with shock when he realised he had 10 mins to drink a bottle of wine.
Never going back but they probably don't even care!
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wandered in...beer arrived...quality OK...pleasant tables by the pond.....not much choice which is not a draw but I heard mention of some new, let's hope interesting beer..not tried food but the bland beer choice does not encourage me to open my wallet as I presume the same philosophy runs throughout...ah I knew there was somethig good...no kids!
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The recent refurbishment has made it a very "resturanty" and a bit contemporary for my liking, but there is a small seating area and a couple of open fires, and the staff are really friendly which makes up for it.
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I was never a great fan of this pub before so am pleased with the change. It is very resauranty but there is still a reasonable drinking and sitting area. The staff were helpful and pleasant despite being nervous about a busy Friday night ahead. I thoroughly enjoyed my steak and Ruddles and will be back soon.
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Yes i have lots to say, the pub is now a clean and pleasant place to sit and eat a meal, had a great pint or two of London Pride (not Greene King).
and the staff to be very attentive and pleasant, i will definately return on a regular basis just to see the barmaids smiles.
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London Pride perhaps?
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If I remember rightly there was GKIPA, Ruddles County and Old Speckled Hen. So which one isn't Greene King then.
I visit, and like, lots of pubs. Unlike beentherebefore who has only visited the one.
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After some 3 months renovation the INN ON THE POND reopens. I was pleasntly surprised. Tastefully and respectfully restored features include all the beams centre fireplace, and the full restoration of a further fireplace complete with log burner.(well it even snows in April) The enlarged dining area and lounge atmosphere of western side of the pub, shows its focus on selling food, however the bar area is now larger and smarter and of course thats where the beer is.
New bar and waiting staff give a happy and warm welcome. Disregard prevoius comments they no longer describes the Inn On the Pond as it is now.
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The staff are the best in the world at making you feel very uncomfortable, and the food isn't much better either. I wouldn't recommend this pub to even my worst enemy. !!!!!!!!!!!
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Isn�t it funny how this pub had some good comments about it, and now they have been deleted! I think it is perfetic! I went into this pub the other night with my children and we felt more than welcome. The young lady behind the bar was very polite and help me chose real ale I haven�t tried before. We then decided to get a bite to eat. The portions where massive and was more than happy better to have loads than too little. The young man who served us was very nice and also polite and great with the kids. A brilliant experience and will come again. This is a great pub is lovely which looks out over the cricket pitch (which I can see as brilliant on a summer�s day when they are playing)
Oh sorry I said something nice? Am I going to be deleted aswell???????
anonymous - 14 Jul 2007 16:07 |
Have to agree with mharte. This place has certainly gone to the dogs. The quality of the food is not reflected in the steep prices when the kitchen is actually open which seems rather hit and miss!! Pub closes when it wants. Management has a bad attitude to staff and customers but the "barflies" are always well catered for. Give it a miss.
anonymous - 17 Apr 2007 11:16 |
lovley pub, nice staff and nico is the best waiter i no. and i should no i used to work there. stop moaning u lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Quality "English" pub a warm welcome excellent food and beer. Beautiful surroundings. Get there early for sunny summer Sunday sessions as the tables in the beer garden fill up quick. You might even get to see Edwina Curry if you are lucky???????????????? Only down side is someone has to drive
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I am a current vistor to this pub and strongley disagree with the comments of Tony Coleman. Although i will admid the preveous manager whos name will remain Anonymous was a rather rude man and if you were unlucky enough to experience his rudeness i can understand the comment. The new Land Lady sarah is very pleasent the food is great thanks to Des and i would highly recomend this establishment for food, drink and friendliness. I have always found the staff more than pleasent and enjoy the whole atmosphere.
Mary Smith - 5 Oct 2004 13:49 |
really nice pub - Nico the spanish waiter adds a touch of the 'Que' but comments below aren't really fair. Food lovely, and surroundings are really nice. Conservatory - restaurant at back is very nice and there is an excellent display of toy cars and trains - someone has a hobby other than running a pub then.....
Anthony - 26 Aug 2004 12:03 |
Well I like it as well. Friendly people, super range of beers - Harveys Best and Bitberger (sp?) lager amongs others, interesting collection of toy cars, old fag machines and similar memorabiblia. Worth a trip.
Nick - 1 Aug 2004 02:03 |
for a sunday afternoon drink in the country, you cant beat it
sEan - 4 Apr 2004 21:31 |
Pub Now Changed Hands & I believe much improved, but yet to try it, I believe it holds curry & taps evenings too!
Simon Pinto - 26 Feb 2004 23:54 |
Fantastic pub, tucked away in beautiful countryside. Can't disagree more strongly with comments below about staff - bar staff were friendly and Spanish landlady was charming! Really good food as well.
Simon Robinson - 15 Feb 2004 00:45 |
Traditional pub with real fires, great food, and a good bar. lovely beer garden next to the pond. Really nice if you want to get away from it all.
Alex - 14 Jan 2003 03:02 |
