please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
A lovely sunny day today so cycled down to the Ferry Inn. It really could do with some general repair work in and out, looking rather run down. The original house building is not helped by the single storey extension glued on. But the location is brilliant, right on the harbour mouth with Portsmouth all but a stone's throw away. It was low tide and the sands were waiting for the sunbathers. bags of seating in and out, and the staff were really good. I did not eat but at lunch time on this Friday before May Day all seamed well. Its a Cask beer place apparently, the guest ale was Golden Arrow from the Cottage Brewing Co, 4.5 pale Ale, golden colour like the beach, and very nice too. Especially at £2.44 a pint, so I had two and cycled home. Also had boring Green King IPA, instead of Spitfire, and Speckled Hen, otherwise usual john smith's, Irish dark stuff, Foster's and lager junk. It would be a great spot for a beer festival, so much space, but please repair it first.
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June 2011. We were going to have a meal but a lady in front of us was asking where her meal was. The bar staff said that she had only been waiting for 10 mins. But, another customer said otherwise. Aparantly, nearly an hour. Another member of staff then joined in and sort of ganged up on her with the first member of staff. The lady was almost in tears.
Beware. The carpark is NOT a council car park. It is owned by the pub. and run by a private parking company from Stratford-upon-Avon.
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This place is better than your average pub chain pub, seems it's improved since earlier reviews. Food is probably standard Mitchells & Butlers menu, but you can get a decent chicken and chips for �2.99, and more expensive stuff of course. Our food was very good. Bar staff are young but friendly enough. I had the Ringwood bitter which was excellent, and only �1.99 a pint (the other ale was GK IPA), so overall the place gives very good value. Location great, in nice weather you can sit outside and watch the ferry come and go.
Note: there is no bus from Hayling, to get here by public transport you have to get the no.15 bus from Portsmouth (every hour, also runs Sunday but a different no,), then the Hayling Ferry across to the island (every 30 mins at least). The nearest bus in Hayling is over a mile walk away.
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this is a pub with it's hands tied by M&B brewery. if, as the team leader said, both bars' would be in use it would make a terrific difference to the service element. the problem is that they are limited on the number of staff they can employ. if you don't have the tools, you cannot do the job properly. i have used this pub for quite a few years now, winter and summer, and i have seen managers come and go, but as far as i am concerned you will have to go a long way to beat pete & gina, and their staff. one thing i am dissapointed with, is the new rule concerning children. by all accounts they have to be off the property, not just the bars, by 9 o' clock. this pub has more seating outside than in, and i feel that in the summer they should be allowed to use the outside area with their parents, les't have a rethink on this. itisi.
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We arrived at about the same time as a ferryful but got to the bar first. I was disappointed that there was only one bitter. It looked as if there were usuallu two but the Ringwood was off. However the GK IPA was good. It's not a favourite of mine bit that's not their fault. We sat in the lower bar as we had a dog with us, that was fine. My friend went back to the bar to order the food and I didn't expect to see him for a while as the crowd off the ferry were all ordering but he was soon back. The menu was standard none too fancy pub fare, we both had the All Day breakfast for less that �5. It arrived in good time brought by a friendly helpful waitress. It was just what we needed. All in all, there was nothing to complain about.
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Was I lucky on my first visit, or unlucky on my second, that's the question?
Second visit entailed a 75 minute wait for 3 meals. If I'd been the only one maybe I'd let it pass, but as far as I could tell everyone outside (and there was quite a few) were suffering similiar waits, and from talking to people inside it was the same there.
This pub clearly can't cope with more than a couple of meals at a time, which is a problem as it's a big pub, with lots of indoor and outdoor seating. A shame because it's a great location.
If you want to eat, I'd strongly recommend avoiding this pub, if you want to sit by the sea and enjoy a couple of drinks, it's a great location.
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The pub was about 3/4s full. The Spitfire was very good (price & quality), served by reasonable staff. The food was nice, good sized portions served quicker than the suggested wait.
Great location
Visited on a weekday lunchtime.
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Actually have used this pub for over eight years and it has varied, but overall is OK. The problem seems to be lack of management in terms of motivating staff and so the service varies. Have had great fish and chips with kids playing on the beach, and by and large I can live with the fact it is mainly a holiday venue, not a local pub. Somehow seems a sleeping giant, with that location it should be fantastic if moved upmarket a bit in terms of menu and facilities(fairly rough toilets).
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excellent pub excellent staff excellent managment what more do you need excellent food 11out of 10
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After drinking in this pub many years ago and finding it a relaxing and friendly place to go, i decided to take my girlfriend and our children down there for a few drinks and tolet them run off some energy.
Well, what a dissappointment. We were greeted by a lad who barked that the bar we were stood at was actually closed and drinks were served "up there" in the other bar so we went up to the other bar to be met by a queue of people going out of the door, and a bar covered in empty glasses. When we finally got served, the staff look dishevelled and unkempt, and really had no interest in customer interaction.
We decided to sit outside and could not find one table that was not strewn with old drinks or food plates. Bearing in mind that our visit was at around 18.00hrs last Saturday, and the inside of the pub was empty, and at least 70% of the outside tables were empty, it was really poor.
I watched for 2 hours whilst the young waiter brought out intermittent plates of food to various tables and interesting not once did he return to the kitchen with empty plates from the tables that were empty.
A glass collector came round once in the 2 hours we were there and did little to clear the back log of empties.
The shore wall was also littered with old food, glasses, cutlery and all in all this pub is a disaster.
Go there at your peril!!
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We tried the Ferry Boat Inn yesterday and were horrified at the place! We ordered drinks and food. The bar was covered in empty glasses and dirty plates. They had run out of half pint glasses as they were all on the bar, dirty. I had a pint of Spitfire which was ok. The food hadn't arrived after 50 mins of waiting so we asked for a refund which was reluctantly given. Rude staff, filthy bar area, imagine what the kitchen is like if they can't even keep the bar area clean!
Shame as it's a lovely location. Poor management is the only reason for this joke of a pub.
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Nothing special except the location. Imagine it is packed on sunny days. Fairly busy with affable drinkers. Beer OK
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This pub changed hands some time ago (about a year I think) and it is improving both in terms of the beer and the food. Service is faster than it was but could still be improved and I think the prices have reduced from their prevuious dizzy heights. Location is fabulous, especially when the sun is out.
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Food good but brought in frozen. A really bad place to visit if you're a vegetarian - pathetic choice if you don't eat meat or fish. It seems the delicious woodland mushroom pies are only defrosted on Sundays.
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is jdt the landlord because this place is awful, as all the other comments say
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the pub does a fantasic curry night on a thursday there great and the car park has no pot wholes any more
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SUPERB PUB EXCELLENT SERVICE EXCELLENT FOOD QUIZ NIGHT ON A MONDAY STEAK NIGHT ON A TUESDAY SUPERB VEIWS OVER LANGSTONE HARBOUR AND OPEN ALL YEAR ROUND BEST VEIWS ON HAYLING ISLAND I RECOMEND EVERY ONE GIVE IT A TRY MUCH BETTER THAN LAST YEAR
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Totally agree with crooza's comments.
Awful place, I wouldn't let my dog eat here.
It is such a shame as this used to be a great place and could be again given the right manager as it is in a fabulous waterfront location.
Please sack the manager he is totally useless.
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Outsied it's a beautiful setting on the waterfront.
Inside it's one of the worst run pubs I've visited.
Sloppy bar staff, like bored checkout staff.
Food is very average, glasses are dirty, tables aren't cleared.
It's great to sit outside, just a pity you have to go inside to get a drink.
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The New/Old now Manager is leaving, Hooray :-)
The Pub will be having a new Manager very soon...
Fingers crossed he/she will raise the standard once more.
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I usually visit this pub regularly in the Summer, whilst waiting for the Ferry, a great end to a cycle ride... BUT, last year it was great (say 7/10), the visits this year.. phew! Real ale is usually 'off', one (ONE) bar staff on Sunday, hence a minimum of 30 minutes wait to get served (even tho the place was only half full). I made the mistake of buying food, and they are clearly having a joke, I thought they had served me a child portion by mistake. The 'new' menu has removed many of the usual staples likes Nachos. This is a wonderfully situated pub, it ought to be a real money spinner, without any need to squeeze the last drop of profit by cheating on food, bar staff and cleaners. At the moment I'd say bring a packed lunch and a bottle of beer, this place ain't worth a visit (unless you like being ripped off). Lets hope it gets a real manager soon, at the moment its being run into the ground. This year its 1/10 (and the 1 is because its in such a great location).
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since the "new" managers have taken over the place has went right downhill! they never clear/clean the tables. as a regular i have seen people walk in and look and walk straight back out due to the state of the place inside and out. you can have problems getting the drink that you actually want as they never have clean glasses (they're all lying dirty on the empty tables). as for food:- good food if you're willing to wait the 2 hours and this was only for a ham sandwich and when it did come it had been put on a red hot plate so it had went stale...... need i say more. NOT WORTH THE TRIP ANYMORE!!!!!!waste of petrol!
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bring back the old manager get rid of the new manager
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STOP SHOUTING SEAMAN YOU IMBECILE
Good location for this pub, not entirely sure about it though as it seemed a little rough round the edges - was put off eating here by the dirty state of the chef.
Would need another visit to be sure, but as it is virtually in France, might be tricky.
TheGP - 18 Apr 2007 20:52 |
BEER-FOOD-AMBIENCE-CORDIALITY, AND OF COURSE THE BOSS. ALL 10/10. I TOOK A PARTY OF 6 FOR A PRE XMAS MEAL ON 15 DEC., THEY ALL SAID HOW GOOD IT WAS, AND VERY GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY, MOST IMPRESSED. XMAS DAY MY WIFE AND I HAD OUR XMAS DINNER THERE. I CANNOT PRAISE IT ENOUGH, DON'T TELL THE WIFE, BUT I AM GLAD WE WENT THERE FOR DINNER INSTEAD OF STAYING AT HOME.
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the location of the pub is beautifull the food was excellent and staff friendly we sat on the patio eating our meal looking over the children playing on the beach what a lovely way to spend a sunny afternoon. we recommend it highly .
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Great Pub, Great Food
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