Foresters Arms, Bagshotback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Yes, so nice to see the previous management leave albeit the skittles were still in use then; bar manager Adrian with Quentin as business manager. The latter Q, was very pleasant and should have been behind the bar serving more often as he was quite popular and some great story lines on rock n roll. Perhaps they will work on it on their next venture (go it alone Q)....... So, now a another change and new enterprise renamed to THE FORESTERS (note the 'arms' has been dropped)....Not very busy for end of week when I visited. Two tables in front bar taken and one table in dining room (old skittle area). Some pleasant changes, wooden beams spruced up to lighter shades, old skittle area updated for eating with skylights added (no windows in this backroom still !), but seemed less tables chairs tp park up. General lack of PUB atmosphere though as it has moved to the 70/30 rule to serving food? OK, it was just gone 9.15pm, and sadly, the kitchen closes at 9.00 !!, so I was not eating here this evening. Surely a C. 10.00 time would be better for towards end of week? I would say, therefore, this is more of a bistro/gastro pub, run by a younger enthusiastic generation and very pleasant they were. I see the new housing estate over the road, will could potential new customers, so good timing on this one. Oh, the beer was £4 for a pint of cask conditioned pale (gold) ale. Rather steep in my opinion, however, a beer without the usual swearing in the background is a change for the better..Yes, you can bring your wife here (and bring her purse)! Try it, see what you think.
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Our local pub has just reopened after a refit by the new owner, Jerry, who has transformed the place into a very nice 'up market' restaurant whilst maintaining the central bar atmosphere. The three real ales are excellent and Guinness has returned as an option. The skittle alley has gone and is now the main restaurant with added roof lighting which has transformed the place. We are looking forwards to sampling the food prepared by their chef in the new modern kitchen. I would like to suggest that all those who have slagged this pub off in the past and those that left for good to make a revisit.
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I have visited this pub on a number of occasions over the last 14 months.. It is with out doubt one of the most depressing pubs I have ever seen. It is not friendly. it is not welcoming the only reason curry nights are done is to pull in business on quite nights (which is almost always) and hope you spend a lot more than the cost of the the curry ingredients. Recently I went in for a pint at 7pm Saturday a few regulars were in when he (Adrian the manager) could just about be bothered to serve me, I asked if they could do cash back he said the machine won't let me!! Now I know we live in a world of autonomy but he has a machine that can tell if he is giving cash back? (lol I only wanted £10 for a few drinks)! so I said well I have only got a debit card he said well in that case we will charge you .50p surcharge now I did get a little upset by this 15.25% charge for using a debit card?? Now funny thing Adrian's business partner who has run the bar on a couple of occasions when Adrian is away has been a really friendly decent guy..Even though the pub has always been quiet when I have visited (on different nights even during the Olympics )he did make you feel welcome. That 15.25% will be very expensive because I will never visit the place again whilst under the control of this manager. Hungry Horse Great pub and service with a smile. Three Mariners again great pub. The White Heart a good pub make you feel welcome.
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we have known this pub for some 30 yrs ; the previous tenant mgr Dennis (some 2 yrs back now), whilst he didnt say a lot, he looked after his real ales without question indeed. Always were in top condition...however, been in here number times since he parted and tried most of the hand drawn beers and particular the special deal real ale (C £2 plus), yes a great price without doubt....but the quality of my pint on the night was not so great ( I cant repeat the exact words here )! It might be me of course, but thought the real ales in general could have been in better condition. Not to say that the bar tenders rotate round but seen little of the mgt pulling pints unless you go in on a sunday evening ( one partner seems to prefer the other side of the bar, well yes, a good place to be if you run the pub, hmmmm ?). So, is this an improvement- imo not really . Good to see the pub saved though as it could have been worse; hope it will improve one day-The skittle aley a landmark for the bagshot area.
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I see there's been no new comment for over a year about the Foresters. But everyone should know this pub has changed out of all recognition. The new owners have refurbished the bar areas, added exceptionally good value (£3) curry nights, amazing Monday & Thursday special beer days at £2 a pint. When did anyone get a £2 pint of quality real ale in a friendly local in the last 5 years?
The Foresters now has a real buzz and I feel sure it will quickly be recognised as the best real ale pub in Bagshot...... and it's the only pub for miles around with a traditional skittle alley.
Max respect for the new owners and staff who are working hard to make this a worthy pub to travel some distance to visit and enjoy.
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A great friendly pub and the Beer is always in top condition with several guest ales each week. Mondays only, a pint of guest ale is 2� all day.
The new owners, Adrian who is always behind the bar, and Quinton are the perfect host, a much needed improvment on the previous landlord.
A visit to the Foresrers Arms is well worth it.
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New owners Adrian and Quenton are just what this traditional needed, they are keeping it traditional and food has much improved with its new menu serving all your traditional pub food. Locals are very friendly and the pub has a very warm homely feeling and with a happy Monday special serving a guest ale at �2 a pint all day it is not to be missed.
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A reprieve for the moment. Previous plans fell through so business as usual. Food continues to be served at lunchtimes and a selection of real ales remain with one changing guest ale.
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Closing in the first few weeks of January 2011 for a 'restaurant' refurbishment - i.e. the 'pub' is getting smaller!
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Unfortunately, it is now feared that this pub may be going to follow the pattern of being taken over by yet another entrepreneur looking at turning it into a gastro pub (couldn't be anything to do with a new housing development opposite, could it?).
That'll probably spell the end of the great 'pubbishness' which this place had over the years, with things like the darts teams and skittles being banished to pastures new.
Two other local 'pubby' pubs have already disappeared from Mr. Average in this area:- The Bird in Hand next door to The Foresters has gone as a pub altogether whilst you need to remortgage to drink at The Bee in Windlesham.
It'll be a crime IMHO if The Foresters Arms does go that way. SURELY, there is a way for these blinkered people to see that there's room for both innovative cuisine and tradition within the same building? Still what do we, the public, know?
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nice pub, clean and tidy and comfortable. The food is nothing special at all (had a Sunday lunch ) , reasobale selection of food but certainly edible.
The cask conditioned ales are excellent, well kept and a joy to the palate
I would agree about the landlord. He has real trouble smiling and does not make you feel at all welcome. The whole family were allowed in which was nice and after much hard work did eventually get a discussion out of the landlord, admittedly contained two 2 syllables . He is totally harmless and I am sure will mellow if you get in often enough (we only make it once a month)
If you are looking for great ales then this is certainly the place to come to and well worth a visit.
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Change in Landlord who has reverted the end pump to being a guest ale - and some fine choices have been made over the last couple of months.
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Nice pub, a bit old fashioned though. Very well kept ales and a good selection as well. Good atmosphere. Would recommend it to others.
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Playing darts for a couple of local teams in this area, I obviously get into more than just a few pubs including this one. If you take the sad decline of the whole industry into account then there are definitely some landlords picked from a phone directory in some of them! In this one though, granted the landlord doesn't smile a lot - but neither would I if I'd had all my teeth removed by an over-exuberant Army dentist! If some of the correspondents on this site had taken the time to really get to know the landlord, they would probably agree that his sense of humour is pronounced - although, granted, very dry! He has also worked damned hard on an extremely limited budget (!) to provide more than adequate outside smoking activities, not to mention great 'for-hire' skittle alley, outside barbecue area with its own kitchen and bar space ... and even a couple of golf driving nets! I find the staff and beers excellent ... and the darts teams all agree that his wife Jill does the best food in any of the leagues. Credit where credit is due.
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This is the best pub in Bagshot or Camberley area for real ale. Recently Timothy Taylors Landlord has been added to the regular's list which includes Hogsback TEA, Spitfire, Timothy Taylors Mild. There is also normally a guest ale on.
Food is only served at lunchtimes. During the week it is not open all day and closes from 14:30 to 17:00.
It is a proper traditional pub. Smoking area recently been built out front with more seating outside the back.
Despite previous comments made the staff are friendly enough. The landlord sometimes comes across a bit grumpy but I think that's just because he's not into smalltalk really - that should be forgiven seeing his ales are consistently well kept.
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The Foresters is a totally lost cause. Will never visit again. Hope the the Bird in Hand opens soon. A good cellar and a welcoming landlord sorely needed in Bagshot.
anonymous - 21 Jul 2007 22:55 |
I have been going the Foresters for many years and it saddens me to see all these detromental comments directly on people. I have always found it to be a very friendly local pub with everyone helping each other out?? If you have a problem with a member of staff or a problem with the price of your pint! then please, please, just talk to the member of staff concerned or at least speak to the landlord or landlady and give them the chance to refify the situation before putting it on a website for all to see, God knows what prospecting customers must think!! It's a very warm, friendly, lovely traditional pub, with good beer, good food and good staff!!
It is a pub and not a playground in which I thought only Adults attended??
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Thank you for your kind words Anonymous, I am "the idiot" behind the bar.
Firstly i would refute your allegation that I said someone who has 3 drinks has a drink problem, or that people who want change for a fruit machine have a gambeling addiction. Neither of these are a view I hold or would express, as I would hope many of the customers of the pub would vouch.
Secondly, if I had said something to which you have taken offence, then instead of posting an anonymous personal attack on here, you should have raised it with me, and I could have apologised, or with the landlord, who could have taken appropriate action.
Finally, if i have offended you, then don't bouycott the pub, come in, introduce yourself, and we can discuss this properly, rather than over the internet. I am in Sunday 25th June for the popular quiz, Monday 26th June for the darts night, Thursday 29th June for the charity night where you and your friends would be more than welcome to come and add your support, and friday 30th.
Nick
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Well what a real shame, although I have not been into this lovely pub for a few months now, myself a couple of guests ( to whom I had sung the praises of the pub to) went for what we believed to be a nice friday night pint of good ale, BUT, on this visit we where confronted by a very rude barman, (whom I have never seen before) who on ordering a third round for the group, aked if anyone was driving!!! the answer was No as my wife was playing taxi, then he informed me that in his opinion anyone needing a third drink in one night had a drink problem.... maybe it was a joke.. but the guy does not own a sense of humour or comical skills.. I left the the bar area, feeling far from relaxed.
I returned this friday past, hoping the this barperson was not present and to offer the benefit of doubt, but alas he was there. shouting his way into conversations, and then when I requested change to play the fruit machine, I was told I had a gambling addiction!!!!!! I will not be returning to this pub, until this chap has been removed from behind the bar. What a real shame. please landlord take note!!
P.S Conversations I had with other customers, reveiled, I am not the only one with this point of view. he has singled on his own changed the atmosphere of this very nice public house, I will state the the ale was as before excellent, but served by an idiot, that should not be working in the industry
anonymous - 18 Jun 2006 20:59 |
I would also like comment on the miserable landlord, I admit you can walk to the pub, and be fronted by a sourfaced geordie, but this is part of his charm, I for one have never felt cheated, he really knows his ales, and how to care for them, as do the rest of the staff. this is a tradional pub, with a traditional landlord( yes he is toothless)with great ales, great food, and good traditional values, A place I feel happy talking football golf and even politics, while having a laugh with Mr grumpy behind the bar
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Just like to mention the fact that the landlord may give the impression of being a miserable old git but for those that choose to make dialogue in the pub will find that his outward appearance is probably due to the fact that he doesn't wear his dentures. Pubs are full of characters and he is just one of them. This is a good pub serving good beer and food and in my view is BETTER than the Bee in Windlesham where the landlord spends most of his time in the kitchen and speaks to nobody.
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How many times have I been to The Foresters and felt cheated? Must be 20 or 30, and I only return because it's the best beer within a walk of Bagshot. Would much prefer The Bee at Windlesham though. The landlord's a picture of misery, yet he puts on one of the best summer floral dispalys in the county. Why is he so miserable? The pub always seems to be closed when I'm passing! Food... what food? it has rarely been available when I visited. The bar area is very small and it can get very smoky. But there you are... the landlord enjoys his fags. What will they do when the new law arrives? If they ban smoking - Great, we might get a pleasant landlord! If they ban food - So what? I never got any anyway. The Foresters: a complete lost opportunity to make a "not bad" pub great.
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small cosy real ale pub, always has at least five on, even sells timothy taylor mild......how rare is that, they've got a skittle ally at the back and makes a lovely bit of grub!
john keary - 1 May 2003 11:46 |
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