please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Reached by narrow country lanes that were almost impassable due to floodwater, this is a fairly remote (for Hertfordshire) rural pub that has lots of character and lots of history. We managed to grab a space on the small and tight car park. Our hopes of having a meal here were dashed by the fact that the dining room was about to be used for some kind of talk. Most of the patrons were clearly there for the talk. The bar area comprises two separate small rooms. It was packed and a real struggle to get served. The ale range was Tring Brocket, Wychwood Hobgoblin, Greene King IPA & Abbot, Cotleigh Night Owl & Ascot Ghost Horse. I opted for the Ghost Horse, which was quite pleasant. It was standing room only. So we were forced to spend our time in the corridor at the rear where local jams and chutneys were for sale. Despite it being packed, I quite liked this pub.
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This place used to be a bit run down, which was a shame, given it's picturesque location and illustrious history. Thankfully it has improved massively of late which I can only put down to the change of landlord - who cares what he wears to work.
Great selection of beer, 6 handpumps inc. the house beer from Nethergate, usually one from Tring and another from the nearby 3 Brewers in St. Albans. Had a Beer festival in the large garden last summer - lots to choose from.
Haven't eaten there but food looks good. Nice open fire too, which was just the ticket on my last visit.
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Always has been a wonderful pub. Had Sunday lunch there some time ago and the only starters on offer we're light bar meals! Bizarre, and not impressive. The beer is good. The new landlord seems friendly although he dresses as though he is working in a South London bar - hoodie, jeans and trainers. Not appropriate and nothing like his customers. You would think he would realise that.
Still, the pub hasn't been ruined after its makeover and that's something nowadays
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I classify this as a summer pub and the other evening we visited with some friends. Fortunately the rain had stopped and we were able to enjoy the garden before it got too chilly. The beers were in excellent condition. Having seen an excellent first-rate of the restaurant in a local rag we decided to check the menu. The food offered was definitely not gastro just very expensive! No wonder the restaurant was quiet.
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New landlord/owner now in place who are friendly and beer is reasonable.
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Expensive but worth the money - this is one of my summer pubs... Has never let me down yet - regulars can be a bit off putting, but most of the staff will break from them to serve you. I like it here!
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Greene King XX Mild available yesterday, not often seen elsewhere in the area. Large garden, pleasant in the sun.
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Bar food is poor value (small panini with french fry garnish - �7.95) and service is very slow. Excellent beers.
Ale77 - 20 Mar 2011 18:12 |
This has developed into an excellent pub, with a reasonable range of well kept beers, in a wonderful location. When it re-opened after refurbishment I did have my doubts, but things seem to have settled down.
Not the easyest place to get to, but well worth the effort.
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Beautiful old building and grounds with an interior that would gladden the heart of any pub lover. Such a shame that the staff don't make an effort at efficiency and friendliness to others outside the immediate circle of their cronies. If it were not for the character of building, these people would desevedly be out of business.
Beer selection tends to be mid-strength, mid brown with the most consistent being "Brocket Bitter" - Nethergate to you.
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Avoid...
Popped over from St Albans for an afternoon beer and wished we hadn't bothered. On entering we were confronted with a relatively quiet bar with 5 or 6 regulars gathered round. The barmaid didn't even acknowledge us as we waited to be served and carried on nattering to the locals. We couldn't get near the bar as they were crowding it. While waiting one of them ordered a beer to which she duly poured, still ignoring us. Another couple of locals rolled in the door and she swiftly moved on to serve them next. Feeling most unwelcome we headed for the exit and took our business elsewhere.
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Nice old pub. Brocket Bitter very good too. Very enjoyable.
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A belting pub this. Beautiful old buildng in a lovely setting with a large garden at the rear. Great range of beers. Staff all very friendly. The food, given the prices, is much better than average. The restaurant can be a bit souless when it is quiet but a larger crowd of diners can make it come alive quickly. Is a lot busier generally in the summer months and on the folk night (which I think is the first Tuesday of each month but I may be wrong). The big open fires in the winter are fantastic.
A quick word about the accommodation as well - lovely, well appointed, clean rooms - great value for money.
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Bicycled here last Saturday and enjoyed several jars of the Brocket Bitter in the sweltering garden and a natter with the delightful Becky. Still a wonderfully atmospheric old edifice (the pub, not Becky...).
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Lovely location. Friendly Staff. Good Beer.
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We love this pub. Very friendly staff and the food is 200% better than before. Super to have someone else cooking the BBQ for sunny weekend lunches.
It's very sad to read some of the negative comments.
The restaurant is booked out on the last few Friday and Saturday nights we have tried - even Thursday was full. So there are obviously plenty of people, like us, who really enjoy the change.
Keep up the good work.
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Went back last night for the first time since the refurb.
Decided to cycle from Welwyn Garden City fro a spot of supper and a few beers
Arrived at 7.20 and was told that the bar food finished at 7 but I could have the restaurant menu at �17 for two courses.
Bit pricey when all I wanted was a ploughman's or a scampi and chips so asked if they could ask the kitchen what they could do.
First bartender simply said no but at least the second asked but alas he was told that as they only had two chefs this was not possible
I obviously understood the pressure of a busy restaurant as it must be difficult to prep and serve the 6 people that were in there
Was going to have a nice evening and in fact did but not at this Pub
I would avoid unless all you want is a beer served by a surly teenager
I give the pub 12 months
Such a shame but at least the White Horse in Welwyn still cares about its customers
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went here yesterday (Sunday 14th) lunchtime and there was no food on. Lots of disappointed punters. The Brocket Beer, however, was excellent, as was the sunny beer garden and the place looked all spick and span
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Went for lunch on second day after reopening. Landlord & lady much in evidence but made no attempt to interact with customers. Brocket Beer excellent lunchtime pint - had two - not driving. Wild Boar sausages and chips was very tasty but 3 small sausages and 6 chips for �8 was expensive and hardly a main course.
First impression was that the new management is no more interested in what their customer think than the old one was. Terribly disappointing.
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Paid our first visit since the refurb yesterday afternoon.. Nice to see the place looking so clean and polished. Both the beer (Old Speckled Hen) and the service were excellent. Prices seemed reasonable (�4.50 for pint of hen and half of Becks).
Slight fly in the ointment was the BBQ. I felt that �4.00 for a couple of small sausages, a slice of bread and a little bit of garnish was a tad expensive.
Hopefully, this will be a welcome addition to the list of venues
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Recent refurbishment, place looks great. Lovely old building, even somewhere to hitch your horse! Very tranquil garden
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the pub is expensive but I guess a place like that takes alot of upkeep. lovely building and location, service not the best
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This pub is now closed with a sign outside saying that 'they look forward to welcoming you back shortly'. Builders signs suggest refurb is about to be undertaken
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Heard that Toby is leaving the Brocket. Will be interesting to see if anything changes...
SA162 - 21 Oct 2008 21:13 |
Lovely old pub but it is a lottery in terms of:
will there be a pint of something interesting and in good condition?
will the (usually solitary) duty member of staff be aware of the difference between arse and elbow?
will it care?
will the place be busy? (in which case you will get a pint more quickly in the Cross Keys (including journey time)).
Don't know why I revisit, but.....
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As with previous review, the service leaves a lot to be desired, as does the beer. This place has a lot of potential, shame the current owners don't seem to appreciate. 8 out of 10 for venue and 4 out of service/drinks.
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Someone left a comment that this pub hadn't changed in 40 years - how right they are. What it's got are 1960s standards of service, atmosphere, welcome and cobwebs that date back that far. We visited yesterday evening - the welcome was offhand to say the least: the landlord pointedly ignored me to continue his chat and a barmaid finally served my drinks with poor grace. Whilst we waited for 7.30 to come round before we could order, let alone be served, food we had the opportunity of inspecting the ancient cobwebs and layers of dust adjacent to our table as well hearing the delights of the locals' views on the pros and cons of wildebeest meat. Frankly wild boar (or bore) would have been a more apt topic. We left before ordering food so can't comment on the quality or lack of it. The beer was excellent - hence my rating of 3. On the way out we met another disenchanted customer who'd left after being charged �7.50 for a gin and topic complete with the slops from the ice bucket. We'll never go back.
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we went to this pub in the midddle of winter hoping for a cosy drink after a brisk walk in the cold air, only to find that all the windows were wide open and it was freezing cold. and a gale force wind was blowing through the pub.
when asked why they were open the barman said that the open fire caused too much smoke.
get Dick Van Dyke on the case.
It used to be a great pub before it turned in to a restaurant.
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Just returned from a trip out for lunch to the Brocket Arms and would like to take the opportunity to warn others who like us may arrive with expectations of an enjoyable meal. The kind of poor food and dreadful service that Britain was once famous for is thriving at the Brocket Arms. How do they get away with it? It�s a shame as the building and location are wonderful. Waited over an hour for our meals, only for 2 small plates of bland tepid food to arrive with not even a hint of an apology, a very badly run pub. Don�t expect the welcome to be warm here, let alone the food.
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This pub hasn't changed appreciably in at least the last 40 years. It's full of character and quite delightful, especially in winter with it's lovely log fires. For real ale lovers the Abbot and IPA are always reliable, but you'll be spoilt for choice with interesting guest beers too.
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There is so very much of historical and cultural interest in the village, and not just because of G.B. Shaw and the
simply wonderful living, and historic pub that the village has. The five or more cask ales are always in superb condition, and the pub is a great destination for the walker and travelling tourist in many practical and social ways (meals, accommodation, enlightening conversation, etc.)
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A wonderful pub and definitely unique. Excellent beers. 14th Century building. Difficult to find (check the website). Extremely friendly crowd.
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This is the only pub which you serve yourself in the absence of the landlord and put your money on the side. An open fire and old english feel, surely the best place to spend long winter nights.
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I love Tobes, he is great.
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One of the best pubs in Hertfordshire. Set in the middle of the Ayots, between Welwyn, St Albans and Codicote. Beautiful walking country and a beautiful, very old pub with a huge inglenook fireplace. Tobius, the landlord, is some kind of aristocrat - eccentric though very refined and gentlemanly. Dogs are welcome as are gentlemen with large cigars, plumbers, builders and people from all walks of life. The service is extremely variable, depending upon the presence and inebriation of the landlord. A gem, and my favourite pub.
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