Exeter Arms, Rutlandback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Made a return visit to the Exeter Arms on Sunday and found it open. The landlord was discussing trade with a visitor and apparently they are gradually getting more and more business. It's good to see a village pub thriving and this one seemingly without focusing quite so much on diners. The 3 real ales do not appear to change. They are Grainstore Rutland Bitter, Oakham JHB & Greene King Abbot.
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The Exeter Arms was my first stop of the day yesterday in Rutland. It's an imposing building overlooking the centre of the village. But sadly I never got to go inside. It appears to have closed within the last month or so. I waited patiently for it to open its doors, as there was no evidence that it was closed. Tried calling and got an unobtainable tone (never a good sign) and then finally noticed a review on tripadvisor stating it was closed. I moved onto the Blue Bell at Belmesthorpe instead (not listed on here but definitely open).
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A great pub! We stayed nearby, and had dinner here on the Saturday night. Very reasonable pub food politely and efficiently served. Microbrewery beer was a hit with the beer drinkers, and overall we had a great time. Must have changed hands since the 2009 review.
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We enjoyed a lovely evening at the Exeter Arms. The food was tasty and good value. I had a few pints of the micro brewery produced Hopgear which was also good. Nice atmosphere, comfortable pub, friendly and helpful staff. It's just a shame I don't live near by.
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Well, I've checked the postcode and website and this just has to be the Exeter Arms that we went to with my cousin and his wife at the weekend. If so, then it sure has changed since anonymous wrote his highly critical review in 2009. It has a proper restaurant - it's not just a pub that does food - but it seems to have kept it character as a village local in a beautiful part of the country. No music, at least none that intruded on a very pleasant meal well served. Maybe Anon hit an off day or there has been a change of management but this place seemed deservedly popular.
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One of the most disappointing and frustrating pub experiences I've ever had - purely due to the obnoxious landlord's utter disregard for his customers.
The tragedy is that in purely physical terms, this is a stunning old pub - great location on a tranquil village green, good food and a decent selection of local ales. But....and it's a big but...the attitude of the manager (a view echoed by quite a few people) is unbelievable.
I recently went with my Dad for an evening meal. We live locally, and eat at lots of local pubs / restaurants - many of which are excellent. It was a Tuesday evening, and there was one other couple in the restaurant, with nobody in the bar. We ordered and chatted, the food was delivered, and all seemed well. The steak and ale pie was excellent.
However, we were increasingly distracted by the music playing through the pub's speakers. It was a radio station, and on pretty loudly - totally disproportionate to the number of (near silent) customers.
The programme changed to a prog/rock type show, featuring lots of heavy, screeching guitars. This went on...and on... I overheard the middle-aged lady complaining to her husband behind us, and I too was getting annoyed (I'm 36 incidentally - so not 'stuffy' by any stretch).
So I went over to the bar, very politely, and asked if it could be turned down, or the station changed. As I asked, the owner, lounging at the bar reading his paper, started to shake his head. "No," came his deadpan reply, "I happen to like Radio 2" - and he went back to his paper. "Well none of your paying customers do..." I retorted, but to no effect. Furious, we ate quickly, and left.
What an insufferable man. My neighbour has had a similarly rude exchange with him, and refuses to go anywhere near the place. I understand, having asked around, that many others share this view.
If the owner reads this, I sincerely hope you go out of business - you deserve it. You have no concept of customer service, preferring instead to indulge your own whims at the expense of paying customers.
anonymous - 9 Aug 2009 15:23 |
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