please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
This is an Ember Inns establishment that was busy due to an event on the nearby common. As usual, it follows the identikit design of the chain's pubs. Ember Pale Ale was accompanied by London Pride, Tribute & Ghost Ship. There were plenty of families and quite a few diners. A little disappointing.
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Up until recently good but Landlady left having increased trade and beer choice dramatically. Rapid downhill travel due to recent atrocious management.
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Have been using this pub and restraurant for many years and until recently have rated it as very good. However, it has good down in recent months. The two for £10 meals are pretty meagre and not good.
Yesterday, we asked the barman to turn the music down. It was early afternoon and very few customers in. He was very obliging but the manageress told him to turn it up again although she knew we had asked otherwise.
Plus points are beer ok, although not cheap and staff alwyas friendly.
Overall, a good pub but on the slide.
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Recently called in for a pint and a bite to eat mid afternoon.
Ok pint of London Pride, would have had the forty-niner but I was driving.
Staff friendly enough, and I was offered a try before you buy sample of a real ale,
We had two good value meals for �8.
Only complaint was that they took a while to arrive, not sure why as the pub was pretty much empty.
Barman talked a load of nonsense about real ales.
All very clean.
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I have use the Woodman 2 or 3 times a month for the past 5 years,during th day and in the evening, and have never encountered anything but pleasant and helpful staff.
Range of beers is probably more than average, and kept well. I have had the occasional "end of barrel" opint but always changed willingly and without fuss.
Food and drinks are good value.
My only complaint is that sometimes the food is a bit slow in arriving.
If anyone has doubts about this pub, just look at the trade it does throughout the day and evening.
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OMG! Yes, that dark haired member of bar staff is RUDE! Sje swears, ignores staff and it's wrong to have someone like that there!
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Nice pub. Standard food and drink... Only problem is the bar staff. One girl there is terrible, dark hair, moody face. So rude and no personality at all. Looks like she's been slapped. I was there 2 weeks ago meeting a new business contact. Really should not have met here, took 35 minutes to be served. The girl swore at a collegue behind the bar (not professional in my opinion) and was so rude to me. If you don't want to be there, work somewhere else. There are plenty of 18 year olds that would do you job and do it ten times better. I think the management should look at their team and seriously consider losing the rude, arrogant ones.
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This pub is totally lacking in atmosphere, and the beers are awful. The food is like dog's food, and the staff are extremely curt! I was told about the dire condition of this place by others before I decided to pay it a visit and see for myself..I could not believe how right the adverse reports of the Woodman were! It was shocking. The food gave my friend food poisoning, and we recommend that environmental health officers pay it a visit to deal with the obvious unhygenic conditions of the kitchen and food preparation area. It might or will probably be infested by rats and other vermin. The beer was truly bad, a limited and tragic selection of drinks that by any standards (and these aren't particularly good) tasted like, one can only state "like urine"; and the staff, especially the unaesthetic bar-staff were somewhat retarded, and definately required an education in etiquette and customer service skills, which were seriously needed. I can only suggest and beg others not to go to this "dive", it is terrible, and one can only hope that this establishment operates under new management, or the alternative to spare the good folk of Ashtead, that it is closed down; either way, God spare whoever vists The Woodman.
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Large pub opposite the common in Lower Ashtead.
Spacious outside drinking area and large car park.
Comfortable seating insid and the tables are well spaced out.
Sorry to read all the bad reviews.
I used to drink regularly in here but now only the occassional visit due to slow service at the bar. (Epsom Derby day last year was horrendous).
The Real Ale is average but the food offers good value particularly on the "specials" evenings and normally the food is good. .
However, I did complain about my food last time I was in to which the waitress listened to my complaint but nothing more was said or done.
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Last reviewer can't spell or get his punctuation marks right!!
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Loads of lager,tons of Ale... but not one worth drinking.Why can't they put some nice independent local award winning ales on ,instead of bland national offerings,and its still a lengthy process getting served....nearly walked out last time I visited... I just can't waste my life away waiting for the one barman to say to the asembled queue "who's next? .....!**!
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Worst pub grub I have ever had the misfortune to endure. All four of us left our meals due to the fact it had all been passed through a fat filled incinerator. On pointing this out to the manager she simply shrugged and walked away. DO NOT EAT HERE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Pleasant and convenient for quick drink and okay burger. Staff helpful and efficient. Not a religious experience but not an unpleasant one either.
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WHS. Twenty minutes to get served by barstaff who had noticed us but were too busy sorting out the till and flirting with young women who were standing further along the bar. Nice to have handle jugs instead of straight glasses but there was no choice - not everyone likes them, we only got them because they'd run out of straight glasses.
Given jeffdaff's comments I wonder if it is in fact staff ageism. None of us are ancient but we aren't 20 either.
Unless this place sorts its act out I can't give it more than 4 out of 10.
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In here tonight on a CAMRA crawl. One of us walked out due to the slow service. 6 ales but nothing exciting, GK IPA, Abbot, Spit, Pride, Bomba and Broadside. Irritating that they had a list of Ember Inns guests which all looked good but nothing was on.
One up from a Wetherspoons basically.
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Tastefully refurbished and efficiently managed chain pub. Cheap if unexciting food is an even better deal on Tuesdays and Thursdays when they have �5.99 grill and curry promotions. They serve food daily till 9pm.
Ember Inns' blurb says they try to create an atmosphere for adult socialising - and that those seeking a "family pub" are advised to go elsewhere! It may lack genuine rustic pubby atmosphere, but at least it's a civilised oasis free of screaming hyperactive kids.
Beers: Bombadier, Greene King IPA, Spitfire.
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Big Bland Ember Inn no way to check prices , better beer and prices recently although I feel the only reason I visit is because I'm in company with sad gits who aspire to watch the young girls and remember their youth.There is an amazing phenomenon ,whereby as you approach the bar to buy a round ,the abundant staff disappear, that could be my charisma!,certainly NOT the Pubs
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Went to the Woodman this afternoon and was pleased to see that there was plenty of room and they were still serving lunches. Thought it was a bit odd that when we walked up to the bar, the two barmen walked out from behind the bar and disappeared. Asked who we thought to be the landlady if she could get someone to serve us and she gave us a mouthful about how busy she was. One of the barmen eventually reappeared and gave us another mouthful - demanding to know exactly how many seconds we'd been kept waiting. The thoroughly unecessary nastiness of the Woodman staff spoilt a perfectly satisfactory afternoon and we will never return - which is a shame as it is our local.
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This is a huge, impersonal, clinical establishment that needs some serious help from a gregarious landlord.
anonymous - 12 May 2007 23:34 |
Large mock tudor pub next to Ashtead Recreation Ground. Fine views across to Ashtead Common make it popular in summer. The various extensive alterations that this pub has suffered have robbed it of most of its character. Comfortable pub but one I never feel at home in, for much the same reasons given by other reviewers. Badly needs a visible and dynamic manager who takes an interest in his customers.
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I agree with all thats been written before.I cannot understand how chain pubs survive with such useless management and staff .There is not an easily visible price list, and its a secret as too how they charge up the rounds,just a figure is given !!
anonymous - 1 Jan 2007 17:10 |
This pub has deteriorated rapidly over the last few years. It takes hours to get served, even though there are tons of staff and no customers. One guy even refused to serve me because he was going on his break in 30 seconds! And the food is horrible - bullet peas and raw meat - lovely.
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I live a few minutes around the corner and I used to go here all the time.
I have not been here for months.
It is cold and unwelcoming and the layout is awful. If you talk to someone you don't know, they treat you like a complete stranger.
I could enjoy it with a large number of mates but then again why bother?
The landlord is a total misery and it reeks of clique.
If you are in the clique, you will adore this pub. I am not so this pub sucks 100%.
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Apart from the odd miserable bar person,especially the bald one,this is a nice,relaxing pub.The patio in the front is great for watching the world go by.
Memo to Ember Inns:Please repair your car park.
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In a place with nothing but idiots yoots and people who've made too much money this place pretty much sums the whole kaboodle up! ....Or I could be talking a load of old charlie and it's OK for a drink. Big enough to avoid wan ke rs
anonymous - 9 Dec 2005 22:23 |
Another identikit pub from Ember Inns. As soon as you come through the door, you could as well be in The Spring in Ewell or The Harrow in Cheam.
This is all very well if you just want to go down the pub, have a few drinks and catch up with a few old friends.
But if you're one of those people who go out for a drive to look for a charming old country pub for a spot of lunch, then this most certainly isn't for you.
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Ember Inns chain pub. Just been redecorated, but looked better before. It has lost its cosiness which was the best thing about it. crap summer pub, garden not very appealing and always covered in fag butts! Better inside, always clean. Staff are friendly, but landlord seems a bit weird. Interesting mix of customers young and old, quiz nights on tuesday and sunday are good fun. Food is good too.
anonymous - 15 Oct 2004 13:16 |
Friendly pub with a "crinkley" interior
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Friendly, open with good spaces. Open fires, good seating. Gardens. Meals avail. Nice relaxing atmosphere and diverse crowd.
Josephine - 29 Jul 2003 12:52 |
Friendly atmosphere. Good warm up for a late night out or a couple after work. Front & back gardens. Good crowd.
Loz - 10 Jul 2003 13:06 |
