High Rocks, Tunbridge Wellsback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Having spent last evening at the firms Christmas "do" at the High Rocks I am not only disappointed but also very embaressed as it was me that booked the venue. The service was so slow it was beyond a joke, when the food arrived we all asked if this was just a taster, as the portion size would have suited a child more than an adult. The desert was tiny to say the least and how they manage to cut cheese into such small pieces is beyond me. One of our party didn't even get his main meal until half of us had actually finished ours - we complained but no one took any notice. Next year = anywhere except the High Rocks. Merry Christmas
|
Having visited in September and seen comments from both extremes of the spectrum I will just say that this place could be so much better. Must try harder
|
We arrived at this pub from the adjacent Spa Valley Railway station. At first glance, a gently sloping lawn leading up from the platofrm to the pub seemed inviting.
However, that is the only positive thing about the place.
As someone has already commented, a completer tourist trap with dreadful, dreadful staff and service.
It does not deserve to stay in business under the current management.
This has to be the worst pub I have had the misfotune to visit, ever:
1.creepy, cold, downright weird bar staff;
2.a dreadful menu straight out of the 1970s;
3.the food that we had was mediochre, bland, lifeless;
4.badly kept beer;
5.dreadful service.
The station platform is private, so the gate from the pub to it is locked and only opened by the guard of the train...so adding to the feeling of incarceration.
If you are travelling on the Spa Valley Railway, get out at Groombridge for lunch!
|
I just returned from a visit to the High Rocks and decided to go on the internet to see what people have said about it. I saw it on a wedding site and decided to pop round unannounced to look at the place with my fiancee. We didn't want them to expect us and perhaps put on a show. I have to say I am surprised by what I have read above as it completely goes against the experience I had. Despite being extremely busy hosting what seemed to be three weddings, the clearly very busy manager made the effort to show me around and discuss the possibility of hosting our wedding. We felt quite guilty not having made an appointment but he put us at ease and made us coffee. The venue itself was great. Nothing we have looked at before compares with it. After our tour, he suggested having a meal in the pub and a look around the Rocks themselves. So we went to the pub and had a very nice and I believe reasonably well priced food served by friendly staff who all seem to be great characters making the place even more unique and interesting. I think they are mostly Italian and clearly hard working. My one criticism would be that the pub itself is quite small and as it was raining we couldn't sit outside on the very large patio. Anyway, we then went over to the Rocks monument which was very interesting also. To be fair, I don't think charging people to go round the Rocks is unreasonable at all. I am in insurance and know that as it is privately owned, the premium would be very high for something that potentially hazardous. They were doing quite a lot of gardening work there as well, and that can't be cheap. I overheard some people saying they had snuck in without paying which is pretty bad considering its privately owned and if they so desired, the owners could shut it off completely. Anyway, so we have put a deposit down for our wedding next year and look forward to returning!
|
complete tourist trap...the ryan air of the pub world that wants to charge you for every add on...walk through these gardens buy this ticket, climb here that ticket, cash back to spend in my pub sir? that would be a pound for 50 back or 2 pounds for over 50 pounds back...beautiful gardens with no one there, says it all...bar staff could not give a toss, though to be fair the man on reception kept us laughing whilst waiting for the taxi they insisted we use, even though wanting to use the company that brought there... waited one hour for that, though being told it will be only ten minutes...beer was good...try the camden arms at Pembury instead if you want an afternoon in a beer garden
|
From the outside this place looks great. Ivy, thatch.
That's the positives covered.
The bar staff have between them, only the very thinnest notion of how to be polite, and complicated orders like 2 pints of beer and a coke, could easily bring out the worst in them.
It was warm sunny day when we dropped in, and perhaps we should have known better when there were plenty of seats available outside.
But if dangling on ropes and climbing on the famous High Rocks opposite doesn't get you adrenaline running, why not order some food here?
We ordered burgers that described themselves on the 'grubby' menu as well done, that we were neither well done, nor in fact fully cooked, was therefore a little disappointing.
Infact were they any closer to being uncooked, they could have probably made a dash for freedom themselves. We would have been tempted to join them, whad we not just paid through the nose.
A request to stem the bleeding by applying a little more heat, was met by another grunt and at a best guess 20 seconds in a microwave.
For whilst great efforts are made to make the place look nice, even to the extent of dressing the 'waiter' in a special waistcoat, what's the point if you can't deliver even the most basic of service.
It seems such a shame that given the location, the wonderful building and a captive audience that opportunity to make a great pub is so utterly wasted.
|
Arrived at the pub on the August bank holiday, late afternoon after travelling on the Spa Valley Railway. The pub was fairly empty with just a couple of people sitting in the garden. We asked if we could take a dog inside which we couldn't do - fair enough, many pubs don't allow dogs indoors. When we sat outside, we were asked by the waiter to move further into the garden in case our soppy pointer who was now sleeping under the table "scared people". We moved, back to the railway station. Dont bother going if you've got a dog.
|
The High Rocks is a mix of pub, restaurant and Banqueting complex and is the hub of this local, and not widely known, beauty spot that comprises a scenic area of sandstone outcrops (very popular with climbers), woodland walks and the Spa Valley steam railway station. The extensively expanded main building is hidden under a mass of Ivy with the main entrance at road level leading to the reception and lounge area. The bar (which is what we are interested in on this site) is downstairs. Given that the area can attract large numbers of people, it is surprising that the bar is actually quite small in context of the building itself and, perhaps not so surprisingly, much of it is designated for diners. The style is mock Tudor with a central brick bar and rustic feel and whilst drinkers will feel less accommodated for than the diners, most people would only tend to come here during good weather so the huge beer garden more than compensates for the lack of space inside. 2 Ales � Flowers and Pride (albeit only the Flowers was available on my visit but good quality). Prices are high, especially the food so if you are planning to make a Sunday Lunch out of it, you will need to come with a bulging wallet. The large patio area and expansive lawns are spacious, well kept, extremely attractive and with the steam trains pulling up alongside, it all makes quite an idyllic afternoon after a stroll through the Rocks themselves (tickets are available at the bar). Service was pretty good and one of the waiters is quite a character. Whilst the bar / restaurant is family friendly, the Rocks themselves can be a very exciting but dangerous place for kids so care should be taken if planning take a walk over them.
|
|
