Kings Arms, Sandford on Thamesback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Part of a chain, there is a resemblance to the Plough in Clifton Hampden ten miles or so downstream and around the corner from the comically Partridgesque Four Pillars Hotel, this ain't nowt special but was saved somewhat by a special pre-Christmas 'game menu' - no, not Djenga and Backgammon, more pheasant and rabbit. Wastes a prime location though.
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One day, the sun decided to come out, and as I'd been to The Kings Arms before for dinner and drinks on a normal weather day, I thought it would be a lovely place to go on a beautiful sunny day as they have an outdoor seating area right next to the river. How wrong I was!
Ok so, as expected, the outdoor area was completely full - I can't argue with that. There was still grass areas where you could sit on the ground so me and my boyfriend decided to get a drink and sit on the grass. As we went to get a drink, we joined a queue which was going from the bar, to OUTSIDE the pub! So, all in all, we had to wait 15-20 minutes, just to get a drink. Surely the owner of any pub knows that when the nice weather comes up, the amount of customers will increase?! Then, we had our drinks and thought it was about time we ordered some food. Again, BACK in the queue. After another 20 minutes waiting in the queue, we got to the front to order food (bear in mind that it's usually waiter service, but I'll let them off as it was a busy day), they said that it'll be an hour and a half wait! Ridiculous!
Also, would like to note that while having drinks, we noticed a lot of the other people around us getting very angry as they hadn't received their food yet.
So basically, it's a really nice place, but they obviously can't handle busy days very well at all. I'll stick to going there on a rainy day when I know I'll get good service!
kav87 - 24 May 2012 11:45 |
Busy Chef and Brewer pub in great riverside location.
Clearly it's going to get packed on a busy day, and when our party of eight arrived at noon on a sunny Sunday the staff seemed fully prepared, with both indoor and outdoor bars up and running.
Our meals arrived without delay and everyone was well satisfied. Can thoroughly recommend the excellent meze sharing plate for two. Doom Bar was the guest ale.
This makes a good lunch stop on the Thames Path walk from Oxford to Abingdon.
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I took my mother, who has dementia here recently on a Sunday afternoon. She wanted to wait in the garden as it was such a sunny day. I was nervous about leaving her while I got the drinks, but it wasn't too busy, so, thinking I wouldn't be long I took a chance on it. Ten minutes later I was still waiting, very anxiously. The woman behind the bar was as slow as it is humanly possible to be. There was no sense of urgency, no awareness that people were being kept waiting, and no apology. When, after 10 minutes I complained, I was told that she now had to go and get the last customer his coffee and that this would take even more time (at which point the customer said that he would go back to his table and could wait for the coffee). I complained about the slow service and asked to see the manager and she said she was the manager. I said "so you are responsible for the staff scheduling" and she said "I wasn't to know it would be a sunny day - do you want me to serve you or shall I go and get his coffee". I said (admittedly somewhat impatiently) "just serve me - please". At this point she decided I was being rude and refused to serve me. Wild horses wouldn't drag me back there. (Fortunately Mum was fine). Angela
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I took my mother, who has dementia here recently on a Sunday afternoon. She wanted to wait in the garden as it was such a sunny day. I was nervous about leaving her while I got the drinks, but it wasn't too busy, so, thinking I wouldn't be long I took a chance on it. Ten minutes later I was still waiting, very anxiously. The woman behind the bar was as slow as it is humanly possible to be. There was no sense of urgency, no awareness that people were being kept waiting, and no apology. When, after 10 minutes I complained, I was told that she now had to go and get the last customer his coffee and that this would take even more time (at which point the customer said that he would go back to his table and could wait for the coffee). I complained about the slow service and asked to see the manager and she said she was the manager. I said "so you are responsible for the staff scheduling" and she said "I wasn't to know it would be a sunny day - do you want me to serve you or shall I go and get his coffee". I said (admittedly somewhat impatiently) "just serve me - please". At this point she decided I was being rude and refused to serve me. Wild horses wouldn't drag me back there. (Fortunately Mum was fine). Angela
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Went in on a Sat night a few weeks back. Not made at all welcome.
At least 3 beers were not available and service was slack.
Prices also outrageous.
Worth avoiding.
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Perfectly located on the river by Sandford lock, the Kings Arms is unbeatable on a summer's afternoon. OK so it's a Chef and Brewer, so the food is mass produced, the interior much knocked about and the service dreadful on a sunny Sunday lunchtime when half the world turns up but you don't go there for that. Just sit with a pint or two - it's Youngs and Wells related beers in good condition - and watch the boats going in and out of the lock, the ducks and swans scrambling after crumbs thrown by the kids and the gorgeous views over the meadows.
Well worth a trip out.
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