please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Since Ted Saunders bought this pub, it's gone from strength to strength, and his best move by far was installing his son Mark as Manager. He's really turned the place around, and it's now exactly how a local country pub should be. Warm, friendly, inviting
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All these comments are years old and should be removed. The staff are all very friendly they cater for all ages and you are made to feel very welcome. It has great food and a large garden full of play equipment for children to enjoy. They have regular events and live music. They also have a marquee hired for wedding and partys . Lovely village local pub serving fresh homemade food - worth a visit.
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I visited this pub on Saturday 12th December with my parents as it was their anniversary. We did try 3 other places first but all were fully booked and the Fox and Duck had a table (this should have given us our first warning)! We were greeted by a friendly waitress and showed to a table and we then chose our food. We chose 'Crispy potato skins with crispy bacon, melted cheese and sour cream dip'. Well, when it came they were huge 'potato wedges', NOT 'potato skins' and they were dry and hard and undercooked. There was nothing crispy about the potatoes or bacon! We ate what we could and then realised we didn't even get our dip! Not off to a good start. I asked the waitress why we had been given 'wedges' when the menu clearly states 'potato skins' and she just said 'that's how they do them'!! How about dishing up what it actually says on the menu! We then ordered duck with soy and ginger sauce. We had a choice between salad and veg - we all chose veg with hand cut chips. The duck came and all dishes had about a third of a plate of salad on it! I said we didnt' order salad, we ordered veg and she said 'that comes seperate, the salad is a garnish'!!!!! Now who wants cold salad with hot duck when you have specifically chosen hot veg?!!! NO - NO-ONE!!! She took it away and took off the salad! There was no sauce to speak of, maybe a half pence size dot on the plate! After about 5-10 mins the waitress came out with sauce boats! Well we had eaten half the duck by then!!! Also, the hand cut chips were dry and luke warm, not hot and crispy and golden like you would hope for! The veg - well this left a lot to be desired! This consisted of Cauliflower, carrots and sprouts! Not an ideal choice with Duck! I would have liked to see maybe something like green beans, baby sweetcorn or mangetout or something more fitting. The sprouts were frozen and hard as bullets. The cauliflower like mush, the carrots were ok! We did have a pud as we were still quite hungry from not eating much, the puds were ok but it was definitely tinned Ambrosia custard! The waitress was clearly embarrased and apologised to us when paying but not offering us some money off. I would not return even if they offered a free meal, it was awful. I could have done 100% better than their 'supposed chef'!! It's a shame as with a bit of common sense and customer service, it could be really good! Someone was complaining as we were waiting to be seated - we should have walked away then! We will not be returning and will definitely not recommend this pub!
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this pub seems to have very erratic opening hours closing early opening late the older lady behind the bar need to learn some customer skills and how to smile and deal with customers the rest of the staff seem friendly pubs need to make people feel welcome
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Prime example of why pubs are closing at the rate 0f 73 a week in England
This could be a great pub. Nice ambience, great staff, but so erratic with it's opening hours?
Went there a couple of weeks ago, at about 1830, and it was closed. Don't know what time it eventually opened, but it was when I went back at around 1930
Today, Monday 14th September, arrived there at 1120.Sign on door saying that the hours would now be 1130 till 1500. OK, fair enough. Went to the shops, came back at 1138. Still closed. Went for a drink elsewhere, came back at 1158. Still closed
I've often gone to pop in of an evening, to find it closed. The problem with this sort of attitude, is that people start to think " Shall we go to the Fox and Duck for a drink?" " No point; you never know if it's going to be open or not. Let's go somewhere that we know will definitely be open"
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Under the previous owner this was an establishment pretty much despised by a lot of local residents. The landlord would often have music played outdoors into the early hours, undercut the scouts/school fund raising for fireworks and I have heard several parents talk of him shouting at children playing in the beer garden. We therefore never went and avoided like the plague. However, we heard it had changed hands, the rumour being the landlord had done a runner, and therefore went and tried it. The gardens need some attention but the interior has been done up to a reasonable standard, the food was very good but most importantly the service was truly excellent. Nothing was no much trouble and they made us feel welcome, great attention was given to the kids and they were all clearly aware of the previous management problems and went to great efforts to ensure there was a clear distinction that things had changed. I really hope they succeed and will certainly go back.
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My husband and I popped in to the Fox & Duck last night for the first time since its re-opening. What used to be a busy, friendly pub with lovely food, has now turned into a bland �pseudo wine bar/restaurant�.
We sat at the bar and watched in amazement as several very unhappy people walked out of the restaurant, including one couple who were complaining about their meal, and refusing to pay for it as it was so bad. Another couple approached the bar for food only to be told by the barmaid that the manager had just closed the kitchen � at 8.30pm!
There has obviously been money spent on repainting the pub and making it look nice, but something was definitely lacking � atmosphere and friendly bar staff!
However the pub has only been open for 6 days so they could just be experiencing teething problems. The next few months are going to be very interesting�
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The Fox and Duck has just re-opened under new management, and I visited the pub on Friday with a group of friends.
The pub has had a good lick of paint inside and out, comfortable new furniture, and the staff were friendly and welcoming.
Although we didn't eat in the restaurant, smells from the kitchen were very pleasant, and diners seemed to be very much enjoying their meals.
I'd recommend the Fox and Duck, and with the new tenants all the very best.
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Sadly The Fox and Duck closed in November last year. My husband and I used the pub for nearly a year before it closed and we were always made to feel very welcome by the landlord and landlady. The beer was kept well and the food was delicious and reasonably priced.
I have to ask... why wait some 3 months after the pub has closed to submit a post??
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The Fox and Duck in Stotfold has to win my award of 'Rudest Landlord and Staff'.
What an appalling establishment. My wife had the 'cheek' to complain about her cheesecake that was still semi-frozen and had actually started to go off (you know - that fizzy taste!) The chef/landlady stated that nobody else had complained about it that day, so there was nothing wrong with it and we had to pay for it (even though my wife only ate one forkful before she started retching)
When we left, we received a torrent of abuse from the landlord who was hiding in the corner.
Last I heard, the Fox and Duck had closed down.
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Very disappointing that the owner has undercut local children's charities for firework evening and put himself as competition to the local scouts. As a "family" orienated pub this is a bad show and many of our Stotfold families are now boycotting the pub in protest. You can't claim to be at the heart of the community and then undercut scouts, schools and children's groups.
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Superb pub in a quiet area of stotfold, has a large beer garden, its also lovely inside the pub, it also holds regular BBQ's on fridays, definatly come back here again
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Very impressed with this pub, in a gorgeousd location, and we have 3 children of various ages and all were kept very entertained by the range of activities there for them. (Crazy golf, quad biking, 3 bouncy castles and a play area.) Also a jazz band for the adults. Staff and customers were very friendly and accomodating, lovely beer garden. Have yet to try food but looked appetising and prices were reasonable. Going back this weekend.
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Attended this Pub on a Sunday, food was excellent, puddings were free (for this month) excellent atomsphere. Looks like new owners once more. Had some good ales including Old Speckled Hen, shame I was driving. Had three bouncy castles, large garden and playground. All the ropes and back of the bouncy castles were fenched off, good to see a landlord thinking about health and safety for a change. Will be back.
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new owners new menu warm welcome good beer. enough said
martin - 11 Jun 2004 15:20 |
changed hands now, food is excellent would definatley reccomend this pub. very friendly
tim - 13 May 2004 13:14 |
Going to change hands soon with the people from the Musgrave Arms Shillington -- should be a vast improvement in both beer and food!!
Paul - 22 Feb 2004 17:26 |
definately gone down hill in the last few years lost all its character after refit not the same lovely warm local pub it used to be!!!!
Anthony - 23 Dec 2003 10:42 |
Not a very good pub these days, more of an eating house.
Richard - 8 Oct 2003 12:14 |
to be honest i'm only recomending this pub because the manageress is a fox. the pubs quite nice as well tho
john - 8 Aug 2003 17:52 |
