Jolly Farmers, Betchworthback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Now - The Pheasant at Buckland
With large parking areas - on A25
Food is the priority; it's more of a restaurant
|
Now called The Pheasant, it is a large pub on the A25 with a large lounge and an even larger restaurant with the bar in the middle. A good selection of 6 real ales and no Doombar in sight! It is very comfortably laid out and even though it is very much a foodie pub, there is plenty of room for those that just want a quiet drink. It has an equally large patio area which must be very pleasant in the summer.
|
Comfortable and pleasant, with lots of choices for food and beer. I went on a Tuesday evening, and I think that staff outnumbered customers. There were six hand pumps on, but not enough drinkers to empty that many barrels before they get past their best. Maybe better to go at the weekend? Some unusual bottled beers, so that was my second drink.
Best thing: there were several Etch-a-Sketches to borrow. Marvellous.
|
This pub's new name was posted on here, 7 months ago!
Business is good - as evidenced by the full/enlarged car park.
Service can be slowish, due to customer numbers sometimes.
However food and beer quality are good.
|
Renamed The Pheasant about 18 months ago after being added to the Brunning and Price group. Impressively revamped and upgraded to a pub/restaurant with about half dozen ales on pump at the bar including Surrey Hills Shere Drop. Good range of food on the menu and cooked well so a few notches above standard pub grub therefore that bit more expensive. Couldn't fault the service. Very popular, so need to book at week-ends. Well worth a visit.
|
More phoenix-like than pheasant, this pub, which we all worried may be destined for chain pub 'by-numbers' management under Brunning & Price, has really risen from the ashes of its previous incarnation, and although is plainly pitched at a similar market as the Jolly Farmers was, it endeavours to go a little wider than that. It does so not just through its provision of excellent local and well-cooked food, which competes at restaurant level, but also of a range of high-quality drinks to suit a variety of tastes, including a renewed cask beer offer of up to six options (locales and further-afield, although tending so far towards the more recognisable brands). So far, so good for the bar-propper as well as the table-booker.
In addition to ensuring a good-quality beverage and victuals offer is laid out for the predominantly-affluent and gastro-savvy local clientele, the decor, which was not exactly dowdy under the previous regime, has been considerably-overhauled and is something of a triumph. It matches the exterior of the building, which hasn't been so altered, and really fits the kind of hostelry one would expect The Pheasant to be upon first glance, assuming one has not read a review such as this of course. Its atmosphere is a little more rarefied than before and I think cosier, but then this is more of a serious pub-cum-diner than under Paula & Jon; the deli-ish element is no longer to the fore.
I shall reserve any further judgement until I've visited more comprehensively, and it is still very early days for the new regime.
But I'm confident in saying that while this clearly won't be to everyone's taste, or for every occasion, you must come and find out for yourself as the chances of leaving seriously disappointed seem quite slender as things stand today.
|
Open - and if the full/new car park is anything to go by - doing extremely well.
|
Massive amount of work being done on this pub - including gardens and car park.
Now opening on 10th December.
|
'The Pheasant at Buckland' will open next month - owned and run by a couple of local chaps.
|
Soon to be reopened - as 'The Pheasant at Buckland'
|
Old Gam is reviewing closed pubs again - and dreaming.
|
.... And very suddenly witihout warning, though we're now advised a Cheshire-based pubco has taken this (and its sister operation the Fox Revived at Norwood Hill) on and that both should be reopening following 'refurbishment'. Quite what either establishment needs given both received relatively recent makeovers in a fresh and contemporary style I don't know - stamping their 'brand' all over them I daresay. Judgement should be reserved for now of course, but they've a hard act to follow with these two pubs, which benefited from being a family-run local affair and one wonders whether a large remote company is best-suited.
For all their good work in the last decade building the pubs up, I thought it a shame that the previous incumbents sneaked off so sheepishly at the last minute. I assume they were given an offer they couldn't refuse - or perhaps this was their exit strategy all along?
|
Closed.
|
Took mum and dad there yesterday and loved it. Great food, smashing service and a decent pint. May look a little modern or Gastro Pubby, but you'll find that the good old fashioned customer service that you expect from a pub is still clearly important to the owners. Nice to see seasonal ingredients being used prominently on the menu. One small issue was the gents loos being upstairs, at least it was for dad who has the weakest bladder known to man. Will be back soon - with dad kept away from the real ale!
|
Food nothing to shout about and full of pompous company directors hitting the firm's credit card. Would not come here again.
|
Fell in love with this pub yesterday � great food and a built-in deli to top my trip off. Strong commitment to supporting local suppliers and staff very knowledgable as to where the food om my plate had come from � infact I asked if I could steal a menu it was that good (well, I guess that's not actually stealing as they said yes). Love it, love it, love it
|
I ate here on Monday and regularly come to this establishment and can only say that the food is utterly superb, in fact The Jolly Farmer pub serves the best locally sourced food between Reigate and Heathrow. Yes, I reside in Heathrow and travel a 40 mile round trip to enjoy ambient surroundings, delightful service and delicious food. I am never disappointed and will look forward to my next visit. :)
|
Came here as starting point for a car owners club (RX/8) meet: didn't eat but had drinks in the beer garden. Looked a nice pub, very pleasant.
|
Worth giving a go, even just for a pint when passing. Sunday had Dark Star original and Pilgrim Surrey.
They now keep the beer well and support local brewiers. Just need to sign them up to Locale.
Give it a go
|
We came here for a meal last night, and came away very disappointed. The beer was good, but the food very average. A starter of smoked haddock with duck egg was mostly potato with a thin piece of fish on top. My main course was pork belly, which arrived with crackling than was so flabby it could have been wrapped around a pencil. On mentioning this to the waitress all she said was "Oh that is a shame, usually it is very good". When another waitress asked us later how the food was and I told her she said "Oh, and crackling is the best bit of belly pork," No interest in apologising or talking to the chef. I would avoid this place as there are several better places around.
|
When looking for a country pub, I usually seek at the small, local, traditional variety. The Jolly Farmer's is not of that ilk, but it is, nevertheless, a good find.
From the road, this looks to be a large, modern pub, almost ala Weatherspoons. There are lots of signs outside advertising it as a 'food emporium', there is a big(ish) car park - two things that worry me slightly when looking for a country pub. However, that first impression is mistaken.
Going in through the front door, you can see a shop immediately in front of you, selling jams, jellies, chutneys, vegetables and other 'artisan' foods (including a scrumptious looking cheese counter). There is a small bar, on which sits some cakes and cupcakes, along with two hand pumps, a large shelf of wine behind, and the typical lager pumps. Near the windows at the front of the pub are some comfy chairs and a very comfy sofa, along with some high stools and matching tables. This bit, however, is a very small part of the establishment.
Delving further in, you realise that this 'pub' is more accurately described as a restaurant. Despite the traditional trappings in the front, the restaurant section (which is the bulk of the building) is modern, bright and airy - parts of it almost resembling a front room; this is probably due to the seemingly domestic beige carpet. There are light coloured modern(ish) art paintings on the walls, all of which are for sale. The chairs are high backed and comfortable, and the tables are a decent distance apart.
When I was there with a colleague on a weekday lunchtime, the client�le were ... mature ... this is likely to be a result of a combination of the time of day, the location and the day of the week. I would also guess the restaurant has a local reputation (a good one!)
The staff were mostly uni students (I saw a memo when I went to pay asking the staff to let them know when they were going back to uni), and friendly and efficient. We received menus very quickly, and our drinks' order was taken quickly (two pints of Summer Ale - very refreshing they were too), and when they took a few minutes to arrive, we were kept informed as to the progress (at one point they had to change the barrel).
The food is mostly sourced locally, and much of it is also available in the connected shop. We shared a ploughman's and a deli platter - truly, we could have shared either one and had plenty to eat. The cheese was strong and crumbly, the chutney tart and delicious, and the cured meats very tasty. Both platters also included wee little soft cheese stuffed peppers, artichoke hearts and tomatoes - again, these were lovely. We also (not realising the size of the portions) shared a plate of chips, which were utterly superb - hot, crispy outside and fluffy inside - perfect. Looking at the plates of the other diners, the hot food looked equally as tasty, and the portions equally as generous. I can see why this is a popular restaurant.
After eating (and we both left a fair amount of food), we took our pints into the shop and had a browse (though bought nothing), sat outside briefly (nice, but unremarkable garden, split into a drinking/smoking half and an eating section) - sadly, it was wasp season, so we soon decamped indoors to the comfy sofa near the front. The staff had no issue with us doing this, even with our pints in hand, and never pestered us to pay.
I settled the bill (just over �30 for both meals, two pints each and the chips), very full but happy. Whilst this isn't a typical 'drinking' boozer, it had an excellent restaurant, clean and spacious loos (at least for the ladies' - I can't speak for the mens') and friendly staff.
Recommended (as a restaurant - I wouldn't necessarily chose it just to have a quiet pint).
|
Came across this large, slightly confusing (from the outside) pub/deli/restaurant/market/farm shop the other day whilst out with a colleague. We dropped in for lunch, to be greeted warmly by friendly staff in the multi-use interior.
We made our way through to the (slightly sterile feeling) restaurant area to one side of te rear of the large bar. There were a large number of somewhat mature iners in the restaurant, but that possibly reflects both the area and the early hour for lunch.
The restaurant is clean and airy, but a little too modern to fit entirely comfortably with the rest of the interior. Our waitress was charming and helpful, taking our beer order and food order promptly and without the fuss you sometimes encounter where you want a bar drink with the restaurant food.
The beer (Summer Ale) arrived in good condition - a very refreshing pint, followed by the most enormous meals!
We had ordered the ploughman's and a deli platter and could easily have fed a family of four with the food! As on occasion quantity is stressed at the price of quality, I was a little concerned, (particularly as the two dished together cost under �20) but without cause! Every element of both dishes was great - from the bread to the cheese, the colesaw and the cured meats. Even the salad tasted delicious!
Having stepped outside after admitting defeat, the staff were happy to let us wander around the farm shop with a pint in hand, before sitting in the comfy sofas in the less formal bar area. We settled up and left with a really good impression of this large multi-role pub/restaurant. All power to the owners for making the most of the location, sourcing as much produce (and beer!) as possible from the local area.
|
Great place, excellent food, good service, and the price resonaable. The weekend breakfast is a must when you have a cracking hangover and need an instant cure.
|
First four visits, excellent in every way. Inspired brilliance, to source locally when possible, and explain all items on menu. I was nearly a regular.....then fifth visit.....service gone to pot.....several queries to young inexperienced waitress....how long will it be???? I'll find out she says, well if she did find out, she did n't tell me, after 1 hour forty minutes I left....they did n't charge for glass of wine What added to my bad experience, was that I had told several neighbours, how when it first started as 'an experience pub' it was special,,,not now I fear....why give them a further chance, when there are more deserving enterprises. I notice the car park is not as full as hitherto.
|
I visited this Pub/Restaurant last night. The food was Excellant, as was the service. The selection was certainly sufficient. The food was hot when served, as it should be. There were four of us dining and at around �21 per head was not expensive. The beer selection was good with two local cask ales. The staff were willing to listen to sggestions and were extremely pleasant. The best meal I have had out for some time.
|
After stopping in at the Jolly Farmers on our way back from Reigate we would most certainly visit again. The service was of a great standard and the manager very enthusiastic. We had two cream teas and a seasonal mulled wine which was a lovely, unique idea and only added to the friendly ambiance. Lovely deli shop with a great support of local produce... Cheese counter was very unusal but was a fantastic opportunity to sample local cheeses... I thoroughly recommend Norbury Blue!
|
Three days before Christmas I ordered for lunch a turkey sandwich costing over �5. Very disappointed that it merely contained a slice of "plastic turkey" and very little else, especially when they emphasise locally sourced produce.
|
Went for a meal recently, very nice but very expensive. i guess that you get what you pay for. Isn't this owned by the same people as the Wise Old Owl?
anonymous - 15 Oct 2007 10:39 |
Yes,the food is a bit at the top end and I take on board that some people think it should be cheaper by being locally sourced. However, presumably The Emporium buys in relatively small quantities and does not have the buying power of large plastic palaces - and it is not bulk delivered by Brake Brothers or other suppliers. I regard The Jolly Farmers as a place to go for a special occasion and not for a pub snack. What made it special for my wife and me on our first visit was the friendly, helpful, staff and their 'can do' attitude and first rate approach to customer service.
|
I had heard about this place from friends and decided to pop in for lunch and to have a look at the shop. Absolutley fab. Great staff, great place, great food, great coffee, great shop the list goes on. The Jolly Farmers Food Emporium is on the top of my list of pubs to eat and drink in the future.
anonymous - 10 May 2007 17:33 |
Went for a meal with some friends the other evening and I would truly recommend this place to anyone.
The food was amazing - (my steak actually tasted of beef)with good portions and all cooked to perfection. We drunk "English" local wine and organic fruit juices - not your average pub drinks
The sevice was exceptional, all the staff were helpful, very smily and really looked lkie they were enjoying themeseleves. Definatley worth a visit
Forgot to mention the shop a great place with an amazing range of foods - I couldnt belive that I could buy ice creamn to take home with me at 11pm at night !!
|
Why? I think they use Locally Sourced instead of lets just rip off the punters with a trendy phrase. �8.95 for some leaves, olives and a bit of feta cheese, I thought it was the starter the portion was so small. Nice to sit outside though
|
Locally sourced food is more expensive. Think about it.
anonymous - 3 Jul 2006 14:23 |
The new look Food Emporium is a bit bland but comfy. Main moan would be the price of food considering they claim to use "local" "seasonal" products you'd think they were cheaper than those out of season and hauled in from a long way? You can get the same quality cheaper at a lot of other local foody pubs. Staff polite.
|
Well it is different! Not clear why Vintage Inns got rid of it, it always seemed popular enough with the type of people who like Vintage Inns. No loss. I suspect when it beds down it's going to attract the more repulsive end of the foody market - the sort who write in the Observer mag, you know who you are, and won't be the place for those who want a beer and a sandwich, who will be with me in the Dolphin.
Anyway a lovely pint of Landlord. I gave it three points as a Vintage Inn. It would be worth seven but for being ostentatiously non-smoking, so it gets only five.
|
No longer a vintage inn now under independant ownership. The uk's first deli pub. A pub,restauarnt, deli, farmshop in a contempory environment. The pub is totally non smoking and child friendly. The menu features locally sourced foods and is 100% fresh. The deli/farm shop is open from 9.30am until 10.00pm every day selling everything from free range eggs too antipasta. Give it a try.
anonymous - 27 Sep 2005 18:06 |
The Jolly Farmers has just been taken over by new owners. Having visited both of their other pubs I would highly recommend you visiting. You won't believe how much this place has changed. Food, decor and staff are all fantastic. Have a nosey at their deli too!
|
Nope, The Black Horse didn't steal but business as it's way over-priced for food unlike The Jolly Farmers which isn't half bad. Pop in for grub, pint, log fire and papers!
|
Random roadside pub taken over and lots of money hosed at it. If you like McDonalds you'll like this pub. It's fairly bland and everything you see is new and fake however if you want a guaranteed seat on a Sunday and a roast dinner and a parking space, this will do the trick. However I reckon The Black Horse might steal some business when it opens 5th Sept 2004
|
A Vintage Inn, so the rustic is fake. Usual expensive, mediocre food, no chance of a basic sandwich, poor beer quality. The other two pubs in Betchworth are miles better so why go here?
Nick - 15 Jul 2004 12:34 |
A rustic pub serving lovely food, but some of the bar staff aren't the best or the quickest in the world.Can take a while to get served no matter how quiet it is.
Eamonn - 4 Jul 2004 13:22 |
Rustic ambience is complemented by a spacious airy interior, beautiful downland setting and lovely staff.
|
|
