please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Some people are under the mistaken belief that this is a free house, however, it is owned and operated by Enterprise Inns.
We visited on a Tuesday evening when the place was almost empty. Extremely bright lights in the bar area (do they have a free source of electricity?) and not much atmosphere. Staff polite enough.
The choice of beer is quite poor: just Timothy Taylor Landlord and Ringwood Best. The Landlord is just about acceptable, but doesn't really have a lot of taste - Ringwood best is boring, watery, weak and tasteless. Enterprise Inns need to scrap Ringwood and allow more guest beers: the pub will get more customers if it gets a reputation for its ales.
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Reopened once again (May 12) so went in for a look. Only two beers on, Ringwood and Taylors Landlord which were well kept. Another decor change inside, very neutral , very clean. Absolutely no atmosphere and quite inappropriate for a an inn of such age. Burger bar menu. Deserted except for a couple of Dutchmen who had probably stumbled in by accident! Hardly recognisable as the bouncing pub of a year ago. Don't bother to unpack lads. you won't be there for long.
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Took my good lady there for mid-week dinner last week. Good food & good service all round. Granted, last team will be a tough act to follow but I disagree with the previous review that standards have dropped. Will return soon.
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A sudden change of management has occurred. The former team will be a tough act to follow. We went in to give the place the once over and to see if the standards were the same. They are not sadly. Is this the beginning of another decline? Hope not
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Now under new management "The Covy" is returning to its roots and welcoming drinkers and regulars, as well as diners.
Myself and three others had a selection of meals and deserts and could find no fault in any, all served with good cheer and beer - Ringwood is slowly getting its beer sorted out, and as the Covy serves straight from the barrel the 49er was as good an example of this once proud beer as I have tasted in a long while � and �2.50 Pint � say no more , backed up with Best and Timmy Tailors Landlord.
Not so keen on the super wide projector thing � I understand the need to show sport �n stuff and did stay on to watch the rugby but a smaller telly would be much easier on the eye and viewable from more angles other than being pinned to the back wall wearing UV protection.
Gratis bowls of peanuts/snacks are well appreciated and certainly prised a few more beers from the barrel as a result - Nice
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A recent change of hands has hopefully seen a change of fortune for this pub. It's been picked up by a local team and, as steamraiser (obviously a chap of good taste :p ) says, the aim seems to be to run a pub that appeals to locals and passers by. It certainly appeals to me. It's really good to see a smiling face behind the bar, the food is excellent and the beer is great. Keep it up guys!
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Met friends to eat here tonight. Excellent atmosphere (half full at 1930 on Jan 3rd), roaring (gas) fire, traditional style pub atmosphere, no rowdies, great food, friendly management, I registered on the site in order to post this comment! Pub has been through various changes in recent times but seems to have come good with the latest change in management (last month). Good beer (recommend the 49ers) served from the barrel, an excellent menu for under �10 and a genuinely friendly atmosphere. This pub definitely needs to be supported, we will certainly be back!
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This pub has recently changed hands and the new owners seem to have the novel idea of running it as a pub! . They have the idea that good beer and sensible food might appeal to the Dorset population! A quirky idea granted..but you never know. In a sea of eateries run by Indifferent & co a country pub might catch on !
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Stopped here on way down from London to Weymouth as we have many times before. Excellent meal, admittedly not that cheap, but good quality and with efficient friendly service and a really nice pint of Ringwood 49er to go with it, straight from the barrel, the best means of serving beer in my opinion. Surprised at some of the recent reviews, we've always found the pub charming and the food good.
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Having used this pub irregularly for over forty years I must confess to being astonished as to how far this pub has sunk. Overpriced food which is indifferent on a good day and dire on others. The beer has always been its saving grace but the choice is becoming limited and lacks any originality. Maybe the owners should sell up and buy a burger van , clearly the pub game is beyond them.
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My wife and I had lunch at this pub :-
Beer and soft drink. OK
Decor and seating. OK
Food -Wife - Goat's Cheese on bed of water cress - Goat's cheese burnt and stone cold - replaced with hot goat's cheese.
Food me - chicken with mashed potatoes - tepid.
Total cost over �20. Overall a very disapointing meal. Needless to say we won't be going to the Coventry Arms again. We do regularly get much better meals for half this price!
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Food OK but pitching way above their station on the price point.
We visited this pub/restaurant on a Saturday evening. We arrived to find the restaurant less than half full - an initial warning sign I guess. The pub has a rustic if somewhat tired feeling, the staff seemed welcoming. An initial walk through seemed to show pleasant food being served. The menu pricing was certainly pitched at the high end Gastro Pub market. Around �7.50 got a starter of scallops (only 2 but each cut into 3 pieces and hidden with bacon bits and mash) - Tasted fairly good but please don't slice up and hide the prime ingredient of a dish, Scallops should be served whole, not sliced in an attempt to stretch a poor portion. �19.50 for a fillet steak, �2 for a sauce and additional cost of veg as a side order. Expecting a usual fillet consisting of a lovely thick lump of steak with depth to allow a seared flavoursome surface and indulgent medium rare centre, we were bitterly disapointed. We queried the fillets (3 ordered at our table) all only around 3/4 of an inch thick. The waitress stated they were in fact fillets. The manager was abbrasive and unreceptive to feedback. We would certainly not recommend this pub for the money. There are much better options in the local area for less money.
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Having enjoyed the hospitality at this pub for a long time, I write this review with considerable sadness. Three months ago I came here for a late lunch and left feeling cheated.
As ever, straight from the barrel, there was nothing wrong with the beer, apart from a limited choice. The staff were still friendly and helpful, but the food was dire. This used to be a gastro-pub in the best sense of the term. Not any longer. An ordinary menu, poorly cooked and cheaply presented food, but still, gastro prices.
I was spared only one thing, at least no one asked me if everything was O.K.
My rating has dropped from 8 to 4 and at least a point of that is loyalty.
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Went to the Coventry Arms last Saturday to celebrate my partners promotion at work. Unfortunately there was nothing to celebrate about the food or service. The food in our opinion was of average standard with above average prices. I started with smoked salmon (�6.95) which came thrown onto the plate with a very small serving of a dill creme fraiche which was tastless. My partners starter was slightly better although we heard a lady on another table explaining to the waitress that it was the worst thing she had ever eaten at the pub! The reply being "oh dear"!! My main course was �15.00 for chicken and chips with a dodgy bernaise sauce. The most expensive chick n chips i've ever had!! The service was rushed and we were most definately given the impression that our table was booked out again - it took 45 mins from the time we sat at the table to our bill coming (2 courses) Although my partner tells me that the ale was good the food was most definately of an average standard - not at all what you would expect of an award winning "gastro pub". I thought that maybe we were being too picky however several diners seemed to have similar views that evening.
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Went here for evening meal - terrible food all round, including old frozen prawns and off fishcakes. Tiny portions for high prices.
Only redeeming quality was the dessert, which were just above average.
Will not return.
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A Beautiful Pint Of Landlord served straight from the barrell, great place, 8/10
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Updating my earlier review I find I have little new to add. The Coventry continues to supply otstanding, if pricey food and excellent ales, albeit from a limited choice.
My rating? 8, built on consitently high standards and excellent fare. The signs proclaim it a Gastro Pub, and in the best sense of the term, that's just what it is.
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Nice pub in nice surroundings, my only gripe is the price of the food, although the menu is superb, it is over priced, won't stop me visiting though i'll have to save up when treating a family group. Oh yeah beer nice.
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Having eaten in this pub for some years, I have to say I am somewhat surprised by recent adverse comments made about the food and the service which I have always found excellent. On the issue of price I would agree, it is expensive, but not, in my opinion, overpriced. Beer is always good, although nowadays the choice is somewhat limited.
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I have eaten at this pub at least once a month, for over 3 years. I think it is one of the best in the area and so unfortunately cannot agree with the comments below. The food has always been very good, fresh, and served well by friendly staff. Although it is not cheap, it is not your average pub grub, and I don't think that I could rate any pub, for food, in this vicinity as highly.
anonymous - 2 Nov 2007 22:19 |
Having visited early evening Sun 2nd Sept. with family foe a birthday treat had one of the worst meals that I have experienced for several years. We all chose roasts either pork or beef. They had run out of Yorkshire puddings, the roast potatoes were new potatoes and all was swimming in burnt gravy. The beef itself was tough ,fatty and gristly and the vegetables that accompanied it were totally inappropriate for a roast.As this was not a cheap meal and the pub prides itself on being an award winning establishment we were very disapointed. The whole sevice was very sloppy. We went to pay the bill and mentioned the our unhappiness with the meal to be told there is nothing I can do about it. Or though both manager and head chef were about none cared to speak to us. We will not go there again.
anonymous - 5 Sep 2007 19:33 |
Went here for a meal dduring their "fish special week". Food was excellent, the menu had some quite special dishes and was presented very well. The staff were helpful and when needed called for support from the manager regarding the menu, he seemed to know his stuff. Would certainly recommend the food and the real ales are good.
The pub itself is very old and keeps a lot of the character that some other pubs have lost. I feel like I'm writing an advert but there was nothing I could really say was bad about the place. Go in and try it, you wont be disapointed.
pinta - 16 Feb 2007 21:55 |
This is one of my favourite pubs, it is warm and cosy and very special. Lots of nooks and crannies for intimate conversation and the staff have always been lovely. I've had a great company meal there also. The menu usually has some original ideas and it's so nice to eat there when the local gamekeeper or fishmonger comes in to offer their catch. Nice to support local business!
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ps. Now a totally non smoking Pub and a very freindly atmosphere
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Had a lovely evening. Excellent imaginative food and a nice relaxed atmosphere. It was Seafood week when we visited and the Seafood menu was delicious and enterprising.
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On our first visit,a quick stop,early evening meal on the way home from Devon,they fitted us in,but mine host made us feel most uncomfortable by staring at us because we had a couple of drinks after our meal.
This was made up by the good if over priced food!
Took the wife back tonight for our wedding anniversary
wish we had gone to Pizza Hut!!!!!!
Seated at a table sited between two doorways atthe centre of the pub.It was like eating in the hallway with constant traffic passing all the time.
The food was terrible,with Goose you could re-sole your shoes with,braised belly of pork,so dry it took two pints of ale to wash down,seated on a bed of mustard mash that took your breath away it was so strong.
Whilst the selection of ale is ok,for a non drinker,or someone diabetic the choice of water,sill or sparkling is not good enough for the prices they charge.
One final note when someone says the food was awfull it's usual for the head honcho to enquire what was wrong with it,not blank you like it,s your fault .
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I am local to the area but hadn't been to this place for a while, so my partner and I decided to go out for a meal there one night. The food was nice, I agree that it is perhaps a little pretentious and would be better suited in a proper restaurant. We felt that it wasn't clear whether it was table service or not (the order for drinks and food was taken at our table) yet when we left the money on the table as you do when you recieve the bill in a table service restaurant we were chased outside and accused of doing a runner, yes we are young but we are not thieves! was put out by this and has put me off a repeat visit for food, particularly being that our complaint was not acknowledged afterwards. may be seen as silly by others, but was embarrassing in front of a pub full of people! I would suggest that diners check the procedure for dining here as I didnt feel it was clear. Otherwise a nice country pub, the river running to the bottom of the garden is gorgeous, but take your mozzie repellant if you intend to sit outside.
anonymous - 28 Jul 2005 17:45 |
Lovely old pub particularly for drinking. Great selection of ales regularly has a Ringwood Best and 49er and a couple of guest beers. Fairly recently under new ownership (i actually worked for the old landlady). Atmosphere has improved recently although food is slightly pretentious but can be excelleent if on the pricey side slightly. Would recommend particualrly to stop of if travelling along the A31 and great on a summer evening outside in the garden or winters evening by the two huge fires.
Dave - 17 Aug 2004 10:49 |
It is a eating restuarant. Also has 2 bars there 2. Has out door seating
Helen - 17 Jun 2004 12:17 |
I spent an enjoyable hour in this little inn with its pleasant country decor. The cuisine seems excellent and a variety of little snacks available at the bar was in excess of many I have seen in the area. I could not detect the problem highlighted by Helen. The fire and the habitues seemed to be quiescent as far as smoke was concerned. Comforting staff, good choice of beers, the odd bench seat would benefit from a bit of cushioning. Outside seating. Dog friendly.
anonymous - 7 Mar 2004 12:36 |
I think this is a great pub for people aged between 18 + up because it is a smokey atmosphere and not really designed for childen because of the smoke.
They have polite staff that work there and very spacious to sit in to.
Helen - 18 Feb 2004 17:06 |
The Pub is situated in the old part of Corfe Mullen just off the A31 Between Wimborne and Sturminster Marshall. The pub is around 700 years old and the river Stour runs along the back of it. Inside is multi-roomed with many nooks and crannies. Low beams predominate and there are wood partitions everywhere, there is also a big open fire, Which gives the pub a nice atmosphere. The food is mostly made fresh and the menu is a-la-cart, specials consist of things like Venison, pheasant,Duck which also comes in fresh. The Coventry Arms has kept its tradition and serves its real ales straght from the cask. It also has an good selection of wines All in all I recommend this pub to anyone who visits the area.
Tristan Longley - 17 Feb 2004 17:05 |
