please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
If you were to compare this pub from 2 years ago, you would struggle ot recognise that you are in the same pub. I a not sure what they have done, or how they have done it, but at last it is back to somewhere near where it should be, namely a good local village pub with great beer and good food.
We never used to go near the place a few years back and when we did venure to it we found the food was appaling and the beer only mediocre.
Now all that has changed. They have beer festivals occasionly which are well supported. There is a great beer garden and the festival beers are set up outside in the warmer months. The bar staff seem to know their beers as well and sometime the brewers themselves attend to help with the tastings.
We have eaten here as a group a few times now and have not been disappointed, including 2 Christmas meals with a local community group. Very tasty and great value.
Welcome back, The Woodman, you had been gone too long.
Please visit, you will be pleasantly surprised.
|
Popped in here with friends on a Friday between xmas and new year and the place was jumping with some terrific live music going on in the public bar and a great atmosphere. Despite being busy, service was quick and friendly. Encouraged me to come back but the difference couldn't have been more marked. Quiet as the grave. Maybe its just the January blues. Wished more pubs put on a bit of live music. Nice décor and plenty off street parking. Like most pubs now maybe trying to hard to be a restaurant.
|
Great pub ,surrounded by free parking(if you are not drinking obviously),Friendly manager and bar staff.Beer is reasonable and food good.Could do with an open fire in the winter.
|
Ok pub to go to for a drink, food is poor though
|
By far the most ignorantly served pub I've ever been to. The small/skinny bar man (90's french crop, young, blond, tall, dull looking, ) was so embarrassingly rude with his behaviour that I felt awkward simply being served by him. As a new, friendly customer, he secured my non return by mocking me in front of his locals while I ordered a drink. The pub was very quiet (which is why we were there) and this seemed to be accepted by those around; it was, it seems, 'the norm'. I don't need to go into what he said for others to understand why this is not a rat-able establishment.
|
had a nice inexpensive family meal here on Boxing Day. Bar staff fine. Pricing and atmosphere good
|
Was in here last night with a friend and made to feel very welcome. They had 3 ales on : Pride, Hobgoblin and Sussex Best all well under �3 which is great to find these days. I'd go back again.
|
Sorry this place still doesn't cut the mustard for me. A test of a good pub is if you walk into it during a quiet period, it should feel comfortable and welcoming.
From the outside it looks very inviting especially now the frontage has been improved. However when you walk in through the back from the car park you are confronted with a cold soulless sort of restaurant area with four tacky plastic menus on every table a la Wetherspoons. There's a fireplace without a fire with childrens' toys beside it. The bar area is not bad but appears to always be occupied by regulars which is fair enough but doesn't leave much alternative except the public bar which I've not ventured into.
I'm sure it takes on a different perspective when it's busy but as an early doors drinker it ain't for me. London Pride;s not good either.
|
This is the BEST pub ever! Very friendly village pub, everybody knows everyone and the staff are very welcoming. The events held here are even better, the Halloween party just gone was superb, and the Christmas events are even better! I highly recommend people come here. Either for a drink with some friends or a quiet meal with the family its the perfect place to be =)
|
nice traditional village pub, been tonight for some good pub grub, big mixed grill, nice atmosphere and great staff, what more could you ask for?
Keep up the good work! :)
|
Great village pub, what you see.....is what you get! You really cant knock it!
|
I can confirm that Davey Bones is a very sophisticated creature indeed and is a real mean glass collector....................you never tire of seeing Davey on shift !!!!!!
|
This pub is an absolute dive! It's shabby, dirty and the food is awful. I was surprised that landlords are allowed to get away with seemingly running such a poor establishment. I am shocked and dismayed.
I sincerely hope that the credit crunch hits the owners, and they have made insolvent. This place deserves a new lease of life - not the poor, miserable abomination that exists at present.
Please avoid drinking in this s**thole. . . .
|
Have you seen that new barman ? All dressed in black, terribly sophisticated. He was out collecting the glasses at the weekend. Davey Bones is his name I think.
|
Nice pub but would definately not recommend eating here. On arrival we were told there was no steak or chips which seemed a bit odd considering nearly everything on the menu came with chips. I ordered potato skins with cheese and bacon but interestingly received a dish that consisted of melted cheese stuck to a plate with some very burnt and shrivelled up potato skins sitting on top. My friend's onion rings also looked rather cremated. Unfortunately things weren't any better with the mains. My friend's chicken and chips looked like a child's meal and when he complained about the teaspoon sized portion of peas he was told that was how they came. I am guessing the only cooking appliance in their kitchen is a microwave as everything seemed about as fresh as laundry basket. Staff seemed friendly to be fair and sure it is a lovely pub to come for a drink - just don't order food!
|
Terri provides a traditional approach to the running of the pub and as a consequence we now have a very busy and pleasant village pub again. The Area Manager seems to have had the good sense to install someone as landlady who is more than capable and then equally the good sense to let her get on with it.
The pub provides regular slots for quiz nights (Sundays) and so on, but it would be nice to have some regular music spots................maybe a band once a month.
I'm not a great lover of the food menu, but it's probably fair to say that you get value for money and Terri seems to make a big effort to ensure that the eating area is not exposed too much to the traditional drinking areas...................but it's probably worth remembering that this is a pub which serves food (and not a restaurant that happens to serve alcohol).
In the run up to Christmas just gone Terri put on a party for the kids as well as a great night on New Year's Eve with a live band.
Well done Terri, you're hard work has created a vibrant and busy pub again, and the lack of negative entries on this site probably supports that view (it was only a year ago or so that this pub was on it's knees and suffering from constant negative feedback on this site).
Thank you to Terri and her team, keep it up................................oh, and bring on the Sky Sports!!!!!
|
excellent night new years eve
|
what a change to this pub.When the aussie was here it was a Real Dump.
Hope the place continues to improve.
|
Truly excellent service and lovely quality food provided for my Mum's 50th birthday the whole restaraunt area devoted to our guests!
Prices are VERY reasonable.
Terri and Hayley gave 100 % effort to preperation and their whole attitude towards their customers far exceeds any expectation!
Have used this pub for around 5-7 years and have to say that at this present moment it is lucky enough to have an excellent manager and excellent staff in general.
Highly recommended.
|
Used to frequent this place for a pint and a meal. The place went downhill so quickly that I stopped coming. Food was very poor - at one time the chef always came out to enquire whether punters were happy with their meal. Staff didn't seem to care either so unless I read some decent reviews I will not be back.
|
We ordered scampi and chips and roast beef.. we waited 1 hour and 10 minutes on a sunday afternoon. Bar staff was friendly though.. Will Never eat here again, chips were frozen and greasy, roast potatoes were tiny and only 3 on them, 1 teaspoon of soggy cabbage and 6 carrots cooked with the tops still on.... Rubish Rubish Rubish !!!
jofab - 23 Sep 2008 15:47 |
Well another play at the Woodman TWC great show and WELL DONE TERRI AND STAFF for bringing some life back into the pub hope the weather keeps shining nicely for you over the summer months.
WHO NEEDS G RAMSAY LOL!!!!
|
I'm smiling as I type, but I wasn't the one wearing the lipstick! :0)
Yes, I agree that lipstick can be hard to shift in a glasswasher. However, and I speak from experience as I used to have a restaurant a little while back, the issue is about providing a standard and a level of service. Therefore you check your glasses and everything else pertaining to dining when they are put back on shelves.
In the nicest possible way, perhaps someone brave could contact the TV production company representing a Mr. G Ramsay for a little help? ;0)
Honestly. I hope things turn around, I really do. As a soon-to-be local, I'd like this to be my really lovely local, and one that I'm proud to support.
|
Biker, I constantly experience room temperature bacteria being passed from one food item to another, but bless my other half, she tries her best and she's good with the kids.................maybe when you organise for the food safety peeps to close the Woodman kitchen they could also stop off at my house and do the same with my kitchen.
|
New landlady (proper one!!!),staff happy & helpful.
Shame about new seating arrangement, fine if you enjoy backsides in your face, while relaxing in bar area
|
I will chuck my 2 pence worth in on lipstick on a glass,it does not matter how good a glass washer you have it will not rid the glass of waterproof lipstick if its got to last on some womans lips alnight it will certainly last through a glass washer,no excuses it should be whiped first,we`ve been to some really snooty places were this has also happened.
|
lady of the manor is so wrong ! the pub is not as bad as the lady makes out !
if the lady had not worn so much thick lipstick her glass would not have been so dirty ! fresh lipstick on the glass i think not ! all i know is what i have been told
|
I recognise some of my own observations in some of what Lady of the Manor says in her entry, and she makes her point very well, but to respond by saying that this place should be shut down immediately is just being hysterical.
|
Apologies in advance, but I'm afraid to say that I have to agree with the reviewer below regarding service! We popped in for lunch a couple of weeks ago as we're new to the area. I agree that the pub is in a lovely location, and it's great that children are allowed actually (yes - parents do have a social life!) so we were pleased to know that The Woodman was around the corner.
However, the service was very slow. The food on that day seemed good, honest pub grub and we were pleased with the dishes. I wasn't too impressed with the overall cleanliness of the place to be honest. Tables were dirty and sticky, and the condiment trays were very unhygienic. I've been in some real spit and sawdust places, so I'm not too prissy, but I thought it was obvious that the staff were struggling even though the place wasn't too busy at about 3pm on a reasonably sunny day. Plates were just left to pile up on tables indoor and out, and with leftover scraps and flies buzzing about inside the pub it was a bit unpleasant. I had a glass of wine that wasn't the best (that'll teach me!) and I was further unimpressed that the glass was filthy and that there were lipstick marks (ack!). On returning the drink, the staff were apologetic but clearly thought that "just water marks" on the glass were accceptable. The wine was promptly tipped into another glass, when I would have expected a fresh glass of wine to have been poured. At this point, I gave up.
I wouldn't be one for having sterile wine-bar type pubs in the village; I think it's important for a country village pub to have a bit of character. However, I don't think we'll be frequent visitors until the place improves to a better standard. At the moment, it isn't somewhere that I would want to take family and friends for lunch when they come and visit.
On the whole, it's a shame that the place is an uninspiring, uninviting place in its current state. That said, if folks are trying to turn it around and there is a definite improvement, I'll give it another try some day!
|
GOOD LUCK TERRI !!!!
|
the last comment posted is not true at all ! no one as far as i know waited an hour for food yesterday as there where 2 people cooking in the kitchen and if people keep complaining to staff they are going to get short answers do people not realise how stressfull that kinda job is ?
have you ever tried it ? most people actually praise how good the food is at this pub !
the service has improved greatly in the last few weeks in both areas bar and kitchen !!!!!!!!
well done everyone who works there !
|
Whilst the pub itself and its surroundings are very pleasant, I have nothing but disgust for the level of so-called "service".
I visited the pub today, for the first time, with my parents, for lunch. We waited over an hour for our food to arrive and, on asking when it might be ready, were told "5 minutes"... 15 minutes later "Oh, it's just coming"... Another ten minutes and three plates of cold food finally turn up; even after re-heating these were mostly inedible. Specifically, the meat was under-cooked, the veg cold (and then warm mush), the pastry soggy, etc, etc.
Staff were unhelpful, surly when questioned regarding missing items (gravy and veg) and we didn't even get an apology for this appalling mess.
On asking who I must presume is the manager, we were told that the reason for the poor service and general disorganisation was that "someone couldn't be bothered to get out of bed this morning".
Tables were left stacked with dirty plates; embarassment seemed to prevent anyone coming to clear our table. Ashtrays were left full of rainwater and cig-butts. No attempt at cleaning up was made.
Quite frankly, I've never received such poor service anywhere else and, as I won't be going back, presumably never will again.
Avoid at all costs!
|
The new guvnor (Terrie) appears to be someone who knows what she's doing, so a warm welcome and good luck to her. The fact that she's behind the bar, or bringing out food, or collecting glasses is a ten fold improvement on what we've had previously, and her 'bedside' manner also lends itself very well.
If our nice little village pub is now in a 'safe pair of hands' then well done to the brewery, and a bit of continuity with the pub management will probably go a long way...........but a message to the brewery, the pub is starting to look a bit tired and not only needs some attention to it's maintenance, it also needs a bit of 'lipstick' too.
The language at 200 decibels seems to have abated some, and the pub is busy again. The bar staff are superb in this pub, and hopefully they now have a guvnor who they feel a little respect for................let's hope that as a team these guys can crack it.
Sunshine on a rainy day !!!
|
O.K. in one of the photos a parasol is open, in the others it is not. Otherwise the three photos seem more or less the same.
|
hello chopin
click on the images 2 /3/4 below photo and it shows the front garden as it is now but i agree need to update main photo!! XX
|
Hello 1973
just checked out the "more images" icon, and guess what? 3 photos all the same showing the pub looking pretty much the same as the old photo.
What gives?
|
politics seems to be the only talk at the moment should i endorse the new landlord or the old one ? nice place but remember things change
anonymous - 8 May 2008 18:52 |
All hail the Woody, spring is here, shortly to be followed by another glorious summer. If you have never experienced the Woody at this time of year then make a point and the effort to do so this year. It's a gr8 place to come and spent a few hours with a huge garden out back that leads on to the playing fields, there is proper kids play area in the park installed by the council. The front garden is a sun trap and it is just fab to sit there sipping on a nice cold beer, eating a big fat steak and if your lucky the cricket will be on. Don't be put off by the photo, it bares absolutely no resemblance to what it is like now. The staff are very friendly and the punters are ok as well, despite what you read. It's a bright, clean place that offers a warm welcome to everyone.
Oh !! and lastly, if all you whingers put as much effort into supporting the pub as you do moaning about it don't you think it could be even better, for everyone.
|
Welcome back to the merry go round. I swore quietly and offended no one!
|
Lyeemoon's main objection to the management of this pub is that swearing, which says he can't stand,is allowed. Very well, I don't like swearing much either.
In all of the cooments made about this pub, only one contains a swear word used gratuitously. 9th April in a posting made by...Guess who.
C'mon mate, if you have to swear to get your point across, maybe this pub is the place for you after all
|
this is a very good pub i dont understand why a small percentage of salon bar customers think they own the place no matter who the manager is. if its that bad go else where and get a life
|
You are definitely the voice of reason on here Ian. It is one of the problems of a site like this, that the whole thing goes off at tangents and often ends up in irrelevant abuse being exchanged.
I refer back to my original point though. The great shame about this pub is that it has, unlike most modern day pubs with one bar, the facilities to satisfy all needs. It has a public bar, a large saloon and dining area and a huge amount of space outside. All it requires is for good management to restrict the industrial language and behaviour to the public bar. The Area Manager and the licensees do not have to be geniuses to work that one out.
The suggestion by some on here that there's nothing wrong with loud swearing anywhere is frankly fatuous. It is offensive to many people and consequently illegal. People allude to the smoking ban, why not this? I would not go anywhere with my wife and children where that is happening and many people of my generation feel the same.
That is why so many pubs are going to the wall. They get taken over by foul mouthed idiots who go unchallenged and the decent people stay away.
The Area Manager might be mucho reasonable but they've all got their eye mainly on the bottom line and I repeat - the Woodman lends itself perfectly to satisfying nearly all the reviewers on here. Difficult it ain't.
|
Having spoken to the Area Manager last Friday, I would urge all those who post on here to do the same. I would say that he is a reasonable bloke, and rather than him watch the 'soap' unravel on here, why not express your opinions to him directly.
He has said that he does look at the entries on this site, but as it says at the top "reviews on this site are purely the opinions of visitors, so don't take them too seriously"..........so anyone in his position with any common sense would have to take what is written here with a pinch of salt.
The site is not intended to be used for those who post to challenge each other over the laws and regulations of children or swearing, it is intended to review the pub itself.
If anyone who was considering coming along to visit our village pub looked on here first, they'd never come, and we'd all have to consider ourselves partly responsible for that because it's starting to sound a lot worse than it really is. The pub does have issues, but nevertheless it can be a very nice local village pub and certainly has huge potential, it just needs direction and all ours support.
Once again, I would urge all contributors who have a genuine interest to contact the Area Manager directly.
|
Sorry Chopin you've got it the wrong way round. It is, strange as it may seem, a criminal offence to use foul language in a public place particularly if it offends others. Regrettably it is ok, subject to licensee's discretion, for a 10 year old to be in a pub.
|
The best pub i've been in. It's clean, airy and smells fresh. The staff are really lovely, the landlady is fab and the chef is second to none. The quality of the food is resturant standard. It is well looked after and is always busy due to the friendly atmosphere.
I can always dream !!
|
I'm with BIKER on this one.
The manager is paid to run the pub as he sees fit, within licensing legislation and other restrictions he can do more or less what he wants.
Of cours the owner (M&B in this case have a say, but it seems Miss hoity toity the area manager has given him free range which is the way it should be (although seldom is in these days of h.q. interference.
Basically if the manager doesn't want you in then you go somewhere else. He makes the rules.
If business goes down hill he'll be out on his ear pretty soon.
As for swearing and generally behaving like a prat, well if you want to do this go to wetherspoons; that's what they are for.
|
well as said this is like a soap opera, but unfortunatly the point is being missed this pub has been a village pub for years and it is sadly been run down by a couple who do not have a clue.as for the barring i was not there for the jo guy so i cannot comment but a friend of mine was there when a couple got barred and this was for no reason and as far as i know they still are so what is going on, is it that if they dont like you face your out. as for the member of staff stiring it is not hard to figure out she has been doing it for years. i just wish the brewery would open their eyes and sort it out.
|
sorry to have to be complaining again and writing more the management should help more towards the staff being alloud breaks every so often and just generally helping around the pub. the fact is that the management of the pub are useless and irresponsible towards the way the pub is run, mainly due to them having kids.
i dont think people with young children should not be alloud to run a pub incase of fights and injury if there is a possible break in.
05ws1 - 30 Mar 2008 20:56 |
well personally i think the pub has gone serverely downhill since the new management has taken over. they have no respect for the customers. the staff who are normally very friendly and helpful. they do not seem to have the back up of the management. which seems to be a complete failing in the system.
on a different point the fact that the television has its sound turned down to make the eating experience for the people in the resturant more pleasurable. WHY IS IT THAT THE NEW FRUIT MACHINE HAS THE VOLUME FULL? the fence
05ws1 - 30 Mar 2008 20:51 |
I have rated this pub 3 before hand I would of rated it 8 when Allan was manager there. I have been drinking in this pub for the last 15 years and I have seen managers come and go. Good ones and bad ones. But the present managers are the worst. Their general attitude towards customers is rude and offensive. The bar can be very busy and they just sit upstairs and let the poor bar staff suffer. The cleanliness of the pub is awful especially the toilets. The male toilets stance comes into the pub lounge and is quite repulsive. Surely that would have been a priority to sort out, then other works that have been undertaken. The swearing in the pub is not that bad this is what happens in a pub now. You can hear swearing in all walks of life it�s just a part of life now. A pub is place where people go to relax and swearing is part of it. Grow up people. I have watched people come into the pub order food and an hour later ask for a refund as food has not been served. At one time a man waited over an hour for a bowl of soup. Can�t New Zealander�s work out how to use a microwave? To sort out this mess new management is needed or the present managers to be re-trained and let common sense prevail. I will continue to go to the woodman but not as regularly as before as it�s not all that which is a big shame as it lovely traditional country pub which this area lacks now.
casro - 30 Mar 2008 10:13 |
I like this pub, I go there on sundays and enjoy drinks with friends, even have the occasional bite to eat and enjoy myself. What I dont like is the bunch of half-wits that congregate around the bar area acting as though the place is their home.
One would assume that these are the people who have posted recent comments as they seem to be regulars and I have witnessed one or two of them being 'told off' for bad behaviour!
This is a Local community pub, I would expect those sort of antics from a busy town pub where people are rude and misbehave due to the shere size of the pub and volume of idiots that frequent there, not from a 'quiet' village pub where locals should respect one another.
|
Sounds like everything should evolve round you Lyeemoon !
Lyeemoon
|
Sorry last bit should read "would lend itself."
|
It is obvious from the latest reviews that, not surprisingly, reviewers have different standards.
Personally I go to a pub for the beer and conversation and will not frequent pubs where loud swearing is tolerated, particularly in the presence of women and children. Gambling and other group activities tend to invite that.
jcrc wants to swear and be entertained. I'm tempted to suggest some coloured bricks but the wonderful thing about this pub is that it does actually have a public bar and could cater for everyone's needs. All it requires is good management.
It was the biggest mistake ever to abolish the saloon/public tradition as it is now making the biggest contribution ever to the demise of pubs. It is particularly so now because the public bar would not lend itself to be a smoking area.
|
They say 'you only get out of life what you put into it' Well the guys who run this pub can't want a lot out of life.
|
i agree with the comment onn the 7th march .this pub has so much potential and nothing happens ! the only form of enterainment is poker on a tuesday and meat raffle and quiz on a sunday ! so much more can be done is this place please do something about it !!!!!!!!!!
|
your not allowed to do this that and the other even though your an adult but they have all the druggies in the pub but you cant swear or have a harmless game of cards. all i have to say is the brewery are stupid surely they must realise something is wrong by the takings and all the complaints.
|
clean your act up,there's more life in a morgue
|
Knobby certainly is............and he needs to lighten up a bit. I was among the party of so called 'foul mouthed noisy yobs' playing cards, and what happens in most locals up and down the country Knobby is that we work very hard all week and like to relax with friends come the weekend. The winning potential from the fruit machines is far more substantial than the 'coppers' we were playing for....and I do believe playing fruit machines is gambling, and they're not illegal !!!.
The pub certainly does lack any real leadership and sense of direction. The brewery seem to have forgetten about this little local pub, which is looking very tired and unloved........but if given the opportunity, it could be an absolute goldmine and maybe help recoup something towards the �270M+ that the brewery just lost playing the number markets.
|
just shows you landlord and landlady are away and the pub has got busy again on a friday night like it use to, surely the brewery will notice this by the takens. we have been able to speak and make noise without been spoken to like a child, and have a laugh which we have not been able to do since they have been here. if she smiled her face might crack.
|
this pub was great and had gone up hill when allen took it over, but now with the landlord they have got it has gone straight downhill they have not got a clue how to run a pub or how to treat the customers. they have run it into the ground, all they seem to do is upset the regulars that keep the pub going. i would love to see how the takings have gone down since they have been there. come on mitchell and butler open your eyes and get someone else in who knows how to run a pub and treat customers
|
great pub
|
went to the woodman on a recomendation from a friend last friday, the 11th i think. I took my family and parents. I thought it was a delightfull pub and the food was ok, nothing special. The burgers were very tasty and big. Service was a little slow but value for money. Beer was good but I must add that i found the foul mouthed noisy yobs playing cards a little embarrasing to say the least especially as there were women amongst thier numbers. I thought the paractise of gambling in a pub was illegal, maybe i'm wrong. Altogether though it was a nice little country pub.
|
You can see from previous reviews that this pub is a classic example of something which should be superb but is less than mediocre. It lends itself perfectly to cater for all tastes, unusually having a saloon and a public bar. Regrettably though, in common with many other modern day establishments, it lacks the good strong management required to maximise that potential. Consequently it just drifts along as a tacky boozer entertaining the ascendant lowlife morons to the detriment of decent customers.
|
great xmas and new years eve well done the staff AND MANAGERS
|
find it hard how u can say dogs returning to there own vomit have only seen dogs in the pub at weekends ? more swearing and belching in the salon side then the public bar ? hard to believe i know but so true !! the saturday night launch party was really good alot of people turned up a good night had by all
|
Car park full of vans again this evening, dogs returning to their own vomit. Predictable infestation of shaven heads, beer guts and load swearing inside.
This pub can smarten its act up, it's happened before, but clearly we're on a downhill run at the moment.
|
new management again not really doing much as u hardly ever c them
|
I know what the previous reviewers mean about this place. While it is perfectly reasonable, it could be better. Not quite what a village green pub should be like (but does such a place exist anymore?). A bit too manufactured. And the tables are quite sticky! The garden is nice though, particularly the front, unusually.
|
The Woodman, part of the Mitchells and Butlers group, is a pub with massive potential but desparately fails to meet the mark. Recent changes seem only to have made matters worse and have pushed it into a league below a "Little Chef". Come M&B you can do better than this.
|
Getting better at the moment. One of those pubs the smoking ban has improved a lot. White Van Man was born with a fag in his hand and removing this lot from blocking up the bar and being generally obnoxious makes it a great deal pleasanter for everyone else.
|
The garden is looking good but they still need to sort it out a bit less pride less carling and littless of the wine spritzers and we should start to get there
hahahahahahahahahah
|
You need to update your main picture.
The Pub looks lovely from outside now.
|
place is friendly enough, with good selection of food. nice garden for in the summer, but be wary if you are not from around the area
|
I have used this pub occassionally for many years now and it does seem to be in a bit of a slow decline at the moment. It now has a distinct "down at heel" feel - it has become a bit scruffy and needs a bit of TLC. Its in a nice location, and the regulars are Ok but do seem to think they own the joint - but thats the way it is when a boozer has a very loyal bunch of regulars, which this lot are. They are not all chav's and rough types as mentioned below. I have found the staff friendly enough in a "matter of fact" kind of way, and when I have eaten there the food has been good value. The last guv'nor Allan was pretty much on top of it all,had a lot of energy and was interested... but it remains to be seen if the downhill slide will be reversed.
|
Reasonable food and beer, very fast service. All round, pretty good.
|
I have been going there twice a week for 17 years and I have to say that it has gone right downhill - in terms of the clientele. It's horrible now, full of chavs and the rough types that used to be kept in the public bar. The landlord has tried to put his mark on the place but I have to say a few of the recent chavs seem to be his friends. I've gone right off it and wouldn't recommend it to anyone. A friend and I were going i teh other night and passed a couple of drunks coming out the door. we didn't even notice them until one of them started screaming c*nt at us for no reason whatsover. Charming.
anonymous - 26 May 2006 14:16 |
Kev and Tracey used to be part of a mixed clientele - old, young, posh, common. Now they form a large part of the clientele. A lot of the older regulars seem to have stopped coming. It's predominantly a rough crowd these days - although that probably just reflects the area and society at large. They might as well knock through the separate public bar, because the shaven-headed, hard-swearing, white van-driving men have pretty much taken over the lounge.
Truthfully, it's a more pleasant pub at lunchtimes.
But Allen has made a real go of injecting some spirit back into the place after several years of neglect at the hands of some truly useless and half-baked managers.
anonymous - 29 Apr 2006 23:58 |
Please don't forget - it's the Kevs and Traceys that turn up every night that in the long run enable the pub to keep going. They put more money over the bar than either you or I.
|
Came here quite often with my father in law to get away from the local crowd. Great food and beer and smaller portions for those who want them. Liked it so much decided I'd like to work there. Got a job this week.
|
They do try hard - everything kept neat, nice garden, beer always up to scratch. Food the usual vast portions of stodge you get in chain pubs - why these places insist you want a vast plate of chips with your sandwich is beyond me.
What lets it down however it the large group of Kevs and Traceys permanently congregated round the bar making it difficult to get served even when the pub is quiet.
|
great little local lovely friendly atmosphere back again well done the new manager and team.They even have a cask ale festival on for the next 6 weeks what a choice great food
n/a - 20 Oct 2005 20:29 |
Nice to have the woodman back to normal after all these years in the pub wilderness well done allen and team great 'craic' nice food decent beer recommend anyway that passes by pop in for a beer and friendly chat with the staff
MAISIE - 14 Aug 2005 20:27 |
this is the landlord of the woodman just posting a comment to say "Thank You" to those people who seen this website and told me to look it up and also "thank you" to those people who have posted the lovely comments makes it worthwhile all the hard work that myself ands the team have done over the last year
THANK YOU
ALLEN
ALLEN - 10 Jul 2005 20:33 |
At last, after many years in the doldrums, turning into a pub with good beers,smashing food and a manager who is always around. Good friendly service, room for kids to play. Good on ya!
|
Since it has been under new management it is a superb pub. Very friendly staff, a variety of of good beer and excellent food, all very reasonably priced. Lovely beer garden for the summer. What more can you ask for?
|
just visited some friends in the banstead area they took me to the woodman for some lunch,lovely food
nice new wines on selection i had the Valdevieso white,i was told by my friends the new manager has really worked hard to try and put the woodman back where it used to be and on this ocassion i must say he has done something the whole atmosphere seems to be really relaxed and the food for a company owned pub (Mitchells & Butlers i was told)was really nice.(using my friends computer)
Kirsty Rogers - 7 Apr 2005 13:52 |
A traditional local, community pub offering bags of atmosphere. It has a childrens license plus dogs are welcome too. Food is served 7 days a week offering a range of good food with special menus on special events and small private functions catered for. Quizs twice a week, lots of special events throughout the year and an open air theatre at the end of July. A brilliant place to go for relaxtion and atmosphere away from the hustle and bustle.
Mrs L.A. Kennedy - 15 Mar 2005 16:27 |
change of manager last july (7/8 months) the new manager is always about and the staff are very pleasant a real local feel has come back!! food has become popular again with the locals and the whole atmoshpere is going back to how it used to be great cask ale as well..
lisa - 13 Mar 2005 20:20 |
Once a very popular country pub,but unfortunately over the past decade has seen many managers come and go which has led to decline in service.I'm told they have a new manager and the service is much improved,lets hope so !
anonymous - 8 Mar 2005 20:39 |
Use to go to this pub frequently until a change of manager ruined it, apparently this pub has now had another change of manager and it is on its way back up. The garden if maintained is good in summer and fenced off to stop your little darlings from venturing astray. The beer has never been brilliant but is acceptable as long as it hasn't gone up to pay for the spruce-up the pub had a while back.
neilt - 28 Jan 2005 14:53 |
