BITE user comments - KeithR
Comments by KeithR
Charles Cotton Hotel, Hartington
I missed a bit of detail from my review in Feb 2011 regarding the service. After we were directed to the restaurant we were then told that "there's a large party coming in soon so you might have to wait quite a while for your meals to be prepared". Were they planning to wait 15mins until another dozen people arrived and then prioritise serving them? In the event sense prevailed and there wasn't any delay. Contrast the attitude though with the Devonshire Arms where we turned up on a Friday evening. The landlord told us that they had various tables reserved but by some judicious juggling, recognition of the likely tardy arrival of certain individuals and asking if we minded moving to another table later he could accommodate us.
13 Apr 2011 12:31
Charles Cotton Hotel, Hartington
This hotel is clearly going upmarket, although I understand that they are maintaining food prices at a lower (but not that low) level for now to tempt back those who had deserted them in the past. The beers were a good, generally local selection and the food was well presented and of restaurant quality. My only complaint was a slight lack of organisation and quality of service which was generally lower than the level which they seem to be aiming for. For example, asking to order food at the bar I was directed back to my seat where someone would come to take the order. They did, but not very quickly, and then we were told we had to move into a restaurant area because our table was reserved. Use of a little sign to indicate this might have been in order. Not a big issue but if you're setting yourself up as a 'quality' establishment you should be getting these details right.
18 Feb 2011 12:55
The Devonshire Arms, Hartington
It�s hard to fault this traditional, unpretentious pub. The landlord and staff are very friendly, particularly the former, and treat locals and visitors alike. There was certainly a sense that you were welcome and that your custom was appreciated. We went three evenings in a row and preferred it to the Charles Cotton. The landlord discreetly shifted folk around as required to avoid any conflict with later arrivals who�d reserved tables.
The menu for bar meals provided a decent, reasonably priced selection with a few specials, and the food was certainly a notch or two up from standard pub fare. If I had a minor complaint it would be that none of the real ales, although good, were local. I suppose if you were pushed Pedigree might just about qualify but there are plenty of local micro-breweries in and around the Peak District.
18 Feb 2011 12:39
The recent refurb has resulted in an even smarter pub than before. I didn't think it was that long since an ealier refurb? It's not really a drinking pub by any stretch of the imagination but what they've done, they've done very well. The real ale is good and the menu is good, not too extensive (generally a good sign as it suggests a pub is not microwave dependent!) but not showing a huge amount of flair compared with some gastro pubs (e.g. Black Swan at Ockham). The staff were friendly. They must be doing something right as the place was quite busy.
1 Sep 2010 13:04
Have been in a few times this summer. The pub is very well kept (including the samll garden) the staff are friendly and it serves a good pint (including the excellent Shere Drop and Doom Bar - heaven!). The menu is quite extensive and the impression is of simple ingredients, well cooked and presented - definitely a cut above standard pub grub. One of the pasta dishes was a bit too rich for the volume served but everything else we've tried has been very good.
1 Sep 2010 12:54
We arrived at 8pm on a Friday evening in August to a surprisingly empty car park and an empty pub. There wasn't anyone behind the bar either. I noticed that quite a few of the items on the blackboard menu weren't available and there was only one real ale on offer. Needless to say we didn't hang around.
It's such a shame because in terms of location this pub has everything going for it. However, if it can't attract a decent clientele there's something wrong and some of the other reviews clearly back this up. The traditionalist arm of the pub goers union would be against turning it into another Drummond Arms or Percy Arms for example. However, I'm sure you wouldn't have to go that far to make improvements if money was tight. Some effort on decor and marketing at the very least is essential to turn things around. Pubs aren't hotels (obviously) but 'The Hotel Inspector' on TV covers another arm of the hospitality industry and shows what some simple measures can achieve if the owners are willing.
1 Sep 2010 12:50
Given the pub's proximity to the South of England Showground and Wakehurst Place it's probably fair to say that it relies on ever changing passing trade rather than regulars. Perhaps that would explain their lack of interest in keeping customers happy.
A couple of days before Christmas I visited the pub with my parents to have a drink and some lunch before going to Wakehurst Place. I can't fault the beer or the cosy ambiance. However, after completing our starters we must have been waiting an hour since originally ordering. We enquired at the bar and an undertaking was made to find out what was happening. Five minutess later we asked a passing, different member of staff and they said we would receive a discount (is that all?) and that the meals were been "plated up" (how long does it take to "plate up" three basic meals?). I think a certain amount of economy with the truth was being taken as five to ten minutes later we still didn't have our main courses. We asked for our money back for them at the bar and left. The kitchen staff had presumably lost or thrown the slip with our order on it away after the starters were served, and bar staff were hardly bending over backwards to apologise or offer appropriate recompense. What a shambles. We won't be visting again. We have written to complain and await a response.
5 Jan 2009 14:28
The Royal Oak, Pirbright
Unfortunately I'm going to have to add to the poor reviews. The pub is fundamentally mismanaged. We turned up on Saturday evening, having been told on the phone that tables can no longer reserved. We managed to get a table, however, next to one that had a �reserved� note on it! I overheard someone being told that there was a 45 minute wait for food. �Fair enough� I thought, it looked very busy. A little later I went to the bar only to be told that they were no longer taking orders because they�d stacked up so much. This was at 8.15 in the evening! Another little snippet overheard was that they were one chef down in the kitchen. At this point we finished our drinks and left. Food at this point was only being consumed on one taable in the pub!
Two thought struck me. First, given that it�s a pub people go to for food, if they knew they had issues they should have let you know at the bar when you arrived. Second, they need to get on the phone to a catering agency as soon as they have a problem. Given that previous reviews have highlighted delays it seems like they are just short staffed/disorganised in general. It's a shame as it's a nice pub otherwise.
17 Oct 2011 11:43