BITE user comments - pooying
Comments by pooying
Youngs has definitely pushed the boat out in the refurbishment of the Dolphin! It looks terrific. All the wonderful old bits have been retained and the new remodeling is excellent. Management last night worked very hard to show off the new dishes. What an encouraging change!
12 Dec 2010 20:05
Dropped in for the first time in a long while. The new (to us) landlord and lady were most welcoming .... as were the locals. A really nice surprise!
20 Oct 2010 15:53
Dropped in again last week. It's still a beautiful pub in a beautiful place. Unfortunately it was a week day at 5 o'clock. Looks like the local tradesmen have taken over that time slot. If you like estuary English and endless effing and blinding don't miss it.
9 Sep 2010 19:06
I found Buster211009's 2nd April rant to be rather pathetic. He said: "Grumpster you seem to complain about every pub between Crawley and Guildford". The proper rejoinder to that is - "And your point is ......?"
Grumpster is, in fact, not grumpy. Many of the country pubs between Crawley and Guildford are not places where even the slightly discriminating would want to go. (the Dolphin in Betchworth, the Rising Sun in Charlwood, The Plough in Coldharbour, etc)
The problem with unruly children in pubs has gotten worse over the years. If Buster hasn't noticed that (with his vast experience in pubs) .... then he's obviously been part of the problem.
I suspect Buster is probably more at home at pubs in Redhill.
Anyway, why did he waste all that bile on the Grumpster when it's the (literally) decades long, appalling behavior of the "management" of the Plough that really deserves it. Afterall, they ruined his "luncheon experience" that day. Not the Grumpster!
The real group that deserves pity ..... are the people of Coldharbour.
17 Apr 2010 14:42
Ten thousand apologies!!!! My 16 December 2009 comment was meant for the Dolphin in Betchworth ..... NOT for the Red Lion!!!!
11 Mar 2010 14:14
To "milkorplain" re children: A very large percentage of parents these days have no clue how to raise well-behaved kids. Those parents seem to think that simpy because they managed to breed .... they and their little darlings are something special ... and the little darlings can run around, shrieking, whinging, whining and complaining. We see it all the time at pubs out here in the villages.
The fact that you can't see the other side of the coin shows how out of touch you are. People are tired of the frequency with which thoughtless parents with bratty kids ruin other's pub experiences.
14 Feb 2010 18:15
This is a lovely pub. The landlords and clientele are genuine and friendly. You always feel welcome there. The beer is well kept. The Sunday roasts are fantastic. No puny, thin slices of meat here! It also must be one of the cleanest pubs in the land.
Added bonus .... Shakespeare may well have had a drink at the Stars.
14 Feb 2010 18:03
Following the 27 January comment: I don't know why I'm saying this but, as everyone else does ..... I live in the neighborhood and have been dropping into this pub for about 20 years. I've seen its ups and downs. The down of the last few years has been, in my estimation, the worst. Having said that, currently, I do believe that the service is good. People behind the bar are nice. It does look like the new management has a good relationship with staff. The food does seem to be good ... because so many people are eating there! The landlady is exceptionally nice .... providing a genuine and personal touch for customers.
Having said that, I would ask the 27 January writer - do you honestly think that the many comments made over a significant period of time about the churlish behavior of that small segment of "locals" that infest the front of the bar are fantasy? They are not. You would do well to remember that one couple that is put off by their behavior will tell other people ... and those, in turn, will tell even more. How many will end up hearing negative comments about the Dolphin. This isn't opinion ... this is the way it works!
Management - imagine this: The management has stopped the rude, ill-bred , uneducated, unsophisticated peasants from dominating the front of the bar. The "haw haw" brigade is dispensed with. (OK ... they aren't monsters ... but they are jerks). Normal, nice people who don't revel in making the bar their personal playground can come in with their wives (the super-annuated juvenile delinquents who frequent the bar mostly don't show up with women) and have a quiet, relaxing drink. How many more customers do you think you would gain? Answer: Lots. The word would get around ... fast.
Management - you would be absolutely amazed at your increase in customers if the lovely Dolphin was a pub for normal, friendly people .... if customers didn't have to push their way through those that act as if they own the pub.
If you let them continue their behavior ... they will continue to "own" it. And you will suffer.
... and you will lose out on the best pub opportunity that you will ever have.
The beautiful Dolphin could be the most outstandingly successful pub. It would take little to sort out the "locals". Trust me ..... they wouldn't leave.
Where would they go?
14 Feb 2010 00:24
It can't be denied that the front of the bar is still infested with rude, ill-bred, foul mouthed peasants. What the new management needs to know are two things: (1) None of the peasants are dangerous. Not the old ones and not the young ones. There are no hard men there. (2) Don't worry that if you make them clean up their gutter mouths ... they will take their business elsewhere. They won't. The Dolphin is the only place they've got.
The management would also do well to make the morons who let their dogs walk loose in the pub ... and go after other dogs when they walk in ... keep their dogs on the lead. Enough is enough.
On the good side ... the new landlady appears to be very nice. She actually has "people skills". Takes the time to greet people warmly ... and listen to them. Also, the tables have never been cleaner!! "Ed" also, is a good man behind the bar!
16 Dec 2009 17:43
The King William IV, Mickleham
Avoid this hole like the plague. The landlord is a foul mouthed swine of a man. The landlady is just as bad. Microwaved food. Poorly kept beer. Ugh!
14 Apr 2008 11:07
Please see the 2 April comment mentioning the Dolphin at the Red Lion, Betchworth site.
2 Apr 2008 22:01
New owners -- Please turn your pub into a nice place for decent people. You have no idea how many true locals, ie. people who actually live in Betchworth, want a place where they can have a drink and dinner without having to listen to the likes of the geriatric guttermouths in front of the bar at the Dolphin.
Of interest - most of the foul mouthed crowd at the Dolphin don't even live there - they couldn't afford it.
PS - my language can be as bad as anybody's. I just don't shout it out in the middle of pubs in front of decent people.
2 Apr 2008 21:54
The Kings Head, Holmbury St Mary
This is indeed a cracking little country pub. Nice people behind the bar. Nice locals in front of the bar. A great place to sit in front of the fire and read the Sunday papers on a Sunday afternoon.
31 Mar 2008 17:51
A very beautiful old pub in an idylic setting. Unfortunately it has gone downhill since George and Rose retired. Locals are, and have been, staying away in droves. A large crowd of foul mouthed hexagenarians have dominated the front of the bar for years. Listening to their never ending effing and blinding is the price you must pay to have a drink there. Yesterday, one of those lovely people stood right in front of the pub's front window, pulled his trousers open, exposed himself and urinated. When one woman's husband had a word with the pervert the gallant locals descended on him spewing out a torrent of foul mouthed abuse. All of the civilized people on that side of the pub got up and left. Neither the bar staff or the management said a word to them.
31 Mar 2008 13:59
The Seven Stars, Leigh
The Seven Stars continues, as always, to be a great pub. The landlords are absolute professionals. It's an incredibly clean pub. Great food. Superb Sunday roasts. Really nice locals.
6 Nov 2011 12:06