The Boat Inn, Whitney on Wye

Was enjoying a lovely hike around the countryside with a friend and spotted the sign for this pub, looking forward to enjoying a well deserved pint and some lunch. We were especially grateful to to chance upon it as for the last couple of minutes it had started raining and we could escape the downpour. On entering the restaurant area our attempt to relay our order to the staff at the bar was rudely interrupted by a more senior member of staff (maybe the landlady) who told us in a fairly obnoxious manner we had to leave the restaurant as we "were wet". My pointing out that it was raining outside and that we could easily remove our coats were met with indifference. She told us that there was a sign at the door of the pub explaining that canoeists and kayakkers were only allowed in the bar side. I pointed out that we were neither of those things, but just a pair of walkers who had got caught for a few minute in a light shower but by then she had made her mind up that we were far too moist to be sat amongst her refined dining guests. Hungry and thirsty, we acquiesced and decamped to the crowded but satisfactory bar area to continue our order. Over the next fifteen minutes whilst we waited for our food we watched with astonishment as we noticed the bar staff proceed to treat anyone who looked remotely like a canoeist with nothing short of open contempt. For context, this pub is next door to a kayakking centre, puts up parties of kayakkers in its camp ground and seems to derive a significant proportion of its revenue their custom, yet seems to go out of its way to treat them like second class citizens. So ingrained is this prejudice that merely having slightly damp hair is enough for them to treat you shoddily. I can say that the food served was of a decent quality and portion size and the beer good, so it's a shame that my experience of this pub was marred by the staffs hostile attitude to the majority of its clientele, myself and my friend included.

30 Aug 2011 13:40