Ye Olde Salutation Inn, Weobley

I went in a party of six for a Monday lunchtime pub meal. The place was heaving - with Telegraph readers on a two courses for �5 deal. They'd mistaken our booking for one of these but thankfully I sorted that before we ordered from the "wrong" menu. The service was slow. Between us we had 5 starters (2 soup of the day and 3 more expensive), 6 faggots and peas with mashed potatoes - that came without the peas (the chef had changed his mind), we ordered 2 side orders of chips to share -they came in one small dish (less than half a chip shop portion) so we ordered another. Then between us we had four puds (2 icecreams and 2 more expensive) 3 coffees. To drink we had 1� pints bitter, 1 rum and coke (in a tin), 2 x tins ginger beer, 2 small bottles of mineral water, 2 x lemonade and limes. The bill came to �142.20! �10 of which was the chips - I reckon about 10p a chip. I was flabbergasted! It is ONLY a pub. The food was OK but not worth the money. Oh, and they argued with me when I asked for a clean cup for my coffee. Would I got back - NO WAY. And I'd think long and hard about going anywhere that was partaking in the Telegraph promotion. Were we subsidising the �5 meals? I should have smelled a rat when I noticed the sign about charging diners 75 pence for tap water unless you were also ordering from the bar.

13 Mar 2006 23:54