The Inn on the Furlong, Ringwood

I was in the Furlong last weekend with a group of old school friends. We'd been going to this pub on and off for 15 years on trips back to Ringwood. After the take over of the little brewery by the big brewery (Ringwood-Marstons) I suppose it was to be expected that some corporate, characterless gloss would be applied to all their pubs. Bar staff in uniforms, 'offers' being advertised like its some kind of supermarket and 'policies'. It was summed up by an amazing situation after the very first round where a latecomer joining our group went to the bar to buy a coke and was then asked for ID. He's 34, so didn't have any ID on him, so the bar staff, who all looked much younger than him, then asked him to leave the pub. This then meant all 8 of us had to leave. All because he wanted to buy a coke! They must be doing better business than I thought to force a large group away that was going to sit there all evening spending money. It was unbelivable.
However this seems to be the way in pubs run by big companies where nobody uses any common-sense and people blindly follow procedures, leaving the place souless.
A shame because the Furlong could be (and was) a really good pub. None of us will be going back. I just hope the brewery doesn't go down the pan too.

19 Apr 2013 16:25