The Tower Arms, South Weald

Why do I do it to myself?

On the face of it, this pub has everytging going for it. A lovely location off a reasonably quiet country road opposite an old stone church and access to Weald Park for walks and country fairs.

Inside the pub, the promise of real ale on tap in a cosy bar area with the old spit and sawdust wooden boards and fireplace, or on a sunny day out the book to the wonderful garden area with games area provided.

If that walk has left you famished, pop back to the restaurant for some of the best food in the area.

And yet, the positive foundations are shaken to the core every time by the service which on every occasion I have visited has been truly diabolical.

Walking into the bar, its clear that as ever theres only one ale on tap with the rest of the bar pump disappointingly swing me their backside. The available ale is Specked Hen which is a fine point but time and place, a little heavy for the sole decent pint on tap. This is all the more disappointing given that the fine Brentwood Brewery is only half a mile up the road.

Then the service, ignored for 5 minutes as the solitary barmaid busied herself moving things around on the sideboard. Then another punter turned up and waited 2-3 minutes before being served and back to washing glasses for the barmaid, at which point clearly disturbed by my presence, I was finally served.

"Do you want something, then?" uttered with an insouciance laced with indolence and a certain sense of jaded ennui at the prospect of having to pour another couple of pints for a customer.

No ale, so Urquell and Peroni then, at which point the barmaid reaches for a glass about 1/4 full, pours these dregs into another glass and begins adding from the tap. Now maybe I'm being unfair here but frankly I'm still in shock, having only just managed to pick my jaw off the floor.

If you're in Brentwood try the Victoria, The Rose and Crown or any one of the other delightful pubs in the area but if you're ever tempted by the Tower Arms take a right into the restaurant and leave as soon as you've sampled the top quality food.

30 Sep 2013 10:14