The Lantern Pike Inn, Little Hayfield

I give this pub a zero rating because I didn't have the opportunity to taste the food or drink on offer as my family and I left after being made to feel extremely unwelcome within less than 1 minute of walking through the door. We were 4 people, ranging in age from 29 to 54 plus one dog and we have never before experienced such treatment in any of the many pubs we've visited around the country.

Having e-mailed in advance to check that this was a dog friendly pub and receiving confirmation that well-behaved dogs were welcome, we arrived this week with a well behaved dog (graduate of obedience classes and star of socialisation classes, with certificates as proof) to be confronted with a No Dogs allowed sign. This was just the first indication of an unfriendly greeting that verged on the hostile. Confused by the contradiction between No Dogs notice and advice received in response to e-mail enquiry one of us went in for a quick recce and found that there were dogs in the pub, so we went in - big mistake! We were greeted by a football shirted person we assume was the landlord with the words, "I'm not having that in here" - it took a moment or two for us to realise that he was talking about our dog, which he thought looked "lively" (a bit of a strange conclusion, given that by this time the dog was lying down, hoping no doubt for a well-earned rest whilst we took refreshment). We had to rouse the poor creature (who was just preparing to bask in the admiration of younger customers) and leave the pub, like most people we find pleasure not only in good beer, but also in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, something that was completely absent on Friday 11 September 2009.

14 Sep 2009 17:42