Black Horse, Pluckley

Avoid this pub. Used the Black Horse for the odd drink before and liked the setting and the pretty building, so we thought we would give it a try for food.

We bought a drink and ordered our food, from a limited menu. After waiting for an hour, we enquired how long and was told it would be with us shortly, but we do serve people who have booked first (when we ordered the food, there was no mention of this or a long wait). After 1 hour and 40 mins it arrived. The food was fine apart from 6 roast potatoes in a dish and a small dish of vegetable to share for 4 people! No apology for the delay, so we asked if we could have a free drink because of the wait. The lady said we had to speak to another lady, who did come over and said she could not, but would you like to see the proprietor. We said yes. Some 40 mins after this, we still had not seen the proprietor.

As we were now ready to leave and had no apology for the length of wait for our food, we went from the garden into the pub and saw the lady who said she would get the proprietor. Two minutes later an agressive man turned up, who's opening line was "I hear you have been complaining" and said we had not been waiting 1 hour and 40 mins. When he was shown the receipt clearly showing the time of ordering his line was we were told about the delay at the time of ordering. I explained if that was the case, we would have had our1 drink and gone elsewhere. At no point did we raise our voices or say anything other than we had an excessive wait for food, but the proprietor, then started telling us to F*** OFF and threatened to hit me, if we did not leave his pub. This man made himself look a complete fool in front of other customers in his pub. I cannot believe in this climate, an independant pub, treats its customers in this way.

As we then left the pub, another man, which we can assume was the proprietors friend ( who appeared drunk), was screaming at the top of his voice you have not paid all your bill (which we had, as you pay as you place your order).

This pub does not deserve to stay in business.

11 May 2009 19:49