Green Dragon Inn, Buttington

Regrettably not a good experience - a pity as the inn is well positioned for the Owain Glyndwr trail. I ordered a half of Tanners real ale but found that it was sour & insipid, probably the end of the barrel. Fair enough, the young man serving me changed it for a bottled drink, though he was a bit grumpy. He had also evidently reported my request to the landlord who came in and made a remark, addressed to no one - but the pub as empty except for me and my partner, about there being 'plonkers everywhere'.
We had ordered our meals and the young man was wiping our tables, though hardly very graciously. Imagining him to be a university student doing this work during the vacation (it was late July), I attempted to cheer him up by remarking that I'd bet that he would rather be at university.
He left and just two minutes later I was subjected to a barrage of abuse from the landlady who informed me that he was 'out the back and in floods of tears' and demanded an apology.
She was closely followed by the landlord who called a 'pompous' something or other. A plump young girl who had been in the bar added her twopennorth, contradicting my pleas that no offence.
By now, I certainly did not have any appetite but when I sought to leave, the landlord aggressively barred my path to the door and threatened to call the police if I did not pay for my meal.
All in all, a most dispiriting experience and all because of an inoffensive remark that was completely misconstrued. I did not know the guy and made an unfortunately mistaken assumption. I can only say that if he is going to continue with bar work, he will have to be less sensitive as sometimes customers make reamrks that are really mickey-taking, not just misjudged efforts to cheer somebody up.

3 Aug 2010 14:32