The Inn On The Pond, Nutfield

I have been to this pub at least a dozen times over the past year for food and drinks in the summer outside. The Inn On The Pond is an enigma - it's location is beautiful overlooking a pond, common ground and a cricket pitch - the building and interior has been renovated tastefully however, I can not help mention several negative experiences here. The service for one is hit and miss, there is one female employee with dark hair who from her accent is Polish I believe and appears to be the manager - I have always found her to lack any warmth, charm and a welcome - please , please, please smile for once and treat people with a bit more warmth and as if you want their custom. The owners also I found lack any warmth and welcome unless you are in the "clique" of their own drinking sessions around the bar area - I have frequently been told by the female owner how " UP THE WALL" the kitchen is when ordering food or "YOU�RE LUCKY YOU GOT YOUR ORDER IN AS WE ARE GOING TO CLOSE THE KITCHEN COS WE CANT COPE" - again, please , don't make customers feel guilty about spending money in your pub! - Surely If the kitchen cannot cope then you need to address this rather than taking your frustration out on your patrons?. I have also been told that "I WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR A DRINK AS THE STAFF HAVE NOT STOPPED BEHIND THE BAR" to order a drink at the bar in the summer - again, please, I do not wish to know how hard you have been working, I simply would like to spend my money in your pub without being made guilty and that I am inconveniencing you! The food is ok at this pub, nothing more, nothing less but if not a little overpriced. This pub bizarrely closes at 3.00pm on Saturdays - I can not tell you how frustrating this is on a summers day watching the cricket - why????? I have seen dozens and dozens of bemused customer turn up and look so astonished that a pub at such a nice location on a busy Saturday summer afternoon closes?? I really really want to like this pub, it is my closest local and I am a great believer in supporting local business and for this reason I wander in every few months for convenience. But I leave vowing never to return!. Due to the pubs out of the way location the owners I think really have to encourage customer in and welcome them rather than see them as an inconvenience , they seem to put such little effort in at times.

3 Jan 2010 21:30