The Star Inn, Tickenham

Spotted this place on the way to Tyntesfield country house advertising an 'exciting new menu', so decided to stop on the way back as we'd be hungry for some lunch after doing some walking.

From the outside the pub looks like a typical cosy country pub and we were hopeful for some decent country pub nosh. The inside looks like it had been recently refurbished, although it certainly didn't have any rustic charm. It's difficult to describe, but the tables, chairs and bar area looked like they'd better belong in a working man's club, or village hall hosting a WI coffee meeting.

There were no menus at the table, instead the food was posted on a chalk-board attached to the wall adjoining the bar so we stood gawping for some-time in order to decide on what to have. Although it appeared to be slightly overpriced, the food looked enticing and we were both hungry after our morning exploits. We decided to get a drink, have a seat and decide what we were going to have to eat.

I went to the bar and ordered two Coca-Colas (as I was driving and my wife doesn't drink) and a packet of dry roasted peanuts. The cheerful barmaid poured the Cokes, plonked them in front of me and said
"that'll be �4.80 please".
"sorry, what?" I replied.
"Four eighty".
So I paid over the �4.80 and duly noticed that I hadn't been provided with my peanuts.
"Sorry, forgot. That'll be 65p"
"Extra?"
"Yes, they're 65p".

So, for two Coca-Colas and a packet of peanuts the Star Inn robbed me of �5.45. Let me reiterate -- that's Five pounds and forty five pence for two Cokes and peanuts. The Cokes were �2.40 EACH! Just to put this into some perspective -- as I realise that the ravages of inflation may cause someone to swing by this review in several years time and think "blimey, that's cheap" -- at the time of writing a two litre bottle of Coca Cola is for sale in ASDA at �1.78. For the price I paid for 2 Cokes in this pub I could have bought 5.4 litres of Coca Cola from the supermarket.

I sat down and decided that the Star Inn wasn't going to garner any more of my money ever again and we decided to leave (the fact that the only other people in the pub -- a family who were having dinner -- were allowing their child to loudly and repeatedly bash the table football table also added into our decision, but it wasn't that I was particularly annoyed with).

So, I don't even know whether the food is any good as, for the want of massively overcharging for Coca Cola, the Star Inn lost out on the �20.00 we were going to spend on lunch. C'est la vie. A nearby indian restaurant with excellent food and excellent service was more than happy to take the money that had been set aside for the Star, and I was happy to give it.

22 Aug 2011 12:50