The Eclipse Inn, Winchester

Typical example of favouring locals over the visitor. I am Swedish, but I live near Winchester and I brought a couple from Stockholm to the pub for lunch yesterday July 21. The place was empty but for two old ladies. We put our orders in first, the ladies five minutes later, then an old man came in and ordered plaice after another 10 minutes. The ladies got served way before us, and even the old man got his plaice before us although he ordered 15 minutes after us. The bartender insulted me by saying I should go to Marks & Spencer across the road if I wanted fast food. I had ordered slow-cooked casserole which is prepared in advance. My friends ordered sausage with mash. It does not take 35 minutes fry a few sausages. In two weeks I will take more friends to Winchester to see the cathedral, but I won't take them to the Eclipse. The bartender thought I was a tourist like my friends were so he got the kitchen to cook the food for the locals first. The bartender lost a good customer. The food was all right, nothing sensational, the service was beyond scandal. The bartender even forgot to serve us our wine because he was busy talking football with a few regulars. I won't become a regular. I will never come back to that pub.

22 Jul 2008 19:30