First the good: The food is really spectacular, you can definitely tell the chef has previously had a rosette or a star) I can highly reccomned the sweets and the pub has a great big garden, lovely kids area and gunieapigs.
my experience: we went last week.
(booking is essential. I once turned up and they were very rude about me not booking, even though when i had rung to book the gent who answered told me to just come in)
So this time i arrive to enjoy a roast and im told coldly by the rude mistress type front of house/barwoman that there is no more lamb or pork.
(just beef then!)
she doesnt appologise for there being only 1 choice of roast, and curtly asks my dear mother what kind of spritzer in a almost fierce way that compliments her fake smile perfectly.
she rushes us to order and continues to be un-accomodating when we ask to sit outside in the garden.
Then when we choose to sit outside, ignoring her rudness and inflexibility, its insinuated that i might not pay and im asked to leave my card behind the bar.
I decide then id prefer not to dine here , but felt given the time i have no choice as it was getting late to find somewhere else.
Thankfully the well spoken gentleman working made up for his rude colleagues manner, and in the end the meal was fine, and the afternoon enjoyable.
I saw her desperately drawing on her fags out the back whilst i was eating, and it occured to me that she was probably rude because she needed a nicotine fix! (i remember those days)
with a friendlier front of house manager i would highly reccomend this to friends and family, but as i believe dining out is an experince, i will not be.
change the moody 'madame type' front of house and you have an exceptional pub to eat at in the forest of dean.
ACCOMODATION:
I have not stayed here or seen the accomodation, but my sister who is experinced in the hospitality industry was appualed. in her words she was made to feel very unwelcome and like i was an inconvenience she also said the accomodation was shabby and not very clean
Please note, she stayed in December 2011 and it may well of got better (forever optimistic!). read more