I visited this pub today for a light lunch, post christmas, after the worst weather in the locality for years and as it it's in a neighbouring village thought we would be able to sit by the fire, have a bite to eat and drink and relax in a nice local pub. The menu was un-inspiriring so opted for the "safe options" such as Scampi and chips and fish and chips ( not too much to go wrong with a good fat fryer!!) and this is exactly what we received.(except the little dish with those difficult to open sachets had run out of tartare sauce,the only one we required) The drinks were a pint of cider and a bloody mary. The cider didn't prove too much of a challenge for the landlord but the bloody mary I had to make myself, our landlord put a shot of vodka in a glass and dumped everything else in front of me on the bar (bottle of tomato juice,bottle of lea & perrins, bottle of tabasco sauce,salt & pepper pots!!). Back to the cosy fire! we found a table to sit at through the smog as the large open fire was billowing smoke into the room, felt for the young couple with a newborn that was very well behaved despite streaming eyes, we thought maybe it was due to a change in the freezing weather/wind direction till we surveyed the black wall/ceiling,and disconnected smoke alarm, a slight telltale sign of years of a fire spewing smoke into the room. We met some lovely people and their dog which lifted the atmosphere sllightly, and then disaster struck. I enquired about coffee "instant or filter that's it" "o.k filter for two please" I slunk back to the table with the news, "not a bother as long as it's hot and reasonably good coffee!" and then it arrived, a coffee bag floating in tepid/half hot water,no doubt from one of those hot water machines which after a long journey from the kitchen was now tepid. As I drink black coffee I dis -regarded the other paraphenalia on my saucer, but heard a dis-gruntled sigh fom my companion (farmer/countryman and for all things quality and wholesome even if it's proper fish and chips) at which point he left the table. I was still squeezing the life out of my coffee bag to try and fulfill my desire for an o.k cup of coffee, when I overheard "please could we have some milk?" "You have milk on your saucer in the plastic tube" "THAT'S NOT MILK IT'S UHT" and then it arrived, such a simple thing , lovely milk in a tiny white jug, the tiniest flourish to a meal to make it special. Come on Samuel Smiths Get it right, you have a little honey pot there don't be tacky. I'm not fussy, just like to be looked after properly. PS What do you do with the coffee bag once finished with? it's either a lake in the saucer or put iton the table! read more