My family group of four called into the Saxon Inn this week for a lunchtime drink as we were visiting the saxon church in the village. We didn't want anything to eat so I can't comment on the food other than to say the front bar smelt of old grease. The pub didn't appear to be very busy. However, I stood for 10 minutes at the bar before a young 'lady' came to take the order. I won't bore you with the details but I will say that she was one of the rudest, surly and ignorant bar staff I have come across in many decades! You know it's not just you when other people at the bar who are clearly locals look at you and raise their eyebrows, smiling and shrugging their shoulders! I ordered two teas and two soft drinks. It took 20 minutes for the teas to arrive- which turned out to be coffee because the young lady had not listened to me when I ordered. I took the coffees back (in to the back restaurant side of the bar as no-one present at the front bar) and asked for teas, noting that it had taken 20 minutes to get two cups of the wrong fluid. The young lady's response was I'm very busy and shouted to another member of staff to put the kettle back on. As she was taking a food order for someone else at the time, I waited until they had left before speaking to her again as I didn't want to embarrass her in front of other customers. I said that she may be busy but that this was no excuse for her to be rude. She didn't answer and just walked away. I waited at the restaurant bar for another couple of minutes for the tea order. A guy who I presumed was the landlord came and asked if I was being served. I explained that unfortunately I was being served by the particular member of staff and related my experience. The landlord apologised, appreciated that there was no excuse for her rudeness and said that he would make sure the two teas arrived as soon as possible. I went back to the front bar and within a couple of minutes the 'young lady' returned and 'dumped'' the two teas on our table. I have worked as a bar person in a working men's club, a city centre pub and restaurant. I know exactly what good service is and what bad service is. The landlord dealt with my complaint well although sending the same person out to dump the correct drinks on our table didn't demonstrate following through on his response. The toilets were rather scruffy and the whole of the inside looked like it needed some money spending to update the place and TLC. Lots of tourists from all over the world go to visit the saxon church and I am sure that many will go into the pub also. (I saw two couples visiting the pub and church. I hope that the landlord can deal properly and effectively with the issues and in particular the young 'lady' can sort out her serous attitude problem. If not, many other people will have the bad experience that my family and I had, and won't bother going back. read more