please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Happy memories of this pub from the 1970's and 1980's were today destroyed by overpriced and substandard food and beer and a demeaning attitude from the staff.
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Such a shame, this is a lovely country pub with a great interior and the new managements attitude and poor food are distroying it.
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A couple of friends and I have periodically visited the Dolphin for lunch over the course of several years and have certainly noticed the change. We decided to give it another try today and the food was ...shocking. A sandwich that could have been knocked together for 35p was £5.95. On top of that they had "run out of brown bread" although there were only four couples eating. A girl across from us complained her portion of chicken was meagre - "I'm paying £5 for THIS??!". I was told my portion of chilli was the last one (hence how small it was) and it was tasteless boil-in-a-bag fodder. When we pointed out to the woman behind the bar that the food was exhorbitantly priced and not very good quality, she said "you're right. I wouldn't eat here, I'd rather eat at home". Surely this is commercial suicide? Feels rather like the landlord's tenancy is coming to an end and they're past caring. We shall vote with our feet and go elsewhere next time. In you're hungry -- AVOID!
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What a sad way to go for a once beautiful pub. Went there on Sunday night and we were the only people in there. We got served by the obligatory surly bar maid and last time we were in there a young barman was moaning that people were coming in to eat! It needs a bit of loving care and attention by a new landlord/landlady. Why cant Youngs find anyone decent to run this pub? The character of the back room has been ruined also. It used to a have a quaint old bench around the side of the walls which made it look quite old fashioned, instead they have ripped all the old decor out and made it into a "squashed up" resturant
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Since George and Rose left (about 3 years ago ?), a series of bad managers and staff have driven this Youngs gem into pale mediocrity. Regulars have left in droves to be replaced by fewer but more unpleasant chaps. Food prices and quality are a problem (compared to other East Surrey pubs). All could be solved by a new, strong and enthusiastic management team - but is the newly merged and much larger brewery interested in this 'quaint' type of rural pub anymore ? It would seem not.
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I visited the Dolphin in Betchworth for the first time last week with some work colleagues. The barmaid, who was not overly friendly, ommitted one of the meals we had ordered from the bill and then made a weak bitter shandy for my colleague who had specifically asked for a strong one.
I and another colleague had the Brie and chutney sandwiches and although not asked about preferred bread type, were astonished when they were served up in very ordinary white sliced bread. Therefore very expensive at £5.50 each!
Did love the pub interior but customer service and value for money has to improve before I'll return.
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A very nice pub.Soft drinks very expensive.2 Beers and two orange juices with lemonade,small portion of olives,one crisps,16 Pounds ouch.no wonder pubs are dying.
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I've got so many happy memories from this pub.... i was even a waitress here when i was a teen! Every time i come home to visit me mum, we go here. Sadly the recent landlord/s have tried to destroy any atmosphere the place had! I even heard a rumor they were going to carpet the flagstone floor and put up a big screen! Idiots.... Its a listed building for starters. This isn't a case of "we're local and we know best!" just that sometimes if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.
Bring back Rose and George!!! We miss you guys..... the best landlords ever!
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Without any doubt the obvious downturn in this pub was caused by the sad departure of Bruno; he always had a waggy welcome for all - but now, sadly, lives in Walton.
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Please see the 2 April comment mentioning the Dolphin at the Red Lion, Betchworth site.
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Changed hands yesterday so hopefully good things to come and I am sure it, along with the Red Lion under their brand new management, will be back up to how it used to be in past years!
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A very beautiful old pub in an idylic setting. Unfortunately it has gone downhill since George and Rose retired. Locals are, and have been, staying away in droves. A large crowd of foul mouthed hexagenarians have dominated the front of the bar for years. Listening to their never ending effing and blinding is the price you must pay to have a drink there. Yesterday, one of those lovely people stood right in front of the pub's front window, pulled his trousers open, exposed himself and urinated. When one woman's husband had a word with the pervert the gallant locals descended on him spewing out a torrent of foul mouthed abuse. All of the civilized people on that side of the pub got up and left. Neither the bar staff or the management said a word to them.
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Unfortunately since the new landlord has taken over - this pub has gone down hill. It is hardly used by the locals anymore and people are finding alternatives. Mainly this due to the lack of feeling there - most of the staff can't speak English (including the Landlord) and the beer is not what it was. The food is over priced. The place is, for want or a better term, dead.
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Popped in for lunch on a wet Tuesday in February. The Young's Winter Warmer was excellent. The toad in the hole delicious and my wife thoroughly enjoyed her chicken salad. Good value too.
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Went there last night. Had a meal in the new back garden. Very pleasant evening. Food good, polite staff.
anonymous - 9 Aug 2007 10:15 |
Oh dear, they have been refurbishing this beautiful old pub. They have ripped the bench seats out of the main bar. (How come they are allowed to do this? It is a listed building?) The bench seats is what gave the bar its character !! WHY cant they leave things alone. They have now turned it into a restaurant and squashed as many seats and tables in as possible. It must be HELL at Sunday lunchtimes. Also the hotch potch of seats look if they have been bought from a car boot sale, very tatty looking, What a MESS
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Always enjoy eating here. Good pint of youngs on. Food reasonable and the chef even came round and told us how he cooked it all.
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booked a table for a saturday lunch. you would think a prebooking of 8+ people for a lunch which as it is a fairly small pub you would think it to be a good thing but we were greeted with the most miserable landloard i have ever met. They were warned when the boking was made there would be young children. We were asked at one point to take an 7month old baby outside (the middle of feb so a bit chilly) because the noise might upset a few of the locals dogs. The service between course was terrible. the starters came out fairly quick but then a 2 hour wait between courses and they still managed to forget someones order. great service concidering the bill came to over £250!
anonymous - 20 Feb 2007 13:26 |
Great atmosphere, fast service, good beer and food.
anonymous - 5 Jan 2007 18:15 |
I went to The Dolphin looking for good beer and food in friendly, traditionial surroundings and that's what I found. This wonderful, unmolested compact pub has three very seperate sections which cater for whatever mood you're in. Great Youngs beer, served with a smile and the food was pretty good too. There's not much they could have done better for us(mind you, the toilets could do with some modernisation (or cleaning up a bit)). I wish I lived next door! Don't tell everyone about this great pub though; it's not huge!
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I have been going to the Dolphin for 20 years once a week with occassional periods away. It is a good pub, and the beer has always been good. The prices are on the high side and as a veggie the food does not attract but the worst thing is the tolilets have not ever been decorated since I have been going there, still I live in hope.
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Not a regular here, but have stopped by for many a quiet beer over the years as its always been one of my favourite pubs for a relaxing drink. back in the days of the old landlord (george i believe) the pub was flawless in my opinion, everything u want from a country pub. However i recently had a gathering there for my birthday and i was apalled at the level of service we received. Despite running up a bar tab of £350, the staff and landlord clearly were not interested in our business. Im in my 20's and had a few friends of a similar age, plus several of my parents friends and family. The barman kindly informed one of my parents guests that (pointing to the table my friends were sitting at) "If any of that lot are sick then they can clear it up themselves". We're not teenagers, drinking cider down the local park, we're adults having a nice time. shocking. Secondly, the same barman would not serve us a beer until we had returned all the empty glasses from our table. I dont mind bringing back empty glasses, even if it was asked for in a nice way (which it wasnt), but at the end of the day he is being paid to do a job, so he should do it, and at least act like he is enjoying it, instead of putting on a face like death. The landlord seemed equally uninterested and didnt seem to want us there. If i was a landlord, and the pub trade was my livelihood, i would be over the moon that 20-30 people were drinking in my pub, and would do my utmost to make them feel welcome. It really doesn't take much.
So long story short, a great pub, that has been ruined by apalling management. I will not be returning until a new manager is in place. Shame.
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The long-standing regime of George & Rose is hard to recapture, especially in respect of George's phenomenal cellarmanship skill - I've never tasted Young's Ordinary as exquisitely kept as at the Dolphin. The beer's still on good form, albeit perhaps not stellar as it once was. The food is reasonable and the service satisfactory, and one can't ignore that this remains a beautiful country pub full of genuine character. Plenty of well-heeled locals and rambling types, which I think suits this kind of pub. Well worth a visit now and again.
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I enjoy evenings at the Dolphin, the beer is great, if expensive, the peppers with feta cheese add to the experience, but it would be nice if they decorated the toilets they are undecorated since 1987, I know that because I used to go to the Dolphin before my wife and I got married and we are now seperated! Not due to the state of the toilets I might add, well I don't think so. A nice pub,but few vegetarian options.
anonymous - 24 Jul 2006 23:38 |
Not too bad today though I'd rather go back to the old regime. Don't turn up looking for just a snack on a Sunday any more. For some unfathomable and infurating reason known only to pub managers you've got to have a Proper Meal or make do with crisps.
The rest of the week is fine, sandwiches and whatnot. But not Sunday lunch.
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The landlord has changed again (and again, and again), goodness I cant keep up with it.
Can't quite make the new landlord out, I have been going there since the 60's when it was a free house. This was the first time the landlord forced me into a different seat for some reason in an empty bar. (because it was a table for 4 people !) Most odd ! I reserve my opinion. Will report back in 6 months !!
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Went there on Sunday to celebrate my wife's birthday. Beer tasted good (but then having just walked there on a hot day from Reigate pretty much anything would have been acceptable.)
Slightly snooty newish landlord initially seemed horrified by my ear-ring, dodgy little goatee and mirror shades, but seemed mollified by the fact that I'm really dead posh and that our party ended up putting over £100 over the bar.
Not entirely convinced I like the new management.
anonymous - 6 Jun 2006 18:56 |
Now Have waited a while for the new Management to settle in.
They are working hard to get rid of the after work drinkers, who, hold up the sales when winter months set it. Oh well they will learn the hard way.
Ruined a lovely pub, Youngs have done it again, amd got the wrong Staff.
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Had no prob's with the locals.
Nice casual Youngs pub, with old basic, but attractive interior.
Staff were very polite and the bottled Youngs beer [Kew Brew & Oatmeal Stout] was good [I'm sorry but I tend to find Youngs draughts very variable, so I tend to stick to the bottles].
Look forward to returning. 7/10
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If you don't like the locals, find somewhere like the Angle in Woodhatch, and then complain.
I'm just waiting for the new management. Bring back Rose and George.
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Is there a worse pub for locals refusing to give up space at the bar? You go there and try to get served and the morons at the bar just look at you as if you have invaded their pub. Shame because its in a great location and the beer is good.
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The landlord has changed and he seems a bit grumpy, I think he might have cleared a lot of the Snobby Locals out !! The pub is nicer now, strict no smoking policy in one of the bars and they have got rid of the one armed bandit !
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16th Century country pub set in the pretty village of Betchworth in the Surrey countryside. The pub offers Youngs ales and a good food. There is both a full menu and also a bar snack menu. There is ample outside seating over looking the village church. This pub can get very busy on Sunday lunchtimes and both dogs and children are welcome
Mrs Payne - 22 Aug 2005 15:54 |
nice pub, snobby locals..you obviously haven't met burkey!!!
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Agree with most of the other "posters" except those comments about the "locals"......Bit harsh I feel...
Surely it is not the fault of the pub that they have more locals than anywhere else around!!!
The place is well run by a very experienced team for whome nothing is too much trouble....
Cannot go wrong with Young's ales or the magic of a building which is apparently 500 years old!!!
I have had to dock 1 point form my overall rating........Reason?? the Landlord is an EVERTONIAN.......
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Good Youngs beers. Where these days do you see Ram Rod on tap. Even rarer is being given the choice of “Would you like a jug, or straight glass Sir”. Traditional flagstone floor in the bar area. However, one down side is those small fruit flies trying to drink your beer.
Gareth - 6 Nov 2004 18:10 |
My favourite pub in the Dorking/Reigate area, Lovely old pub opposite the blacksmiths and the village church. In fine weather there is seating just outside the front door in a pleasant hedged area, under trees, there is also a garden to the rear and a few benches on the other side of the carpark overlooking the church.
Nice old traditional interior. The open fires make for a cozy atmosphere on the colder days of the year, - Just add a pint of Winter Warmer!. I would certainly agree that some of the locals hog the bar, however the staff are very good at spotting you waiting to be served.
Always excellent Youngs beers!
H.O.F. - 29 Oct 2004 23:40 |
Very pleasant three room pub, stone floored public bar at the front, snug to the left and lounge to the right. Open fires. Youngs beer always top notch, nice food. Tends to get busy weekends, rather snobby locals
hogging the bar.
Nick - 24 Jul 2004 14:19 |
