please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
This is a great little boozer, a rare traditional proper pub. This is my local and its great, now under new management (who is an old time local)they are trying hard to bring it back from the recent bad times. Good pub grub is served, friendly bar service and the locals are not bad either. The garden is currently being restored, and looking rather good, formal dinning room as well, Well worth a try!
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I'm so glad I chose to take a friend here for lunch today.I had read other peoples comments and thought I'd try to find it. What a warm welcome from the new owners sister. We lunched in the garden and the food was splendid and not over priced. I noticed also on Tuesday and Wednesdays they serve pensioners lunch for £5, well worth taking some seniors for a treat. I will be back and hope others find this little gem.
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By far the best pub in Bletchingley. Thank goodness for the new owners as under the last ones it had gone downhill rapidly. Great variety of beers on tap, a good wine list and a really friendly atmosphere. It's off the beaten track a bit - down Little Common Lane - but is certainly worth the diversion off the A25. I haven't tried the food yet but it looked good on the 'plates on the next table!
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This is definitely on the up and I would heartily recommend it to others.
It used to be a favourite of mine and my work colleagues - we work in nearby Nutfield and appreciate a traditional independent pub rather than a 'chain' one dishing out medicore food and beer!! However the pub went seriously downhill with the last owner - it was dirty and souless - and it was such a shame to see it in that state.
The new owners have cleaned it up, bought in new furniture and are re-landscaping the garden - finally the Willie is getting the treatment it deserves!!
Yesterday was the first time we tried out the new food menu and I must say I was very impressed. The staff were very polite, friendly and attentive and the food was prompt, hot and tasty.
I wish the new owners every success and we will definitely be back.
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A gem! This is the last real pub in the village. All the rest are "theme" pubs or fancy restaurants. The new owner is a local man who means well (and I hope fares well). I re-visited "The Willie" once they re-started food, and was impressed with the genuine clientelle (regulars) not company lunch groups. This pub needs local support; so pop in and I will buy you a drink.
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This pub has recently been taken over and for the better i must say. On my first 2 visits since the change over i was greeted by the manageress with a friendly smile and a warm welcome. At this time there was no food available as they were looking for a cook. A few weeks later i saw the sign saying food was available so i thought i would give it a try.It was a Saturday night and the pub was very quiet. Unfortunally i was not greeted with the friendly smile as before. The lady serving was sitting reading the paper and i seemed to have inconveinienced her by coming in. I stood at the bar for at least 5 minutes before she even got up from her paper, she huffed as she came over and not even a hello she just said "yes". We ordered food which was very good.
Cooked by the manageress.I guess they didn't find a cook. She does a very good meal but the bar has been sacrificed for this. You need a warm friendly welcome which i didn't get. All in all a great local pub with plenty of charm just change the bar staff and get someone who really wants to do the job and enjoys it.
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The Willie has now got new owners and what an improvement, as stated below it is now clean and fresh, (even the toilets have been cleaned and decorated.) Youngs beer is well keep and they have a guest beer too.
Food is now served, which is good old fashioned pub grub, good value home cooked food at reasonable prices.
Come and give the Willie a try, you be amazed how much it's improved and the locals are friendly too!!
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I crept in fearing the worst...doggy doings...breastfed babies behind the bar...but LO! a veritable transformation....clean..I'll say that again...CLEAN....as it has not been for several years..the purchase by Youngs made it so bad...this was a great little pub and now has a small chance of surviving. The locals want it to..the landlord..inexperienced but optimistic does..fingers crossed he'll find a cook to knock out honest food....but I fear for its' future..fingers crossed that the big brewer black spot has not arrived, yet.
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A proper English pub,bittter was good and the welcome even better,keep it up!!!
anonymous - 16 Sep 2007 00:48 |
A real proper unspoilt little boozer with good ales. Food was well priced. We enjoyed to jovial locals who made us feel very welcome. We recomend it to you all. Can't say we noticed any dog doo. Maybe that problem has been resolved.
anonymous - 14 Aug 2007 19:08 |
Three words - dirty...dirty...dirty!
There was four deposits of dog shit in the garden and the toilets could do with a clean. Other than that, the Willie is a great little pub if just a little bit too cluby!
anonymous - 12 Aug 2007 21:35 |
We were recomended the paella and a decent pint of 'Youngs Beer'by freinds of ours, so far so good. We went to a rather tatty beer garden with doggie waste present. We nearly left then. We stayed in the bar to eat, but service was ??? Neither my wife or I could use the toilets due to smell and lack of cleaning.Food and beer was OK but cleanliness put us off forever. My sleeves were enen stained by beer puddles on the bar.
anonymous - 9 Aug 2007 00:12 |
Smashing pub with everything you need from a local and a warm welcome..... must be why all those that defected from the Nutfield Marsh establishment like it so much!!
anonymous - 30 Jul 2007 16:42 |
Well noted earlydrinker, but the second visit was with 'er indoors' if you know what I mean and she was next to me as I wrote the reveiw. i wouldn't drop myself in the you know what would I
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KITCHEN, you were there on June 1st, or shortly before. An excess of Young's is clearly affecting your memory'
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A marvelous time was had on Friday night. Our first visit back to the WILLIE in five years.From my point of veiw the beer's improved, now a Youngs house, and much can be said for the warm friendly yet laid back welcome. Sadly, we just missed the food - menu stops at 9PM Fridays when live music is on. However, the menu looked impresive for such a small pub so we'll be back next week a little earlier. Definatly recomend this pub!
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I was told that this is the main place in the village on a friday night. They were'nt far wrong. We had a great time. A very friendly little pub with good Youngs beer and reasonable wine for the missus. If your listening William IV get that BBQ fired up on Fridays and we'll be there every week!
anonymous - 27 Jun 2007 10:43 |
Great pub, good food, good beer, good asmosphere, live music Fridays nights, friendly staff and locals.
One compliant it's to small, so popular it gets packed. Keep up the good work, one of the best pubs I've been too.
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It seems to me that KITCHEN's being a bit hard on them for having one night off from providing food! I can think of more than one comparable pub which is closed altogether one day a week. Running a pub's a demanding business - give them a break.
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they dont do food on a Monday night. Shame on you WILLIAM IV shame on you!
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Without doubt the best sunday lunches in surrey.
anonymous - 3 Jun 2007 12:36 |
Recently aquired by Youngs this local pub is going places. freindly welcome, well kept beer, even freindly locals. the menu is quite extensive for such a small pub, I counted 40 dishes on my visit. Keep it up William iv. A great pub as pubs should be. I'll be back again and again...
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Dropped in for the first time the other week, and was favourably impressed. A quiet, relaxed atmosphere; one bar seemed to be mainly occupied by locals, but the general feel was friendly and welcoming, the bar staff were efficient and cheerful, and the beer was excellent.
Unlike some people ,I'm perfectly happy to drink Bedfordshire Young's, especially when it's as well kept as this. I hope to be back for more.
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Recently taken over by Youngs. Been redecorated and tidied up, all the cosy clutter has gone but still a friendly atmosphere, and beer in good condition. Suffers the Curse of the Sunday Roast I'm afraid. That's all these is on a Sunday. If you just want a snack you're out of luck. Why these pubs can't put a bit of said roast between two slices of bread and flog it to you for a fiver (this is Surrey) I've no idea.
It's still worth seeking out though.
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In last night for the first time. Friendly and pleasant with a good pint of Youngs. Will go back to eat some time soon.
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Went last night looks a nice pub, didn't stay as they do not do meals Monday or Tuesday.
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Looks as though it is one of a small row of houses hidden away from passing traffic.
The 3 small rooms are seperated by a corridor (through which a cold breeze blew the night we were there) and although the upholstery may be new it certainly isn't modern.
The Harveys was fine but 2 of my mates had Fullers which should have realy been sent back.
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The Billy is another Surrey pub you won't find by accident. Three small rooms off cental servery, the one at the back more of a restaurant. Open fires, nice atmosphere, good pub for winters evenings. Nothing much has changed here in decades. Beer fine, nice range, worth a special trip.
Nick - 2 Aug 2004 14:10 |
