BITE user comments - scotia001
Comments by scotia001
Starting to slide a bit. Now only 3 real ales regularly - where there used to be 4.
They also advertise freshly prepared and home cooked food, but conveniently ignore the frozen stuff, like the chips and onion rings.
On maintenance. When light bulbs fail - they never seem to be replaced. They advertised a new menu and management a few months ago - which might explain the drop in standards.
12 Jan 2011 16:30
Good selection of Real Ales, wines and superb food. Nice rustic atmosphere with a beer garden and large car park. Drinks a little bit pricey, but good quality.
Great staff, very attentive and a wonderful, warm and professional manageress.
Try their functions when they're on ... usually in a large marquee in the garden, they are very well run
19 Sep 2010 09:10
This pub looks okay superficially when we visited it on Saturday 18 Sept 2010, and the decor is quite nice - except for a large 'Walls Ice Cream' chest freezer, just inside the entrance and adjacent to the bar, which really lowers the tone.
Unfortunatley, they employ the usual standard - apathetic bar staff, mainly young ladies - who really make it clear that they don't want to be there, and serving customers interferes with their chit chats. The table staff seemed attentive however. Summary: Pay peanuts and get moneys.
The pub attempts to be all things for all customers, and fails by trying to meet too many customer profiles. There is the usual Big Screen TV area (why -groan) - a couple of small restaurant booths - a lounge area with sofas (we don't want to feel as if we're sitting in at home !!) a cramped array of table and chairs for drinkers opposite the bar, successfully creating a bottle neck by the the entrance - and finally, the ONE thing they DID get right - a family eating area (hoorah! at last).
The thing that caught our attention most, and way above anything else, were the meal prices - Wow! ....... ouch !!!!
I would expect to be sitting in a fairly good, and atmosphericly candle-lit restaurant to pay their asking prices. They seem to have lost sight of the fact that this is more or less just another Harvester. This is reflected by all of the ketchup and vinegar bottles on the restaurant tables (tacky).
Given the poor 'ambience' and level of customer service here - the meals (which in fairness did look good) need to drop their prices by at least 40% - if not more, to compete with the number of similar establishments all within a short distance from this venue.
Finally, there is an average beer garden adjacent to the car park - but their range of real ales and house wines was not bad.
All in all - not a place that we'll be going back to. I can have the same (or better) for a LOT cheaper just around the corner.
19 Sep 2010 08:54
The Shangrilla for real ale drinkers. The choice of 10/11 ales and their quality is amazing - you can even by it in 1/3rds of a pint to make sure you get to taste them all.
The quiet but pleasant ambience could be improved with some background music however - and some thought to offering a wider choice of bar nibbles (other than Walkers crisps) would enhance the experience of supping their delicious 1st class ales.
Definately worth a vist (or two).
17 Sep 2010 14:45
The Check Inn, North Wroughton
Went to this pub for the 1st time yesterday. I confess to being a big fan of Fullers Ales, and the beer here is FANTASTIC!
The beer is exceptioanly well kept and there is an impressively good range available, I'd highly recommend this pub to any Real Ale drinkers.
The decor is very nice but there are too many tables in the bar area, and you literaly have to squeeze past them. We were lucky that it was only moderately busy, so we could weave our way back and forth to the bar - but if it had been a full house - it would have been a nightmare trying to move around.
23 Jan 2010 15:30
This review is written by someone who dislikes Chain pubs - BUT - this one actually worrks for me.
The staff are friendly and helpfull, the prices for food and drink are VERY competitive.
It really helps having maintain a convivial atmosphere by having the 'sports' fans encouraged to use the other bar, rather than their thirst for football etc, undermine anyone else's desire for a pleasant night out with friends, or enjoyng a nice quiet meal.
The decor is very good, but some remedial maintenance would help however - sprung loaded doors to the loo BANGING shut every few seconds, and a noisy kitchen door which needs oiling.
We hope to become regulars, and like the balanced demographics - leaning slightly in favour of middle aged couples.
The choice of beers (real ales too hoorah!!) lagers, wines etc is commendable. My only criticism is that the young ladies behind the bar could do with some training in product knowledge i.e the basic differences between dry/medium/sweet wines etc.
All in all, a nice locals pub that makes an effort.
13 Aug 2009 20:45
A Victorian pub in need of an imaginative or thoughtful face-lift. This pub has so much potential, which could be realised with some investment in the bars and garden.
It seems to attract and cater for 'young/middle-aged men' who are obsessed with televised football/sport. The 'TWO' wall mounted TV screens in the main bar, and exterior SKY SPORT signage are testament to this. The pub also has a pool table.
The second bar (dining area?) has a dart board but is deviod of any atmosphere. It's reminisent of an old fashioned railway station waiting room - without passengers (customers).
The staff are polite and very helpful. The (limited range) beer is well kept and the wine is nicely chilled. Prices are very competitive.
Probably not the place to take your wife/girl friend for a night out, as it is VERY male dominated, but in fairness not threatening - never the less, not a place for couples out for a quiet drink.
The pub's location has a large potential local market, which it seems to totaly ignore (at their major financial loss) in favour of selling cheap lager to SKY TV enthusiasts.
13 Aug 2009 20:24
Oh dear. This was once a thriving successful pub, but now looks slightly worn out and tired. It actually looks closed when you drive past it. All it would take is for the frontage to be spruced up, some new plants, bright flowers and green foliage to the window boxes - make the place look 'open' for business again.
The price of a pint was extortionate however, more in keeping with a Top Inn, not a sleepy village pub. Clean the place, dress it up - do the garden, cut the grass, plant some flowers and charge 'reasonable' prices, and I bet this place would thrive again.
24 Jun 2009 15:29
The Three Horseshoes, Towersey
This pub has so much unrealised potential, but is let down by the general apathy shown by the bar staff (possibly the Landlord/lady?).
A welcome greeting, or fare well is a common courtesay and good business practice. Was disappointed at the poor level of customer service; Example - whilst waiting for service, having bar staff attend to you by ignoring you, and saying to the other "serve this guy will you".
Reasonable prices, great beer, but wine could be 'chilled properly' however.
12 Apr 2009 17:19
An honest and friendly 'locals' pub'. It has a lot of potential to develop and improve - with a bit of investment. Great staff and fair prices for beer and wine, but could benefit from expanding its range of Real Ales and wine.
12 Apr 2009 17:07
A very nice venue, with great beer and good staff.
Standards seem to have attracted a bit of a rollercoaster effect over the last few months however. Some positive management changes are evident, but the pub still suffers from 'occassional' inconsistencies with the basics, such as toilet maintenance/cleaning frequency.
12 Apr 2009 17:02
This pub serves excellent food and fantastic beer. The staff are superb, professional and attentive. The only 'minor' criticisms are: the beer and wine prices are a tad high - and they close at 11 pm at weekends and holidays - when they should stay open until midnight at least?.
12 Apr 2009 16:50
Wonderful pub, only let down by the small 'bar service area' which definately needs relocated to offer a longer bar-top.
6 Jan 2009 18:36
Nice locals pub. Lovely Landlord and Landlady, serving decent food and offering warm hospitality. Not too sure if they are going overboard with the family orientation though, too many unsupervised children taking over the bar area, pushing the regulars away from the heart of the pub.
6 Jan 2009 18:35
Friendly Landlady. Good service, nice beer. Can be a bit loud when some younger guests feel the need ot sing (chant?).
6 Jan 2009 18:30
Now been refurbishesd and the lounge looks more like a trendy wine bar with large TV screens showing what else? football.
19 Jun 2007 11:31
Very basic but clean - lino floors, formica topped tables, plastic moulded chairs.
19 Jun 2007 11:27
The Old Port Inn, Port Elphinstone
Now called the Bridge Bar. Avoid at ALL costs, it is frequented by unemployed hard drinkers during the week, and young bucks at the weekend. Very intimidating threatening locals.
19 Jun 2007 10:55
The Blundston Arms, Swindon
Nice decor and reasonably good service. The food's quite nice if I'm honest and competitively priced. The 2 major plus points however are the wide range of real Ales, which I can recomend - and the fact that kids are not allowed (hoorah) meaning that unusually, it's grown ups only.
12 Dec 2011 17:22