The Fox and Hounds, Westerham

AVOID THIS PUB UNTIL IT CHANGES HANDS.

I wish that I had read these comments before going to this pub today for lunch.

My mother, who is visiting from France, booked a table for a joint birthday lunch for my sister and me. As my other sister had to go back to Manchester and my daughter to Bristol after lunch, she booked the 6 of us in for the 12.30 'sitting'. I won't usually go anywhere that has 'sittings' but she and my sister had fond memories of the place, it's halfway between hers and mine, and we could all go for a walk on Toys Hill in the morning - so I said nothing, which I now much regret.

Although the food was good and the waiting staff friendly, we were treated to the rudest and most aggressive display of foul manners from Tony Hickmott that I have ever experienced. It included not bringing the main course for my sister with the rest and then, after she had cancelled her order, bringing it 20 minutes later and when she rejected it, Mr Hickmott came and slammed it down in front of here and said - 'it's been cooked and you'll pay for it whether you eat it or not.' Then he harangued me about it for several minutes including complaining that we had been late (I had arrived on time at 12.30 with my daughter and they couldn't find our table as they had recorded our name wrongly).

Later, when - after paying the bill for �130, my mother ( who is in her late 70s) told him that she was disappointed with his behaviour which had spoiled our enjoyment of the occasion, he grabbed her and told her to go back to France. I didn't call the police because I just wanted to get out of there and away from such an unpleasant experience as fast as possible.

My view is that this man's aggression and rudeness are out of control and I do not consider him a suitable person to hold a licence. I certainly recommend that you do not go there until it changes hands.

27 Feb 2011 18:47