please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
What used to be one of my favorite pubs ruined! What used to be a friendly pub with lots of atmosphere seems to have been reduced to a daytime only serving hatch (possibly open evenings at weekends?
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I visited this pub for the first time last week. It has a beautiful setting, the ale was fine, but the staff were useless. As someone else said: 'They don't want us here on the island'. In particular it was the rude girl who served me that I objected to. She has had a total and complete character bypass. She hadn't got a clue. She was an embarassment. If I ever go in there again I will make my feelings known from the start. These rude incompetents need to be told. Discgraceful of her employers to let her loose on the general public. Therefore I give it 3/10. (And that was because of the lovely view!).
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This used to be a favorite haunt of mine but I wouldn't bother any more, must have the rudest staff of any pub in the UK, if your not a local (and I am) or a resident of the hotel then don't bother, get insulted elsewhere.
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Small 2/3 roomed pub with old wooden sign depicting a pilchard and the date 1336, also printed in bold on the whitewashed stone exterior if you approach from the beach. The �Front Bar�, as mentioned previously, has a small sign at the door indicating hotel guests & regulars only, which is unfortunate, but I don�t know how actively that is enforced and can�t say that I noticed any �us & them� atmosphere last Sun/Mon, although there should have been service cover for both sides to avoid the log-jam that a couple of large rounds created. Front Bar has studded wood stable door, old stone fireplace with heavy wooden lintel & open wood burning grate, cobbled floor by fire otherwise slate tiles, low beamed ceiling, old curved wood settle & a scatter of tables & chairs, a stuffed hawk is displayed in a recessed glass case and lanterns & ship�s wheel lend character. A little snug to the side has one table, settles & chairs and bar servery. Slipway Bar, whilst admittedly less atmospheric, is served by the same central servery, has higher beamed ceiling, low window settles, 6 tables, blackboard announcing soup & baguettes and, contrary to the statement in the article quoted by Devon_Miles, a bar (not a serving hatch) with more footage than that of the Front Bar. Just outside is a covered smoking area & beyond to a picnic set & barrel table with view over the strip of sand to mainland, below this another 9 picnic sets have similar vista and no �roping off� was evident last week. This was a pretty idyllic spot to sit with a beer in the sunshine waiting for the tide to retreat (sea tractor out of action). The beers are Pilchard Best (which I heard is St Austell Cousin Jack, but couldn�t find that name on StA site) and XSB from South Hams Brewery. I don�t think the new barman who started Mon will last too long but the other guys were good, incl Gary, a star from the hotel. The pub has an upper room which forms extra accommodation for Burgh Island Hotel.
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Romantic setting, beautuful pub, been coming here from Brum since we were kids with the family.
Stunning views and beer is ok, not the cheapest place, but tyou pay for the setting really.
It is a little annoying that the hotel reserves half the bar for it's residents, but to be honest, last time we visited, they let us through anyway. I'm just pleased this quiet little retreat is still there... virtually unchanged.
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From the Kingsbridge and Salcombe Gazette
Something bitter left a nasty taste in the mouth
Monday, 11 May 2009
Michael Powell writes:
I was looking forward to visiting the famous ancient Pilchard Inn on Burgh Island. Unfortunately, on the day I chose to do so (2/5/09) a notice informed me that the main bar was for the use of �regulars and hotel guests only�.
The pub management weren�t too grand to accept our money though � members of the great unwashed could obtain drinks from the Slipway Bar � an overcrowded serving hatch with none of the historic atmosphere this establishment is supposed to possess.
Something left a nasty taste in the mouth � and it wasn�t the beer.
Now, although it may be annoying to have your local overrun by tourists, a public house is supposed to be exactly that � an establishment open to all members of the public.
If the Pilchard Inn�s licensees want to run a private members� club, they should say so openly and submit a licence application to the local district council accordingly.
To be fair, the woman who served me was perfectly pleasant, but the Burgh Island management have a serious attitude problem. I�ve never seen anywhere go to such ridiculous lengths to impose a system of social apartheid on to people who, regardless of what they are buying, are all paying customers.
There was even a roped-off section of the beer garden where the hotel guests could sit like animals in the zoo and be gawped at by their supposed social inferiors.
A visit to Burgh Island made well-heeled Salcombe, where I currently work, appear a haven of egalitarianism by comparison � at least the pubs there don�t impose a residency condition. Neither was the beauty and tranquillity of this wonderful island enhanced by the rich idiots who insisted on arriving and leaving by helicopter, ruining everyone else�s peace and quiet and blowing sand into the drinks and food of those pub customers who chose � or were required by the establishment�s entry criteria � to consume their purchases al fresco. I hope that you will see fit to publish this letter and afford the right of reply to the management of the Pilchard Inn and Burgh Island Hotel.
I would be interested to read of what they have to say to your readers about this state of affairs.
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Great setting but the quite possibly the worst pub I have ever visited. Half of pub given over to hotel guests only. On day of my visit the bar was manned by only 1 person (who had seemingly just got off the bus form Warsaw and spoke no English). No fizzy drinks available and an irate family who had booked food but were told none availble after all. Basically I got the feeling that the owners would rather that the average punter was not there at all and that the pub could be given over entirely to the hotel
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Terrific pub in a unique setting. Surprised the rating is only 6.5 although some people are perhaps understandably annoyed by the ruling that half the pub is for residents of the Burgh Island hotel only. However it is a great old building, nice service the day we visited and the "Pilchard Ale" was very good.
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This pub did have a change of wonership a few years ago (1999?) and was not as good asi t used to be but it is now back on track as a homeLy and unique pub -well worth the experience.
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You cannot beat this place for location, on a summers day outside its brilliant, and a proper traditional pub, just make sure you don't miss the last tractor back to the main land!
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Walked over and popped in for a pint, walked up the hill and back back then popped in for a few more. Very busy, good beer and plenty of charecter
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Enjoyed the walk over to this charming pub over the sands so didn't experience the sea tractor. The beers were great, but one of the things I like to do is wander round a new pub and I was prevented from doing this as the main bar was for locals and hotel residents only. The small bar for visitors made me feel I was being served from a kiosk and I thought it took some of the pubs charm away.
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Worth the walk if not the price of the sea tractor. When we went the children were welcome in the lower bar but may be different in peak season. Beer and food Good.
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Nearly didnt come here due to previous comments but there is bugger all around here.To my surprize it was friendly and the beer was excellent,and local Devon beer too.Had a really tasty curry soup and watered down squash for the kids,thats the way I like it for the little uns.The location is exceptional and the kids loves the sea tractor.Carefree.
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I have been here before and we went into the main part of the pub - this was 5 years ago and we have a photo of us in there when we first got together (now married with children). Now you are excluded from the main bar and the small public bar served up flat beer and rude service and terribly watered down orange squash for the kids. What an attitude!!!
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We've visited this pub twice now having spent the day on the beach nearby. Yes it's unique, yes the beer is good and the views wonderful, but will we go there again? I don't think so. The public bar has a rope across and a sign saying that it's for locals and the nearby hotel residents only - happy to take our money but excluding us from half the pub. The first time the barman kept asking us to hurry up with our order (we had 4 young kids with us - it can take a bit of time). The 2nd time he sat outside complaining about the right of way act and ramblers.... No we're not going again!
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here here to dans comment, the pilchard has the charm of an olde england pub inside and out. the views are superb, when the tide is in the island is cut off but for a small fee the sea tractor will transport you across from the mainland (don't know the price or how often it runs). The beer is good, the only down side is that the food is limited (sarnys only), you won't find another place like it, its well worth a visit.
paul - 11 Nov 2004 23:22 |
Really bad. They're the only pub on the island, and they know it. Dirty, few beers, food pricey and didn't look very nice. We walked back to the mainland and went to the Journey's End instead - which was much better.
anonymous - 31 Aug 2004 16:43 |
this is incorrect use of the english language, but this is the most unique pub that you'll find . it's on a tidal island . you can walk across the sand to it when the tide is out, otherwise you get transported the 30yards to the island by a custom-made boat, like a tractor . the interior is truelly old-school historic . there is an hotel on the island which shares the same telephone number .
dan - 13 Aug 2004 12:11 |
