BITE user comments - davidfthorn
Comments by davidfthorn
Nice clean well decorated pub, plenty of atmosphere for a quiet drink. Reasonable prices.
20 May 2012 11:03
For a small town pub this could be a jewel, if it had an oldie world pub atmosphere. Dropped in for a drink on a Saturday night and found outselves in a disco with load music, flashing lights and no one dancing!
It's the sort of place you walk in as a stranger and everyone stops and stares at you, like we are the ones with two heads! Rather unfriendly. No place to sit so huddled at the bar. Just a couple of young girls serving.
Didn't look like it had been refurbed, looking rather tatty. Car park across the room but even charges 70p to park in the evening. Didn't feel safe in the area with gangs of kids messing about.
Would go back any time soon.
13 Mar 2011 09:43
Quite a busy pub, service was quick and efficient at the bar. Restaurant didn't seem as though anyone was eating, we weren't out for a meal so can't comment on the grub.
Huge TV on, gaming machine and music blaring out (someone even turned it up whilst we were there)...that's it - time to leave!
If you like a towny, noisy pub it's for you, but for those of us that like to find a seat for a quite drink and a chat...give it a miss.
13 Mar 2011 09:30
Quite busy during our visit on a Saturday night, but service was quick and efficient. Locals seem friendly enough and helpful when we asked for directions to some other pubs (as part of our pub crawl).
Commend them for putting on entertainment, a group were setting up when we were there. Not our scene but if others want a load of noise when they go out drinking - then fine....but we would avoid or move on (as we did do).
The down side - a few uncontrolled children running about, up and down from tables, barging in to backs of our seats and playing on the dart board. What happened to the law about children in pubs?
Also, we hate pubs with TV's blarring out. TV's are Ok for a serious sporting event in a pub, but sorry if we wanted to watch Harry Hill's TV Burb at full blast then I'd stay at home and open a tinny.
I guess this is a pub that attracts a certain type...but then it drives other people away. Would be better if they returned to the concept of public and saloon bars with noise, kids and TV's in one area and another for a quiet drink where you could have a chat with a chance of hearing each other.
Have fun if you enjoy it - but not for us.
13 Mar 2011 08:38
A pub with absolutely no atmosphere. The most expensive for a round of drinks during our pub crawl in Bicester.
Untrained bar staff who have no idea which glasses to use for which drink, seem to think any drink should be served in a pint or half pint glass. No brandy glasses (even for a supposed eatery), so after stopping the server about to use a half pint glass, it was served in a sherry schooner...need I go on about the rest of the round....
Rubbish service and prices...avoid this establishment.
13 Mar 2011 08:21
The Full Moon, Little Kingshill
A great little pub with loads of atmosphere, really out in the sticks, single track lane from Gt Misssenden to find this place, but well worth it. Good service, reasonable prices, did not eat but meals we saw looked good and hearty. Loos used by the ladies in our party and they were clean. The sort of pub we would go back to for further drinks and something to eat - service was good, could find not fault with this pub.
21 Sep 2010 09:48
The George Inn, Great Missenden
Quite a nice pub with atmosphere. Hard to park, double yellow lines and could not use the pubs small car park as a police van was blocking the entrance! Looks an interesting pub, spoiled slightly by a gaming machine near the bar. Service good and friendly.
21 Sep 2010 09:42
The Cross Keys, Great Missenden
Visited on a Saturday evening - not closed as per previous review. Very small pub, no tables available to just sit with a drink and no room at the bar, so we sat outside a bit chilly until the bar staff put on the heaters under the sunshade. Fortunately no smokers in our immediate vacinity. Looks like a proper little pub, well supported, they make the most of the small patio with some lovely flower baskets. Mind your head on the low door at the rear of the pub!
21 Sep 2010 09:37
Quite a large modern style pub, but very run down. Large car park and kids play area (closed when we visited). Saturday night and only about 8 people in there, no one eating. Looks like it is in terminal decline. Was probably quite a popular place once when it had some care. Awfully depressing.
26 Jul 2010 12:44
Not impressed by this pub, does have a few real ales but overall not clean enough for us. Car park is small and extremely difficult to get in to. Has a small patio garden at the front right by the bus stop, a few dirty old rotting benches and some dog mess! Landlord wearing skimpy shorts (someone who doesn't care about own appearence isn't likely to care much about his pub)! Round of drinks the most expensive in our pub crawl around Harefield.
26 Jul 2010 11:36
A lovely pub, did a pub crawl around the area on a Saturday night with friends - this was the best of the evening. Good size car park, garden area at the front (looked safe for keeping any kids amuzed and safe). Clean and with a real pub atmosphere inside, quick, pleasant and efficient service, comfy areas to sit. We weren't eating, but the smells we picked up got our gastric juices going! This pub lives up to it's name - wish it was in our village or closer to our home, because we would frequent it and return for a meal. Go - enjoy!
26 May 2010 09:11
The Lord Nelson, Brightwell Baldwin
Looks lovely from the outside and in a nice village location. However, that is as good as it gets. Old fellow behind the bar looks like he needs returning to the old folks home, so unbelievably slow and not a word of apology for taking for ever to serve. This place is a total rip-off - four drinks (glass of lemonade, small orange juice, JD & dash of lemonade and a brandy i.e two alcoholic drinks and two soft drinks) total �11.30 What!!!!!!!! Frequented by people with more money than sense, who dress down like they have no money but can afford champagne in buckets. Large patio area but the table we sat was filthy, probably not been wiped down for weeks. Advise - take your custom elsewhere for service and better value.
26 May 2010 08:59
Very much a foodie pub, can't comment about the food as we were just passing by and stopped for a drink. Seems to be very popular on a Saturday night. Large garden, with plenty of seating, that were we had to go as there was no space in the pub itself, good thing it was a nice warm evening. Sorry, but I hate pubs that go totally over to food and have no room for casual drinkers by the bar or at a few tables. Bar staff none to bright - asked for a dash of lemonade with my JD and got a glass full to the brim. Obviously, some training required!
26 May 2010 07:45
The Fox and Hounds, Watlington
A proper traditional oldie pub, quick efficient service, pleasant staff. Small and very full car park at the rear. This is the only pub we have been in that issued a till receipt for our round of drinks - excellent. I wish it was law that ever pub had to do this by law so that we can check prices and ensure that we are not being riped off.
26 May 2010 07:33
The Charles Dickens, Beaconsfield
This place looks like a proper pub from the outside and inside it is a proper pub, furnished as a true pub should look.
Cost of drinks above average, but not over the top like the Saracens.
Not clean enough for you to want to eat here, but for us the best of a bad bunch in Beaconsfield.
Shame, because so much more could be made of this establishment and with the few customers we saw for a Saturday night this will be on the closure list. Potentially, this place could be a really nice pub because it has character.
A word to the pub owner/management - get a grip, give a friendlier service, clean up the general appearance inside and make the whole experience more welcoming.
25 Apr 2010 10:57
The Greyhound Bar, Beaconsfield
Nicely furnished, clean but quite clinical, like it's trying to be a wine bar rather than a pub.
Very non-busy for a Saturday night, probably understandable given the price of the drinks.
This is the sort of place that as "non-locals" the staff and the few customers there sort of stare at you - most unwelcoming and uncomfortable.
Enough said, would not visit again thanks.
25 Apr 2010 10:42
Royal Saracens Head, Beaconsfield
Expensive to the extreme. Same round of drinks at the Old White Swan �8 something, at this pretentious establishment �13 something. No pub can justify a fiver extra for a round of drinks!
Souless, no character place. Service was quick and efficient. Quiet gravel area outside which must have been a driveway to sit in.
Now the worst experience - I visited this place with my wife and two friends. We are all retirees and over 60. When we go out to pubs we dress smart casual. One of the bar staff obviously took offense to the fact that I was wearing a baseball cap (with a 5 star Mexican hotel named on it, I might add). Although I was already being served by another member of staff, he asked me to remove my cap, to my embarrassment in front of all the customers at the bar. On asking him why, he said we have a dress code!
That's a first! It was also the first and last time we will visit The Saracens Head. Now I can understand dress codes if you wish to keep out a certain clientele, but to apply such a code with out commonsense and bit of flexibility is down right offensive.
Visit again or recommend? not on your life. All the other pubs we visted in Beaconsfield were better and more welcoming than this place. Our advise - go elsewhere - we will.
25 Apr 2010 10:24
The Old White Swan, Beaconsfield
Quite a nice pub, the best we found in Beaconsfield. Quick efficient friendly service at the bar. Comfortable, clean & quiet drinking area to the right of the pub (looking from front door).
Our round of drinks was the cheapest at this pub in Beaconsfield.
Would we visit again - yes.
25 Apr 2010 10:08
The Bull, Towcester
Bit of an odd layout to this pub. Restaurant shut off, bar somewhat trying to be like a trendy wine bar, then there is the red brick floored section that looks a bit like a conservatory and hardly used. Not impressed with a Scotch that finished off a bottle of Bells and was then topped up with Jamiesons! Lazy landlord not bothered to get a fresh bottle of Scotch! Can't speak about the food, but would avoid for a drink.
20 May 2012 11:08