Kings Arms, Haworth

My family and I came to this pub last year in summer. We go to Haworth quite a bit for walks, shopping etc. At that time we really enjoyed our time here, the food was amazing and the staff friendly and helpful.
That was the reason we decided to go back there on Sunday 21st November during Haworth's Christmas Market. The Monday before this, my partner rang up the pub to book a table for five people, we knew it might be busy and wanted to make sure we got a table. My patner was told 'no problem' and that they would save a table for us at 4pm.

We ended up at the pub about 20 minutes early and my partner went to bar and asked if they had a table ready or did they want us to wait?
In return we got a blank look and 'What you booked? When?' The bar staff then had a good talk and shaking of heads with each other, turned to us and said promptly 'No one rang on Monday, you got the wrong pub.' We were all shocked by this as the phone number was indeed correct and we double checked it when we got home, it seems someone didn't bother to write down our booking and instead of being honest about it they tried to make it our fault.
By this point we were all a little put out but were told there we free tables round the back and we could sit there. But still, certainly not the friendly welcome they say they pride themselves on!

Knowing that the food was good here we let this small point slide and took our tables. After picking our food from the large menu, we decided that two of us would go for the cheap senior citizen option.
They had run out of the roast, which was understandable on a busy Sunday so the rest of us picked something else. As we ordered it became apparent that the roast was not the only thing they had run out of, many side dishes were running low, but that was fine.

When the food arrived they'd given some of us the wrong side dishes, chips instead of wedges, salad instead of veg etc but again we let it go. We were however most annoyed at the senior citizen meals! Two Moby Dicks had been ordered (very large fish and chips) and when it came it was HALF the size of the one on the menu! The menu made no mention that the potions for senior citizen's was smaller and we were very annoyed by this, if we'd known we wouldn't have bothered! The fish also tasted old and stale, the batter was good though.

Two of our party ordered the burger and chips and I have never in all my life tasted such a salt laden meal, I couldn't finish it and it actually left my tongue tingling!! The burger was stated as being good quality but all I saw was salt and overly processed meat!
After this a few decided to get puddings and choose the carmel and apple pancakes. I heard it being ordered at the bar and heard the bar staff ask 'cream, custard or ice cream' and clearly heard the reply 'Ice cream on both please.'
When it came it was covered in custard! We sent it back and were told 'Well you can have ice cream with it as well if you want' Ice cream with hot custard?????
We declined and asked for fresh which was grudgingly agreed to with a stormy look sent our way. We would have had a coffee with the pudding but they'd 'Just cleaned the machine, so no.'
The seving staff seemed to have little clue of what they were doing, taking away plates before others had finished eating and getting orders mixed up.

It's so sad that this place seems to have gone downhill from the last time we came and we'll not be returning.

22 Nov 2010 15:42