Black Horse, Sidmouth

Bad service, bad attitude, bad food.

I visited this pub on Saturday evening. Wasn't particularly busy which should probably have sounded the alarm bells.

We ordered our meals an 8oz burger for me and a lamb burger for my wife. Then the wait began. Whilst we were waiting an elderly couple came in and the gentleman stood at the bar waiting to order. And he waited, and he waited. Bar staff came and went, but the gentleman (the only person stood at the bar) was ignored. The lady that appeared to be the manager managed to speak to someone she new who walked up to the bar but continued to ignore the elderly gentleman.

Watching this going on I decided to intervene and the next time someone came through, which happened to be the manageress, I stood up and said 'Excuse me but this gentleman has been waiting for 10 minutes to be served'. To which I was told that she had seen him but was busy dishing out meals to other people and that was more important.

I responded that no one had even bothered to acknowledge his presence to which I was informed that she had been doing this for 20 years and she knew her job.

I was gob-smacked. And then our food arrived... The burger was worse than you get in McDonalds just plain between a soggy bun and if it weighed more than 4oz I'd be very surprised. It was overcooked around the edges and undercooked in the middle. The rest of the plate contained some chips which were ok, some lettuce and a small bowl of relish. For �7 I expect something far better. My wife's meal was even worse as you could hardly see the burger it was that small.

We ate and left never to return. Our family, who visit Sidmouth regularly, will never return and not only will I be leaving similar reviews on other websites but I have also written to the local paper.

There is no need for poor food, rude service and a bad attitude and the sooner these sort of establishments are eradicated the better we will all be for it.

24 May 2010 11:52