The Greyhound, Weston Green

The pub most certainly needed some new life breathed into it. However, It does seem a little stark and austere compared to it's old feel. I'm not sure how appealing English Tapas - that's something more appropriate for Esher and despite, it's proximity, Weston Green is very different to Esher. The owners have been friendly and unfriendly in equal measure – they perhaps need reminding that they are working in a service industry rather than a prison camp on occasions. They're of course entitled to discourage clientele that isn't their target market - but their target market is hardly going to be attracted to a pub that is largely empty and when customers can never be sure whether the chef is on or off, or even if it is going to be open, especially later in the evenings. If someone visits a pub at 10 and it is shut or shutting down, they are hardly going to visit again are they? They want to attract families, which is good, but spookily enough, the majority of the regulars who have been alienated by the standoffishness of the new owners actually have families. As a general rule, new landlords and landladies, do their utmost to encourage whatever custom the pub has (no matter how small) whilst at the same time introducing their new vision, thereby maintaining at least some kind of regular turnover. In this day and age, pubs need all the custom they can get (of course excluding yobs and underage punters) but unless they have bottomless pockets, their obvious selectiveness in who they want to encourage to use their business seems a very high risk strategy for what is essentially a community pub. And as mentioned before, punters not wanting a traditional pub and 'different' food are far better placed going to Esher where they can park (despite the description this pub has NO car park) and where they have a choice of over 30 restaurants and bars. I say this not out of any bitterness but more out of sadness… and also based on my observations of having worked in the licensed trade for over 25 years

28 Feb 2014 15:43