The Carriers, Stockton

Maybe we were very unlucky when we visited the Carriers early in April 2010.

My wife and I plus our 2 children decided to have lunch after a trip through the Wylye Valley. It was a perfect warm sunny spring day ideal for a good pub lunch - we would have had better food with superior presentation at the nearby transport caff on the A303. Welcome was ok, pub was fairly busy but then the beer garden was closed. Menu was very limited but we assumed as the price was quite high the food would be good. How wrong.

Steak and mushroom pie reminded me of being 10 and having a Fray Bentos Pie straight from the tin, chips were soggy and then possibly grilled for 2 minutes to gain that level of blandness and anemic appearance. I did search for vegetables but presumably the veg garden was closed too.

My wife's Pasta, again not cheap, looked as if it had been cooked and served by a 9 - year- old.

The children were happy, but lets face it does anybody know a child who refuses to eat fish fingers smothered in tomato sauce?

Needless to say we left most of our food and because we are English we didn't complain, just left without thanking our hosts.

Great location but very very disappointing experience which I guess explains why pubs are closing at such a rate.

18 Apr 2010 20:23