The Red Lion — Restaurant in Arun

Nice pub atmosphere, decent food. One member of staff ruined it.

Walked in. Saw a table. No reserved sign on it or anything like that. Ordered drinks and food at bar to that table we were sat at. Took our money and ordered fine. 10 minutes later whilst we are sitting drinking our drinks waiting for food, young man comes and pops reserved sign on our table and walks off. I went up and explained we just ordered food and asked what was going on basically. Man said it's just so once we leave someone else can get our table. Even though we planned on watching rugby and eating out food I didn't mind as we weren't gonna get rushed out. Went and sat down feeling at ease that issue was solved and THEN this older woman with dark hair came up and said did we want to sit on a table near the window to eat (no view of tv for rugby). I said no, that's okay we can eat here (table in front of us with cutlery on it and the table that we ordered to and she was the one who put the order through hahaha). Lady then proceeded to tell me that table is reserved. I said that sign was not there when we arrived and that we were able to order food from her to said table. Lady then said that's because sign wasn't put on table but it should have been (still no apology bare in mind). I said why do we need to move when we have ordered food to this table and it's not our fault. Lady: "it's a constant turnover"

How bizarre, right?! Like no sorry, no nothing - don't piss on me and tell me it's raining love. It could have been so different if the staff member just handled that with a little integrity and understanding. If she had came up and just been honest and said "I'm so sorry we actually have this table reserved and we didn't have time to put on the sign, would you mind moving?" Just a little bit of respect and honesty? Is that too much to ask?

Wouldn't surprise me if someone responds to this calling me a liar haha! Like stranger things have happened in that place

Zero customer care. Got turfed out of a table that was not reserved when we arrived. No apology. Would not recommend. Avoid...

Food was very good but the service very much let things down badly. It wasn't particularly busy on our visit as it was 1.00pm last Saturday and we'd phoned on route to check they could accommodate 4 of us and a well behaved puppy.

Under Covid rules, nobody should be allowed to the bar, but with that I'm mind you would exect attentive table service...no such service was experienced once the meal had been served. Only 3 of the 4 meals ordered arrived at the table and the 4th meal didn't arrive for another 10nminutes which meant the rest of the meals had gone cold. Despite trying to get the attention of the waiting staff in order to order a dessert, nobody came to the table, so we didn't bother as we had to wait a further 20 minutes to get the bill.

Despite the rule of not going to the bar due to the Covid rules, people were wandering around freely, some without masks and going to the bar frequently. Even though there was a one way in/out system in place, this was being ignored by a lot of customers some of which were well inebriated, but not being challenged by staff to adhere to the rules. We were asked to sign or scan in on arrival, but that seemed to be as far as the rules were policed. Even the toilets were a free for all, so all in all we felt very uncomfortable being in the pub and certainly won't be returning on a hurry.

We were returning to home after a week stay in the New Forest where we ate out every time in local public houses and throughout our time in the New Forest pubs, every single one were very strictly enforcing every single Covid which everybody respected and made us feel very comfortable and safe. So to return to our home county to eat on our way home and face this sort of abysmal service and lack of attention to the rules, was very disappointing and frustrating.

Places like the Red Lion don't deserve to have customers and it would be their own fault if they fell foul to the current situation.

We certainly wouldn't recommend visiting...

My husband & I were there fresh from Canada, looking forward to a plate of fish & chips. What we got was a rude young bartender. I dont know her name, but she's a thin, lovely looking, tall, girl with tattoos. I Don't know how else to discribe her, but someone needs to go over customer service with her as I was in it for years, & belive this girl needs to be more appreciative of customers. My husband & I found a tall round table at the front when we arrived. I have tunnel vision & didn't see the sign for the washroom right away. So I asked the young lady and she was a bit rude. My sight impairment is not something to mock. We waited a bit. No one came to our table, in Canada they do, so I asked if I should wait for a waitress or if I have to go to the bar and ask her. It had been a bit. She snapped, " You have to go through me." My husband, a passive man, went to the counter and asked for a beer that is milder than a Guinness . She asked what he normally drank. I told her we were Canadian, our beer brands are different , and she probably wouldn't know them. She piped up loudly, " Now that was a rather broad statement now wasn't it?! I am a bartender I know my beers." It wasn't a broad statement. So I asked her if she had ever been to Canada? She said, " No, how old do you think I am?" I then remarked, " Then it isn't a rather broad statement then." She then went, Wooohooohoo!!" She's rude, unreceptive to customers, and immature. She needs coaching. My husband drinks Molson Canadian. Canadian beers aren't sold in England. I did not see any. She's rude. She treated me with a chip on her shoulder like we were enemies. I am not use to being treated that way. Normally people like me. It was very bazaar. My husband and I are in our 50's. Decent people. The way she acted was...