Kings Arms — Restaurant in Basingstoke and Deane

Visited here last Friday for lunch after being on the road, and reading reviews online. Now, we have been living in some surreal times and it really has been astonishing how our everyday lives have changed, however we as a country are now not only moving on but also opening up with an aim to normal services continuing.....hmmmm🤔🤔🤔 not if you visit this pub !! Entered by the front door to be met by a super friendly landlady.. who immediately wanted our details.. tried to lighten the request by enquiring how she would know if details left are correct.. ahemm pretty certain if she could ask for proof she would. We then proceeded to an indoor table .. on a one way system.. narrow hallway round to lounge.. which is a good size with a dining room off of it.. And people this is where the bizarrely odd behaviour really took off! Same lady left us menus on a different table.. then proceeded to stand on the other side off the room to take our drinks order.. Drinks arrived. Left on the other table. At this point I was starting to become alarmed.. are we paying customers or have we entered the twighlight zone?? Meals arrive. Left on a different table with cutlery , one sachet of salt&pepper each plus 1 sachet mayonnaise each. By this time, I was aggrieved. The actual lunch was very nice and indeed the only bonus of the visit ( p.s order had been paid for at first mark of the block.. no offer of a tab, or bill after which consequently meant no further additions, we are grown adults in our 50s.. unlikely runners!!) Had to request more condiments.. can truly believe they have a full and updated regular stock take of condiment sachets ( seriously, we are adults, we can decide how much salt/ pepper etc we want.. since when was it rationed?) Meal finished. Purposely left plates on our table. Now picture the scene.. just myself, partner in the room. No customers in the building apart from us.. I get up to use the lavatory before leaving .. waitress tells me i have to leave by back door , walk round the front and in front door down the corridor to loo.. Ffs. ARE THEY SERIOUSLY DELUDED? Like a good honest person I do this all whilst thinking this management has some serious issues.. After using the lav.. I enter back into the , yes you guessed it.. empty lounge .. The landlady and husband? Are behind the bar.. one is totally honest.. food was great ..atmosphere, service and pettiness appalling! I was quite surprised the landlady didnt don a full protective suit at this stage.. although she did make the male stand back🤔🤔.. When asked why I couldnt walk across the empty lounge to facilitate the lavatory.. I was told they are protecting their staff.. Jaysus.. the one waitress???? Tried to highlight that the public are mostly able to manage ourselves.. i.e.. if we walk across an empty pub towards the lavatory and subsequently meet the 1 waitress or one of the zero customers that entered whilst we were there.. I can manage to stay away from the other person !! Cant even leave the pub without following their fenced in alleys !! Jayus.. management get a bloody grip !!! Having stayed at and utilised 2 other pubs on the weekend away. I can assure you meals were served to us. We were made to feel welcome. We did not follow heras fencing !

One can only presume that the instigator of their rigid upright management of the guidance issued by the government is somebody who clearly has a phobia of germs, people and ultimately rule breakers !!

Please do visit when this is all over .. if the business survives in these lean times ( however take your own condiments !)

We are now back safely in the present moment having left the Kings Arms and its twighlight...

Lost its charm sadly, used to be able to swing by grab a nice light lunch and have a pint during the week. (dirty fries or a pizza etc) but now the food is all too formal for a quick pit stop. Also much less choice of drinks. I get the impression that the drinks on tap are what the landlord likes, very few good Larger’s and zero IPA’s to choose from. Not everyone likes flat ale! But it seems they do so there is a few ales to choose from. Food wise the menu is limited and lacks some traditional good old pub favourites. Fancy burger that is not actually that great, a venison burger etc. I hope it works for the new owners but never seen it so quiet at lunch time during the week. Used to be busy for lunch and now its not. But prices and portion sizes are good. Also the new staff are not a patch on the old...

Came by on the way back from seeing family - for the first time. Stopped in to grab some food and a quick drink. Was met by the lovely land lady. Now that the lockdown is over, the atmosphere was so friendly. The team are looking after their staff with a one way system and making every effort in these crazy times. The food was sublime, the pint was amazing, I would recommend this place to anyone. I'll be going back before this craziness is all over and will make it a regular every time...