The Finchingfield Lion — Restaurant in Braintree

Post covid teething troubles

We live quite close to this pub, and we come here often. Its a great pub, with a good selection of beer and good home made food. However.....back in June 2020, at the end of the (1st) covid lockdown, when the pubs opened again, we chose to come to this pub for a much missed pint and pub meal. We rang approx a week in advance, to confirm they were open on the first day, and they advised they were, but we were advised to pre-book a table for meals, as they were expecting to be busy, understandably. It was suggested by the landlord to book early, as if they were busy, as anticipated, they might run out of food if we left it later in the evening. So, to be safe, we booked for 5pm, which is a bit earlier than we would normally eat our evening meal, either at home, or out. So the big day arrived, and we turned up, to find the pub empty, except for 2 people drinking at the bar. We were told no one else had booked for the day, and we were their only diners for the day. We did wonder why nobody had called us to offer us a later spot, but let it pass without comment. We ordered our drinks and food, and were then told that due to social distancing rules, we would have to eat outside?? The pub was empty, except for the the 2 people drinking at the bar! So we went and sat in the beer garden. It was a bit blustery and grey, and threatened rain, but we settled down to our drinks. It was also not the warmest of June days! Our food came out, and I asked the landlord what the plan was if it started raining, whilst we were eating outside. He said he'd sort something out. I'd ordered smoked brisket with chips and salad. It came out minus salad. I asked for my missing salad, and received a puzzled look! Approx 5 minutes later, part way through my meal, a very small sauce pot of coleslaw came out, as my salad. I was dissapointed, as they had mackerel salad on the menu, so I was expecting just a little bit of real salad! It then began raining lightly, so we were forced to retreat to the smoking shelter to eat our meals in the dry. At no point did the landlord or partner pop out to offer us alternative shelter, or even "sort something out" as earlier promised. What really annoyed us though, was that as we ate, at least 5 or 6 people went into the pub, purely to drink, and none of them were asked to drink outside to "abide with social distancing rules", as we had been told. It seemed crazy to send diners outside to eat, but to allow drinkers to remain inside, in the warm and dry! It spoke volumes that drinkers were more welcome than diners, on that particular day! Or maybe they were regulars, and they were offering them preferential treatment due to their loyalty??

Despite the above issues, we will go back to the pub, as we like it, and we can only assume, if things have improved, that this was just first day post covid jitters?

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The Finchingfield lion, I had seen a couple of YouTube reviews about the pizza. So the cheater and I and my daughter this time decided to try it for ourselves. I believe we were served by the land lady ?, at first, we did feel like we were interrupting conversations going on with locals. We ordered drinks and a pizza each, and the pizzas were absolutely gorgeous. The YouTube channel we watched was 1000% right. All three of us agreed that these were without a doubt the best pizza we have had EVER would we go back again HELL YES . The pub was clean and tidy man and ladies toilets were very clean (I got my daughter to check the ladies' toilets before anyone says How do I know about the ladies' toilets? lol). I did speak to who I believed is the land lady about the gorgeous pizzas. I am a local at Finchingfield as a biker, and the Finchingfield lion is an overlooked pub by bikers / cyclists, and everyone should pop in for a beer wine or soft drink ask for a menu and try the amazing pizza on offer you will not regret it. We paid £50 for three drinks and three pizza's all three of us agreed it was a reasonable price .please please don't ride drive or cycle pass the Finchingfield lion. Only one issue don't take your...

Very rude owner in here the lady is extremely nice however I believe its her partner perhaps but he very rude hot headed you're business is open to the public me and my pregnant misses popped in to go toilet which because I've been I there before with my bikers buddies and have spent money in there I knew where the toilet was so I just went straight for the toilet as for my misses she didn't know where female toilets was so she asked in which the man was very rude to her when I came out of the toilet the man had the approached me in very strange manner and told me how I am rude for not asking to use the toilet just because I didn't make a purchase to which I told him this place is open to the public right to which he said this place is private but as I said the public come in here and spend there money right just like I have done in the past I certainly won't be spending my money in here again its a shame because its a nice pub don't get me wrong and I've never had a issue when going in for a wee I'm my bike gear and not bought nothing then the one time I pop past in the car I get a ear full of rudeness from the old man not very professional at all which is why I decided to leave...