The Selborne Arms — Restaurant in East Hampshire

Had a disappointing experience - I found myself in need of lunch and checked their website to see what time they served food. It said until 2pm - it was already 1.30pm so I raced over there, parked and practically ran in to the pub and straight up to the bar to place an order. I was pleased to make it to the bar for 1.55pm as I was absolutely starving hungry and there aren’t exactly a lot of lunch options available in the local area.

Sadly, I was told that the kitchen had already closed ten minutes earlier. I mentioned that I’d raced over having checked the time on the website so it would be good if they could get the website updated to show what time last food orders are to save someone else having the same problem.

Instead of just apologising (which is all I was expecting, I wasn’t expecting the kitchen to be re-opened for me) the two staff behind the bar decided instead to argue with me about it.

First they implied that I should have known that the kitchen closes for orders before the time stated on the website.

Perhaps this is something that’s known among people who work in the industry(?) but as a customer, if a website says the kitchen is open until 2pm, I assume that means I can order food until 2pm if it doesn’t say a different time (e.g. kitchen open until 2pm, last orders at 1.45pm).

When I said this and just asked politely again if they could get this added to the website they then moved on to trying to say I’d been too late and had arrived after 2pm.

I showed them my iPhone as I already had it in my hand which still showed it being 1.58pm.

They then moved on to saying that they go by the kitchen clock which said it was after 2pm (in which case the kitchen clock is incorrect as iPhone times are set automatically to GMT).

Anyway…all this to say….all I expected was an apology and a bit of empathy.

Getting into a back and forth argument with a customer just because they’ve asked if the website could be updated to show there is an earlier “last orders” time to save anyone else the same trouble is not good service.

Having previously had a good opinion of the pub, I left feeling irritated (as well as hungry!). I run two businesses and wouldn’t dream of arguing the toss with a customer in the same way.

I’ve had good food and service previously so will happily take this review down if / when the website is updated to state when last food orders...

All three stars are for the exquisite bar manager Camilla (she deserves more) after the gentleman, who we understood to be the owner/landlord, was verbally abusive to our group….for turning up.

We made a booking. We assumed it was a booking. The pub’s booking book had the booking written in it as a booking. The landlord told us it was cancelled, and that she required us to call in advance to reconfirm, and informed me that I had been requested to do so by a reminder email. I knew this might be required but funnily enough I forgot in the stress of organising a wedding to call back.

I hadn’t received any reminder however, and was able to show them I hadn’t. This is fine, but despite having my number and email address, they did make no effort to contact us, and cancelled a booking rather than lift a finger to confirm the party was still coming. It took as much effort to cross out our booking that was there in their book than slinging a “you still coming?” text my way. While I was speaking to the wonderful Camilla, the bar manager (I think), about how this was all fine and we’d of course manage, the owner came from the kitchen to aggressively remonstrate with me. Again, it was more effort from him to be verbally aggressive than a quick phone call to ask “hey you coming next weekend or not?” If there were any other choice in the village I’d have taken the group elsewhere immediately.

The owners are lucky on two fronts: that they employ great staff that make up for their attitude, and, they are clearly making so much money they don’t need more customers and can act in such a manner.

Always get your bookings in writing, folks. The pub is...

Very disappointing lunch early September 2024. Obviously the chef/owners have lost or never had any inspiration for the food in this pub. Value for money very low and quality of food pathetic. Welsh rarebit - one line soggy piece of toast with a bit of cheese and a small pile of random pickle for a friend. Insult. Cheesy chips..a small handful of bulk bought chips with a smidgen of cheese scattered on top. What would be the profit margin here? 400 per cent? I don't mind paying for food because of course there are many costs and overheads - understand all the details that go into a pub - but at least get the chips right - truly pathetic. Hamburger - dry and boring. Chips :( tsk tsk. Scampi and chips...oh oh..I would hate to know the life history of this scampi. Not good. A huge disappointment considering the price. Maybe it's time to pass the running of this place onto someone who cares. Considering the location and numbers of potential customers it could be great. Feel sorry for the foreigners who visit Selborne and end up here - they can at least confirm English...