Bull Hotel — Restaurant in England

Dear new managers owners of Bull Hotel at Downton. We believe you must have a huge job on your hands to improve the facilities there. We had decided to stay at the Bull because it was closest to the wedding venue we had been invited to and because my friends, mother and sister of the groom, had suggested we join them there. When we booked in last year the staff were offhand and dismissive. Our room was unaired damp smelling, cold and unwelcoming. The noise from the extractors and air conditioning outlets just outside the window was continuous and loud. The drapes were not drawn back properly. There were unused tiebacks. The room had not been thoroughly cleaned for a while. Dust etc clearly in evidence. In the bathroom there was a broken towel rail and the light above the washbasin did not work. I seem to remember an issue with the lack of hot water too. The saving grace was the comfortable bed. The restaurant was closed we went to a local restaurant. At breakfast time we had to go up to a (lovely} cafe for food. When I went to the bar to find someone to help with the difficulties I was told in a disinterested way that the manager was away and that the person I was speaking to could do nothing to help. After a sleepless night we went to the wedding. Because of the privation of our hotel and the stress of it all my husband had a fainting episode during the wedding service and an ambulance was called. Fortunately the Dr's and paramedics attending the wedding were able to help my husband while waiting for the ambulance. The ambulance came quickly and treated my husband very well. He did not need further treatment. We decided to return to the Bull and collect our things and to not stay for a second night (already paid for) The girl on duty behaved as though our early departure was not an unusual occurance. Because of my husband's need for rest we stayed at the holiday Inn near Salisbury that night where it was clean, the staff were willing and the room quiet. I do hope you will have the finance and, most importantly, the reliable and well trained staff to enable you to make a success of what could be a lovely country Inn. Perhaps one day you will be able to suggest we try you...

We were welcomed by the grotesque stench of an overflowing cigarette flower pot just outside the main entrance, this should have been a sign of things to come. The pub was pretty much empty, being a Friday lunchtime in November it’s not exactly peak, yet there were uncleared plates on a table, the second thing to see upon entering. We ordered food and drinks from the landlord(?), who didn’t really seem to know what was happening, and a barmaid who was ok, just seemed a bit bored, at least she knew what specials were available. Considering that we were the only customers requiring food, the amount of time it took for the food to arrive was considerable and not particularly hot. The lamb steak was a touch overcooked but passable and the hunters chicken had no particular complaints. Overall the food was passable, promptness of food average at best, the staff uninterested and the hygiene -outside poor (lack of removal of cigarette butts by the entrance) -inside ok, except the the plates took an hour to be cleared from a table that was empty when we arrived. I cannot see us visiting this establishment again, there are so many places to eat, why would we chose to go somewhere that appears to care so little about customer satisfaction, promptness and the stench at the main entrance. It’s your choice,...

I was one of a group of six “seniors” who visited The Bull just a few days ago for a drink and a snack lunch. It was a weird set-up, the bar being run by the hotel itself whilst the kitchen seemed to be run as a separate franchise. I say appeared because, having waited an hour for 6 very simple toasted sandwich type snacks, the barman really wasn’t interested when I queried the long wait. Shortly after my conversation with said barman, a young girl shuffled from the kitchen and announced that they are very busy dealing with an order for a table of 7. (not sure where they were hiding them though as we appeared to be their only customers ( other than an old fellow with his dog who kept farting……. the dog that is)

All in all, given that pubs have been begging to re-open, a pretty lethargic staff have turned what was once a very nicely run village pub into. a real dive run by air- heads. What a missed...