Carpenters Arms — Restaurant in England

Having read the other customer reviews I had quite high expectations for The Carpenters Arms. After a pleasant stroll up the hill on Sunday afternoon (we were staying at Stonehouse Court approx 1 mile away which is fantastic by the way) we called in for a quick pint. As a party of 9 Adults and 2 kids we were aware that space might be limited but what came as a total shock was the reaction of the Landlady who upon our arrival seemed to go out of her way in a full on Basil Fawlty style attempt to make us all feel totally unwelcome. After a brief but extremely rude conversation regarding where we could, or more to the point could definitely not sit she vanished leaving us standing up, thirsty and lost for words. Within a few minutes another member of staff appeared and apologised for the way we had been spoken to and did her best to make us feel welcome. Sadly by this point I had had enough and any momentary enjoyment a refreshing drink might had provided had been eclipsed by the rudeness of the Landlady. So back down the hill we went. Later that day whilst cooking the Sunday roast it became apparent that we had burnt the potatoes, whilst I accept that the Landlady of The Carpenters Arms was not directly responsible for this, i cannot help thinking that had we had the chance to enjoy a relaxing drink during our lunchtime walk then this kitchen faux pas would have easier...

This area seems to be a goldmine for wonderfully unspoiled country pubs. The corner of the pub nearest to the tiny bar (which is noteworthy in its own right) is particularly idyllic, with a high backed settle facing a splendid roaring fire on our visit. We chatted briefly to Vera, the landlady, who told us she has been here since birth, 83 years ago, and that corner of the pub was largely unchanged in that time. I think much of the day to day running of the place is now taken on by a younger chap (possibly a relative of Vera?) who was an extremely genial host and made my family and I feel very welcome. Really enjoyed the food - hearty unpretentious pub fare. There was also a lovely view of the Skirrid from where we sat. To me this was everything a country...

My girlfriend and I went here for dinner whilst staying nearby. So impressed with the food.

We both ordered the fillet steak with peppercorn sauce and it was fantastic. Possibly the biggest fillet steak I've ever had and cooked to juicy medium rare perfection.

We also shared the similarly large sticky toffee pudding for dessert which was also very good.

This pub is an absolute gem, a very classic old fashioned British pub in all the best ways. Excellent food and service.

We had a lovely chat with the chef afterwards who was incredibly friendly. She made us feel very welcome. Would love to come back if we're in the area again.

One thing to bare in mind is that it is...