Farmers Arms — Restaurant in England

I don't usually leave a review for poor service as small independent businesses are disadvantaged enough and maybe just having a bad day - we all have them. But the manager/owners attitude and our experience here was so bad it needs calling out.

The hospitality industry has certainly suffered over the last year so you would think they would be glad when customers want to spend money with local businesses instead of going to Tesco or a Weatherspoons.... Not this place.

If you're a tourist, save yourself the trouble of walking to the pub for something to eat because you won't be welcome. Sure, you can sit outside for a quick drink and leave, but don't dare ask if you can order food unless you're local, a dressed up and booked weeks in advance. We were sat at a free table, ordered drinks but were refused food. We didn't want an extensive menu and didn't mind waiting, but where told in no uncertain term "No".

No doubt the owner will post some sort of marketing friendly response about staff shortages or it was their customers fault in some way but we weren't the only ones to experience this level of service. The couple who arrived in front of us got told the same and as another customer said on the table next to us as he left "You can always guarantee you'll be disappointed by the UK hospitality industry". I suspect many others got the same treatment before us as well.

On the positive side, the customers we did meet and chat to couldn't have been...

What has happened to what was once a pub renowned for its wonderful atmosphere, its crackling open fire, the unique opportunities to share tables with the locals and exchange stories, the possibility to meet other hardened walkers? You walked in and instantly felt that you were welcome. It was a pub that would be your "local" if you had lived closer.

Now, there is a sign outside that tells you that you have wait outside and the dreaded (for a village pub anyway) "Please wait to be seated" sign.

When we made our presence known, the first question the waitress asked was if we came in for a meal. As we only came for a pint we were directed to the smallest table in the pub despite the fact that there were four large empty tables. We had to sit on stools for dwarfs.

Mind you ... this manner of treating your clients is not the waitress's fault. She does what she has been told.

During our short visit, the landlord told us that he doesn't like clients who only have drinks, that he only want eaters, that he doesn't want that two people sit at a table for four as he may then lose revenue. He also doesn't like guests who spend less than £5 per person. Not exactly things that you want to have to listen to when you visit a pub for just a pint.

We have visited the Farmer's Arms more times in the last 30 years than we can count. This time it was a huge disappointment and we won't go back as long as this landlord...

Excellent pub. Booked for the Friday night for food and a couple of drinks. The food was fantastic. There was 8 of us and we all got different meals and we were all massively impressed with the food. Not your usual pub grub. Service was absolutely brilliant. I read a few other reviews re this pub and the landlord. I have to say we didn't experience any negativity, to the extent we were all puzzled by some of the comments. Not only did we go in for food but we popped in both Saturday n Sunday for a couple of drinks and service we got was brilliant. Even when there were no seats we sat in the beer garden with our drinks and soon as a table became free inside, we were called in. You can't fault service like that. If you are wanting food, just book. I suspect the negative reviews are because people just expected to walk in and get served a meal as if you were in the centre of Manchester or Leeds. It's a country pub so will only do so many covers a day. Anyway, fantastic pub, superb food, brilliant staff, great atmosphere. I would highly recommend and will certainly...