Forresters Bar & Restaurant with rooms — Restaurant in England

My husband John Orchard has written this review after the experience we had This place is a joke!!!

I attempted to phone a booking for a double room / a one night stay after being advertised for £58.00 on the web. No answer to my call. (My partner walking the entire Pennine Way)

I called in to make the booking personally at around 11:am Sun 16 July 2023. Upon speaking to staff member to check in I was informed the cost was £70.00 (£12.00 difference)

I showed the the booking attendant the snap photo taken of the room being advertised for £58.00 of which I was granted the room and paid £58.00 I was also granted permission to check in as the room was vacant and ready. I declined the offer due to sight seeing at that point in time and return later.

An hour later, upon attempting to check in, I was declined to have the double room which I had purchased due to some sort of mix up according to the now returned Manager. The room was no longer available. Strange?? Maybe because the £58.00 I paid wasn’t enough!?? They really wanted .£70.00

The real reason I suspect is because the advertised price of £58.00 a double room was possibly a decoy on the web to attract folks to book a room only to be charged the £70.00 online booking. My scenario of happening, I can only presume they were caught out?

I requested a refund of which to date I await this refund to appear on my bank balance and yet my debit of £58.00 taken immediately. I do have proof of the refund taking place……. Thankfully!!!!

I was incensed at this somewhat perceived business ploy by this “mob”

I don’t think I’m wrong with my presumptions, as is why I’ve gone to great lengths to expose this business dealing which is below the belt??? Further more the star rating does not stoop low enough to mark this business dealings of which I give one star!!! Minus ten would be more appropriate.

I ponder after this review what response might be conjured up to verify or substantiate what they did to me and this should just not happen!!!!!

Pathetic!!!!! Business dealings The Forresters !!!! your business etiquette is letting down the hospitality industry in the village of Middleton in Teesdown Uk. Good Riddance, to Bad Rubbish!!!!

John A visitor from Perth West Australia down Under.

Your business would go under if operating down under. A disgrace!!

Ps. For the record, I’ve just checked on line availability 13:11 hrs and have also a snap shot through Booking dot com. A room is...

Rooms clean...Had a 2 night stay here with myself & family...Had a meal on the 1st night...Snails (lush) then Crayfish Rissotto with Sea Bass (also lush) couldn't eat it all!...Mum had the Beefburger which was overdone & the Brioche Bun was Quite hard...(She left most of it) & YES I did complain to the Server & to tell the chef...he said (Oh! Sorry about that!) & he left it at that! Mum didnt want to make a fuss!...But nothing was done about it!...I had the meringue sliders...Best choice...Mum had the Posh Jelly & icecream...Nothing posh about it...2 small scoops of ice cream with like a crushed ice in the middle & small lumps of hard Jelly on top...Unfortunately her meal was the worst...We all loved the Snails tho...you may need to ask for extra bread if 3 of you... The light in the upstairs bathroom above the Bath was flashing constantly so I asked the Barman if he could please change it as I was going to be having a soak soon...He asked if anyone else was in the room & I said no only me so I thought it would be done after we'd finished our drinks at the bar!...about ½ hour later the barman left & another guy came on duty!...I went upstairs for a soak & (you guessed it)...The light was still flashing!!! He hadn't bothered! There was only one guy at other side of bar aswell!...I had to use the light above the sink...so at least not total darkness... The curtains are NOT Blackout as Stated...Beds are comfortable & TV worked...Teas & coffees with kettle & plenty of milk...Hot choc lovely & water was lovely & hot for a bath...I prob ran off hot water as ran cold...Floor boards very creaky & I was woken at 3.30am with people outside my door chatting away loudly!!!...that was AFTER the music stopped around 1.30 a.m...So managed a few hours sleep! It does say GUESTS PLEASE KEEP NOISE TO A MINIMUM...Think of other guests!...They do NOT do BREAKFAST Here btw...Recommended a cafe a few shops away but it was closed...

The wife and I are staying in nearby Romaldkirk and visited for dinner based on the Tuesday curry evening menu.

The platter for two had four pokoras, four onion bhajis, and four veg samosas served with a raita sauce. For two people, this was very filling for a starter and could probably benefit from having half as much being served! I found the pokora and bhaji quite dry with a taste and texture like the ones you would get from a supermarket and cook in the oven yourself - certainly not deep fried as they usually would be. The vegetable samosas were very nice however. Given the quantity of starters, a larger dish of sauce would've been welcome - had we asked I'm sure this would've been accommodated so not a complaint.

The curries themselves were very tasty. I don't often see chicken thigh used in British curry but it worked extremely well with the Rogan Josh flavour. The lemon rice had a texture similar to a microwave packet and was quite strong on flavour - not unpleasant but certainly not subtle.

We ordered two sides also, tarkha dahl and sag aloo (spinach and potato). Both very tasty.

Having said the comments around the food above, here is something about the price. For a shared starter enough for 4 people (we were only two people), two mains with rice or chips, two sides, and a pint of fosters and a pint of the very tasty on-tap ale), we paid under £40. We couldn't finish our mains due to the starter filling us up so we also have dinner sorted for tomorrow night! I think the price for the meal as a whole is very reasonable. They're not trying nor claiming to be an Indian restaurant and the value for money cannot be faulted.

Additionally, the staff were very attentive and friendly. We would certainly visit again if we are up this way in future, and I'd be interested to try their...