Gaggle of Geese — Restaurant in England

When we first discovered this site last year, we couldn't believe our luck! We came away singing it's praises and recommending it to anyone that would listen ... but what a difference a year makes!

We have just left the site following a very stressful 2 nights. My autistic son was desperate to return and savour the idyllic child-friendly site that he so loved last year. He has spent the last 2 days crying, shaking and in meltdown, having been abused by wretched ill-mannered brats (right in front of me). He is now terrified to even leave my side onsite. Children from nearby tents have been throwing the children's furniture, screaming in peoples' ears, threatening to hit and kick others, swearing, and telling my children that if they don't get off of 'their' play bus they'll throw them off! Unsupervised toddlers in nappies are playing freely- with full nappies and no clothes, in the ball pool. It is a health and safety/ safeguarding nightmare, and it appears that the recommendation of supervising your children at all times in the bus, or due to dangers posed by the stream and risk of falling down the banks etc is not enforced. 'Campers' appear to have no common sense, manners, or duty of care for their own children. The entire site is over-run with feral unsupervised children whilst adults sit in groups at their tents drinking all day long. When it becomes too dark to let their children run loose they bring them back to their tents to shine flashlights at other people and their tents, dance in the disco lights in the front of their tents and let them continuously slam camper van doors! They then continue to drink and shout until gone 11.30. Then you have the other families who are apparently oblivious to time, at the other end of the day, and are allowing their children to scream, fight and play in the middle of the field from 6am!!!! Or the dogs running free and chasing children, no owner in sight, that sit begging for food or nosing around in your bags.

Despite going out for the entire day to avoid the site yesterday we are all completely exhausted, my son is jumping at every noise or person passing by and we are heading home to recover. (From a holiday!?) What truly amazes me is that the decline in standards is despite there now being resident wardens in the field!? I could not tell you who they are, what they look like or what they do, as I have not seen anything of them -other than the day they were drilling a door by the showers, which they then left wide open. . . with bleach and cleaning products in easy reach of the unsupervised toddler and children running riot onsite.

We most certainly will not ever be returning after this visit, and would no longer recommend it to anyone (as I am fortunate enough not to personally know anyone who would behave or accept others behaving in such a way as the majority of the other guests).

Do not visit if you want to appreciate the peacefulness of .the countryside, or if you have normal, good-mannered children looking for an innocent, supervised camping...

We came here intending to have lunch but didn’t stay due to the following reasons: The music was too loud Inhibiting conversation and to be honest it wasn’t the sort of music we would listen to anyway which made it even more annoying. The place was freezing. The two women behind the bar were busy eating the sticky toffee pudding which was on the bar. It would’ve been nice if they had come over for a chat instead, especially as apart from two young girls, one who was Lying down(?)there were no other customers. As you can imagine, there was no atmosphere, so we quickly finished our drinks and had lunch at a super pub a short distance away. Shocking lack of customer care. In response to your reply - Thank you for your lengthy response, but I feel it’s important to correct the inaccuracies and tone of what you’ve written.

Firstly, only one member of staff came to our table — around 10 minutes after we sat down — to take a food order. At that point we explained we weren’t staying for lunch and mentioned how cold it was. That was the only interaction we had, so to suggest your team “visited our table several times” is simply not true.

Secondly, the way you dismiss my comments about the temperature and music volume is disappointing. A customer should not have to “bring an extra layer” in order to be comfortable in your establishment, and brushing that off in this way shows little respect for genuine feedback.

Thirdly, regarding the customer lying down, your account is inaccurate. The individual was in fact a young girl, not the autistic young man you’ve described.

Finally, the tone of your reply comes across as unnecessarily defensive and personal, even implying that leaving honest reviews is somehow unfair. The fact that the majority of my reviews are 5-star, extremely positive ones should make it clear that I am not in the habit of criticising without good reason.

It’s a shame that instead of acknowledging feedback with professionalism and courtesy, you’ve chosen to respond at such length with inaccuracies and dismissiveness. That in itself says a lot about your approach to...

I had the most wonderful time at the Gaggle of Geese and can’t recommend it highly enough! From the moment I arrived, I was charmed by the quaint, cozy interior that felt like a warm hug. But the real magic was outside in their stunning garden areas—absolutely beautiful, with vibrant flowers and open spaces that instantly put you at ease. The highlight for my niece and nephew was the double-decker soft play area they could climb around in; it was such a unique and fun touch that kept them entertained for ages!The Gaggle of Geese is a gem, offering a fantastic variety of food that catered perfectly to our group’s tastes, from hearty pub classics to lighter bites. They even hosted a lively party while we were there and somehow balanced that with running archery lessons across the grounds—what a cool addition! I didn’t stay the night, unfortunately, but they offer glamping that looks like an absolute dream, and I fully intend to come back for that experience to soak in the peaceful countryside vibe.The staff were beyond kind and accommodating, going out of their way to make us feel welcome. My only small critique is that, as someone with a disability, I found the three steps into the pub a bit tricky to navigate. It felt a little exposing, even though the staff were incredibly helpful and supportive. I’m not sure if it’s possible, but a disabled access ramp, perhaps from the garden, would make such a difference for folks like me.That aside, this place is pure joy. I left with the biggest smile and memories I’ll cherish. If you’re looking for a spot that’s equal parts charming, fun, and welcoming, the Gaggle of Geese is...