The Crooked Billet Inn — Restaurant in England

We have had Sunday dinners at the Crooked Billet on and off for the past 24 years and always had a good meal. So after an impromptu walk around the grounds of Lotherton Hall, we decided to eat lunch out afterwards and rather than use the cafe at Lotherton, decided to call at the Crooked Billet for a snack or light lunch (as well were having a roast dinner at home this evening).

We called in at 14:30 today and it was packed. The only table free was in the next room opposite the front of the bar. I asked a member of waiting staff if we could sit there and she said no it was just for booked meals, which I totally understood, as it was the restaurant area. Anyway, I waited opposite the bar whilst hubby used the loo and as I was waiting, a couple sat in the bar area next to the fire, said they were leaving and to sit there. The table wasn't cleared, but it was fine, we both sat down and had a look at the menu.

About 5 minutes later a member of staff approached us and asked us if we had pre-booked Sunday lunch. We said we hadn't, but would be ordering coffee and some food from the menu. Her words were "Oh sorry but you'll have to move, as someone has just asked for this table". We were both taken aback and initially I thought I'd misunderstood her. She repeated herself and I said "but this table doesn't have a reserved sign on it, it was free when we sat down" to which she replied "No it wasn't, but someone who has prebooked Sunday dinner has just specifically asked for this table, so you'll have to leave it.". I was gobsmacked and told her we were leaving. She replied she'd try and find another table for us, but the place was packed, there wouldn't have been anywhere else to sit...but to be honest, I was so utterly disgusted with the appalling customer service etiquette and being told to leave a table that hadn't been reserved; to be vacated for someone that had 'specifically asked for this table', thatt I stood up and said we were leaving.

How is this acceptable in the hospitality industry? Was it that a couple of the regulars whom liked that specific table were given priority over occasional visitors, even though the table was occupied at that point by us? If so, why hadn't the pub put a reserved sign on the table?

Whatever the owners' reasonings, our treatment/customer service experience today, totally negates their exterior signs on the pub of 'all welcome, come in for coffee and cake, snacks' etc, as they obviously prioritise the revenue from pre-booked Sunday dinners over the revenue of supposedly 'welcome visitors' and deem this acceptable over decent customer ethos. We will definitely not be returning to a business who treats customers in this way. Unbelievable.

• Update - Response received from Laura below to my review. No apology in response to my review. Two of the points in the response being:

"You sat at a booked table" "I don't know what else you expected us to do"

Did the table have a reserved sign on it? Answer = No. So how did we know it was booked? Were there any other tables free? Answer = No. So where could we have been moved to?

I'm sure you're proud of your team in the main, but our experience of your hospitality wasn't good. Your staff member told us we'd have to leave because someone had QUOTE "Just asked for this table" QUOTE "No it wasn't reserved, but someone who has prebooked Sunday dinner has just specifically asked for this table, so you'll have to leave it.

The conversation you witnessed as polite; Is it good customer service to be 'TOLD' we would have to move for someone else who wanted that specific table,...

I'm shocked to have to give this low review contrary to the existing reviews but this reflects my own experience and that alone. I visited yesterday going off a recommendation by a friend. To start of on a positive, the drinks were perfectly fine. Poured well, served promptly and staff knew about the beers they were serving. The staff were knowledgeable, happy to help, especially the man who seemed to be hosting yesterday.

But unfortunately there were a few negatives which let this whole experience down for me. Firstly I'm happy with places been dog friendly, if it's done well. The Crooked Billet do not do this well. I was sat in a well decorated, cosy room. Then another couple got sat close by with their dog. Halfway into eating my starter this dog starts shaking and due to the season it's fur was everywhere. This isn't hygienic and even when dog friendly either tables should be spaced appropriately or there should be sections to divide this up. A lot of pubs do this really well, so it could easily be improved on.

As for the food, unbelievably poor quality for the prices this place charges.. I went for the salt and pepper chicken burger.. The brioche bun was the cheapest second most cheapest quality bread I've seen. The chicken was water filled, again cheap. And the coating the chicken was in was far from a salt and pepper coating. It was tasteless. It came with Chinese seaweed which is again a cheap accompanying food. Then the chips which were the best part were still greasy. Needless to say it got returned.

We also got a hit beef sandwich which came in THE CHEAPEST sub roll. It was flaking and just horrible and tacky. Not to mention I've never ever seen a beef sandwich served in a soft roll like this. You can tell their food here is far from fresh. The beef was tough and stringy, with too much fat on it, again reflecting cheap nasty quality. This is a classic case of using cheap ingredients, charging high prices to gain maximum profits.

I have given a 2nd star based on the fact they took my comments into account and didn't charge for any food, just the drinks. But needless to say I won't be back here.

When reflecting on other's reviews I feel harsh but it truly wasn't a nice meal, it was far from it. I just hope this was a one off occasion and they just may have had trouble sourcing usual...

The pub itself is a really lovely, warm and cosy little pub in a gorgeous spot. We came for a family Christmas meal and it felt very welcoming and very festive, and they were very accommodating to our large group and the servers definitely need to be praised with how well they coped with how busy the pub even aside from our large group. We were sat in the snug by the fire with our dogs and it couldn't have been a nicer place to be. For the meat eaters the food was amazing and highly recommended, however it lost a star and almost two from me as sadly the vegan and veggie options weren't as good. Don't be mistaken, the meals we had were tasty and well cooked and it was nice to see multiple vegan options on the menu, but the actual delivery wasn't great. My partner is quite fussy and although being veggie/mostly vegan, loves his meat alternatives such as burgers etc, and sadly there wasn't anything of the like on the menu. As the vegan one I'm not as fussy and chose the sweet potato and spinach cassoulet, however it was disappointing to be surrounded by family having delectable roast dinners with the pub signature Yorkshire puddings, to have to have a dish that was so different. Something as simple as a burger and chips or even just vegan sausages as an option instead of nut roast would have been much better pub grub. Unfortunately for me the biggest disappointment was the delivery and accuracy of the food. As said previously I ordered the spinach and sweet potato cassoulet with rice, but what came was what seemed to be a fairly bland sweet potato curry (no spinach) with butter beans and plain rice. There were no starters on the vegan menu, and for dessert there were two options which were pie and meringue with fruit. I was so excited to see vegan meringue on the menu as its not something that's usually offered, but what came wasn't vegan at all but a shop bought meringue (which is made from egg). I was so disappointed as it meant not only could I not eat a large part of my dessert but I began to doubt the rest of my meal and whether it was vegan friendly at all. For a drink after a long walk I'd recommend this pub highly, and for meat eaters it'd be great, but for veggies and vegans I'd sadly give...