Poor quality food, building cold, January Sales offer scam.

I would have eaten in the city centre but decided to walk up Steep Hill and check out Wig & Mitre January Sale offers on their A-board blocking the footpath.

Somewhat confusing. One side of the A-board main courses £10, the other side selected lunch time offers £8.

When I last visited for a drink some months ago, empty, not today, busy, or at least had been busy, from the evidence of the dirty uncleared tables. It must be the lunch time offers enticing them in.

As I walked in, I noticed tables were dirty, had not been cleared of dirty dishes.

I waited at the bar whilst drinks were ordered. I then asked of the offers. Barman rattled off less than half a dozen items, muttered terms and conditions, then brought me a board that listed the very limited offer. He had obviously been briefed, should a potential customer question the scam.

A scam. Does not include everything on the main menu. I was also told get my order in, kitchen closed in ten minutes. Outside it said open all day. That evening I checked on-line, kitchen open all day.

Scam.very restricted offer. Steak? No. Bangers and mash on the main menu a little over ten pounds. The same was true of the lunch time offers, only a few pence more than the offer price.

At this point, once it was obvious it was a scam, I should have turned on my heels and walked out.

I was at the bar several minutes. Whilst there, I noticed the door to the kitchen was open, sitting there an order of fish and chips.

I asked for a table by the window to be cleared. I was directed to a table in the gloomy interior.

Barman cleared a table. Apologised. Said he was the only one on. Serving drinks, taking orders, serving tables, cleaning tables.

My order of scampi and chips arrived within minutes. Disgusting. On a par with a greasy spoon cafe, only a greasy spoon cafe would have been cheaper and better quality. Frozen peas, poor quality chips, very poor quality fake scampi. Served on a cold plate.

The restaurant was cold.

The WiFi was blocked by the security on my phone, not secure, an untrustworthy connection.

Flipping through the drinks menu, no cocktails. Maybe for the better, as most bars and restaurants are clueless on cocktails.

The only positive. A lovely old building.

A chain and it shows. Begs the question, is this January Sales scam running across the chain?

There are far better places to eat local to the Wig & Mitre.

What would have happened if a group of people had sat down, ordered steak and chips, then when eaten, presented with a bill for the full price on the menu, not as they expected, ten pounds each? I would have refused to pay. I was wise enough to question the offer before ordering, but not wise enough once the scam exposed to turn on my heels and walk out. Had I walked out, at least I would have been spared the disgusting scampi and chips.

The start of the New Year has seen many pubs and restaurants close. With the abysmal low standards of the Wig & Mitre it is easy to see why. The only suprise is that they remain open for business.

--- update ---

It is bad enough, poor quality food and service and a scam. To lie about the scam makes it worse.

The large A-Board outside illegally blocking the footpath made no mention of terms & conditions on the offer displayed. I was wise enough to ask. Immediately 'terms & conditions' as though briefed or had many complaints, a small board was produced displaying a very restricted offer. There were no posters displayed.

There are far better places to eat nearby, where they care about what they serve, care about service.

--- update ---

RedCat, the pubco that owns the Wig & Mitre, has called in administrators.