The Lady Ottoline — Restaurant in London

I'm writing this review in sheer anger... We booked the private dining room for our wedding dinner back in May after enquiring and being shown several menus that we really liked the look of. We chose an £80 per head menu and had checked that the chef would be happy to tweak if our children didn't like the look of starters/desserts. Was assured this was fine and was told to contact them in August to discuss confirming the menu. I was emailed back by a different member of staff and was informed that the pub had been taken over and the menus that we'd been offered wouldn't be available. Fine, can I see the menu please? Not until November 1st when we get a new head chef. I emailed again to request the menu on November 2nd as no one had bothered to send it. It was nothing like the menu we'd chosen so we opted to go for the Christmas menu and requested that they might provide a different starter for four teenagers as none of them wanted pate or soup. I expressed this politely, cheerfully, with pleases and thank-yous and made it clear that we weren't asking them to replace it with anything extravagant. In the same email I double-checked that the pub were still OK to decorate the table as agreed and offered them extra money to do so, and also to ask if there was any way we could play music in the room. The email I got back didn't address the decorations or music, just a blunt insinuation that we would cause chaos in the kitchen. Chaos. Asking for 4x different starters with two weeks notice. Really? If your chef is sent into such a tailspin by a request for four starters with advance notice, I think you might be looking for a different chef before long. I don't think that asking for four basic starters, all the same, is asking the earth but that's how I was made to feel and the fact that they were more than happy to lose a booking worth around £1500 over four starters just doesn't make sense to me.

In any case, I'd have likely sucked it up if Meghann had at any point said "I'm really sorry about this but" but I was just responded to with rudeness. And that's why I've cancelled, because if they can't be bothered to be nice now, what will they be like on the day? "Out of my hands" was used a lot which I believe is code for "I'm not prepared to help you, take it or leave it"

So now, two weeks before my wedding, I am frantically trying to find somewhere else to accommodate our party. In central London. In November. Thanks for that. I don't know whether they assumed that we wouldn't be that profitable in their eyes but it was obvious that they changed their minds and didn't want our booking. If you're planning a special occasion there, be wary. It all started off so promisingly and we were really excited, now we are stressed and annoyed.

Edited to add: I just called another pub in the Market Taverns portfolio to enquire about private room hire there and was told that the usual minimum spend to book the room is £1000 but they were being told to take no less than £2000 as it's the World Cup. I feel that this explains the sea change in attitude and why they were only too eager to refund our...

Bijou pub on the corner of Northington St. in the Chancery Lane area. It was worth the winding walk from the tube station. It's like the Tardus in Dr Who. There's a lot more behind the door. Everything heads upwards after you leave the small snug downstairs. The two upper function rooms with a servery hostess space in between can easily be adapted for all kinds of events. In our case we hosted an open mic night and an app testing session. The walls are filled with interesting framed prints and although the decor lends itself historically to a Dickens meets Edwardian gentleman's club there's a nod to modern life with an electric dumb waiter, a well stocked bar and of course the staff.. service with a welcome sense of humour. Look at the teapot l was given. My only gripe was the appalling earl grey tea they put in it. Please please explore a different brand like Birchall, Williamson or even good old M & S. You need a robust Kenyan base to make the bergamot zing. Otherwise it's just perfumed wish wash. Shame. It's also not a fully accessible pub as it's minus a disabled loo. NB all the facilities are downstairs. Very pretty they are too. Appreciate the ironmongery on the toilet roll holders and the fact that they are easy to reach. I can't vouch for the food as l didn't order any owing to the kitchen closing at 6 pm on a Sunday. So factor that in if you want to sample a...

Lay Ottoline continues the trend in London of quality gastropubs and does it very well. The pub itself has classic decor with wood panels and ornate lighting to give a warm and welcoming vibe. The staff are all well versed in the drinks and food available, are friendly and willing to help with any requests.

The food is cooked to a good standard and as the same owners as the Princess Victoria near Shepherds Bush, their scotch eggs are particularly good.

The daily menu tends to change depending on what seasonal produce they have and is more akin to relaxed fine dining rather than pub grub. The prices, given the location, are pretty standard with the quality being anything but. The roasted cod was cooked perfectly and flaked beautifully and was accompanied with soft new jersey potatoes and pickled cabbage. The tortellini was simarly well prepared and presented and the fish and chips generously portioned.

The atmosphere was perfect for a friend's catch up meal and is also perfect for a quiet date. The pub also caters for more private dining with a separate dining room available to be booked.

Only criticism was that on the evening I went there was only one staff member serving the entire dining room (around 20-25 customers in total), but he was polite and apologised...