The Village Inn — Restaurant in London

POOR SERVICE AT THE BAR and now i’m Barred via kangaroo court

I thought this place had improved but alas not, the revolving door for constant change of management is still in place, I haven’t got a clue who is in charge. Visited about 6pm on a weekday and 3 bar staff on, all serving, no problem I am next, they all finish serving and customers move away leaving me alone standing at the bar. 2 of the staff then walk straight past me to do something ‘important’, the 3rd person walks past me the other way to serve someone who arrived after me at the end of the bar. Fortunately he was a friend and on the ball and pointed out I had been waiting, I am not a small person and easy to see at the bar with no glass in hand. Lady then starts to serve me and a moment later the 2 busy elsewhere bar staff return and ask if I am waiting to be served, I say they are like buses but humour is wasted. I explain what a shambles and ask why was I ignored, I am told I wasn’t ignored so can only assume incompetence! This place really needs to up its game, staff then clear glasses from our table with real attitude, whatever happened to the customer comes first, without customers there is no pub! I am here 5 days a week and they haven’t a clue who regulars are unless they perch at the bar.

After 33 years as a regular I have been barred due to my behaviour, no details or explanation has been given. Apparently to do with ‘an incident’ 2 months earlier when I complained about no ice or lemon in a gin and being served in a very large glass. I said nothing improper or inappropriate. If this was such a serious incident why didn’t the manager know about it 2 days later and allowed me into the bar a few times after without a problem? I then decided to drink elsewhere for many weeks until I went in last week and was asked to leave. Clearly negative feedback is not allowed but pleased I avoided the food.

You should also be aware this pub only received a 2 star (out of 5) food hygiene rating on 23rd Feb 2019, improvement necessary. For info Duke of Kent has a 5...

I was in London for a 3 day trip. I stayed at an Airbnb in Ealing. The lovely lady gave me a card with this place's address and recommended it to me. The card said, I would get a free drink with my meal. To be honest, I only went down the village inn, just because my host was so nice and she clearly wanted to support her local businesses. I went there, but the kitchen was shut, as I arrived after 9pm. The barmaid was not as friendly and welcoming as I expected it them to be. I lived previously in London for 17 years and have been all over London pubs and bars. Anyway, I said I will come back. The next evening I went back, but yet again the same barmaid came to me(I reckon she recognised me, assuming it is the guy who is after a free drink). She looked at the clock and said, you have 10 minutes to place your order and gave me the menu. She was not happy for me to be there, I don't know why!!. Bottom line is, this place is very nice, the atmosphere is beautiful. It could do with some staff training on customer servicing. A little smile and a friendly chat while serving, could go a mile away. I wish this place and its owners success. I am from middle East and I felt that I have been treated differently because of my look, and no one should go through that experience. Treat your customers as CUSTOMERS, no more no less and everyone will happy...

This is a Young's pub and has its standard menu and wine list.

We came here to check it out, as we were considering it for our first ever Christmas dinner not cooked at home and all Young's pubs have an interesting menu at vastly differing prices!!

The pub is clean and well set out, but is suffering from a lack of atmosphere, but we are in a global pandemic, so ......

Our server couldn't seem to leave his mask over his mouth to speak to us or anyone else, so expert an outbreak centred on this individual sooner rather than later. Other staff didn't have this issue.

The food unfortunately, Sunday lunch for 2 of us and bangers n mash and fish and chips for the other, was lackluster. For the Sunday roasts, we both had a cooked to within an inch of its life piece of inedible stuffing, combined with hard roast potatoes. The rest of the veg was good, but the meat varied from okay to bland.

The other meals had the same feedback, the bangers n mash being largely tasteless with dry over cooked mash and the fish and chips being ok.

Net result, is we wouldn't rush back, the 40 minute walk for us was pleasant even in the rain, but the end result was disappointing and I would much rather spend the day in the kitchen cooking Christmas dinner than be disappointed by the...