The Walker Arms — Restaurant in New Forest

I have been to this place consistently every year on Christmas Eve for the past 5 years however this year they have charged for entry and stop letting people in from 10:45. I have no issue with paying for entry however the inside was completely dead when we arrived at 11pm, all me and my friends wanted to do is dance and fill the dance floor. It wasn’t busy inside and they weren’t letting people in to do the most fun part of this pub every Christmas, which is dancing. I’m not sure I will come back next year, I might just go to Ciffhouse next year. Disappointing to see what it has become when it had so much potential. I used to love the big parties this used to be every year but the bouncers were not understanding and clearly thought the party was better outside where you couldn’t buy drinks. Confusing system when they met my sister in at 11:30 but not me and my friends in after they said no entry after 10:45. It was one of my friend’s first time coming here and I was embarrassed after how much I bigged it up to the that we couldn’t even go in. There weren’t even toilets outside and they wouldn’t let you go inside to use them. The people on the door had no solution to the problem. I struggle to believe they can make more money this way than last year. This is the worst experience I’ve had...

Three of us visited this pub today, whilst on holiday at a local holiday park. The sun was out, so we fancied a spontaneous pint in the beer garden. The beer garden looked decent, but the service was shocking. They were not busy at the bar, yet we stood there with both members of staff not acknowledging us for a few minutes. One member of staff even chose to move an empty glass from the bar, prior to acknowledging us and coming over. During this time the staff member shouted over to what I can only assume was locals, before they had even entered the door. Then we placed our order, one of which was for a shandy. I was distracted talking to my brother, before realising that the shandy consisted of 3/4 lemonade prior to him adding the beer. I tasted it at the bar and could only taste lemonade, so asked if he could top it up. I was awkwardly stared at with a stone face, before he topped up what I had sipped out of the glass so not a lot. We went outside and my mum went back into ask if they could make a proper shandy, with it being half and half as standard. The bar staff were both rude to her with the male stating it was half and half, and refused to top it up anymore. Terrible customer service, and...

Great to see the pub reopen again, but there are issues. Firstly, the loos were supposed to be refurbished. However, in the main ladies loo, the flushing mechanisms haven't been sorted out (a relatively simply job), a toilet seat is missing, a light fitting is dangling, one door doesn't lock as it binds with the frame, and there were no sanitary bins in any of the ladies' loos at the time of writing. This doesn't bode well when the pub only reopened six days ago. If they want to attract the 'grey pound' these issues should be immediately addressed. Putting up pretty decorations and signs isn't of much help when one wants to pee in private! With regard to the menu, this is pretty standard pub food, and reasonably priced with a good many nibbles (great to see whitebait on the menu!). As for a couple of the new staff members, they could do with some customer training; staff wearing scruffy tracksuit bottoms is unacceptable in a pub that wants to attract customers, smiling also helps, and putting ice in water and lime in gin and tonics is...