Boat Inn — Restaurant in Staffordshire Moorlands

A pub full of potential but doesn’t quite have what it needs to move a step on.

It seems to have so much going for it: next to a pretty canal; a pretty river AND a steam train terminus with a listed station just yards away. But it’s just missing something. Maybe it’s the uninspiring Marstons beer; may that slightly lacklustre menu and lacklustre décor.

Maybe it’s because it’s a quiet canal and a little known steam railway and, let’s be honest, Staffordshire’s not a well-known holiday destination and this is just outside the Peak District National Park. But I’m sure it does well in the summer when the crowds flock and people sit outside on the benches outside.

In its favour, well it’s unpretentious, it has a decent local trade and perhaps its failings (see above) fall in its favour: it’s not a touristy pub despite being in a touristy location.

Put on a guest beer and I’d probably recommend it.

It’s 50 minute walk south to Consall Gorge and the Black Lion. Whatever you think of the Black Lion, this really is one of the loveliest walks in...

Wouldn’t recommend one bit..

Booked a table for 6 at 2pm, everything was fine, ordered food came pretty fast. But started clearing our plates before we all finished which I thought was rude.

Noticed tables had reservation at 3pm & they gave them tables away (not to the people that have clearly booked) came to 3pm & people are coming in saying they’ve got a table booked.. no tables available. they’ve clearly over booked on tables and are wondering around looking for space, completely get, but to come across to our table bearing in mind we booked this at 2pm just finished our mains they couldn’t even let our food settle & have the nerve to say our table is booked at 3pm🤔 clearly wasn’t as you just gave that table away to the couple next to us..

Felt rush & it was so rude what they did!! Will definitely not be going back.

All the manager could say was I appreciate that.. well I don’t appreciate been rushed of a table we booked for not...

Excellent food, served hot, friendly staff, friendly people in all an excellent country pub and i will defitnately be returning. Even if you dont know people you soon do and become friends. Well i did score this great little pub 5* but unfortunately after continuing to give them our business things unfortunately changed leaving me to knock stars off. We decided to return to this great little pub on the 29th of june 2022 for a drink, my wife decided that she was hungry so i went inside to get a menu. My wife wanted a bowl of chips with bread and butter and i wanted a jumbo hotdog, i went back inside and the person behind the bar asked what she could get me. I replied a bowl of chip with bread and butter she stopped me saying we are only doing main meals. Even before i said il have a jumbo hotdog. I cant believe that a pub can turn custom down, when the order would have come to £10. In the end my wife called at the...