The Barley Mow — Restaurant in Wealden

ABSOLUTELY AWFUL - I only wish no stars were an option!

We were a large group, and booked for a birthday lunch. We chose The Barley Mow as it had a large kid friendly garden and served a roast dinner, which was the requirement of the birthday lunch. We were told that as a large group we would need to pre book our food, which we did, 3 days before our booking.

We were sat outside and had 3 picnic tables, two of which were rickety and rocked when you sat at them. We asked for the parasol to be put up, as it was extremely hot and sunny that day and we could have done with the shade. ... It turned out it was broken, two of the outer arms were missing and it had to be tied open with rope. It was full of insects which continually dropped out over the next hour.

We ordered drinks, which took 30 minutes to arrive.

We were still waiting for our food and ordered some more drinks, after 40 minutes they hadn't arrived, so we complained and reordered. Drinks soon arrived, followed 10 minutes later by the second order, for the same round of drinks! We tried to refuse these, but it was pointed out that we ordered them so we would be paying for them!

A few minutes later a waitress came over to say that they did not have some of the ingredients for one of the dishes as they had sold out. YES... Sold out, when we had ordered 3 days before!

We reordered that dish and went on waiting for the food. When the food arrived it was cold. I had ordered the Roast Beef which is marked on the menu as "Sirloin of Beef (served rare)", it was burnt and completely overdone. Someone in the party who ordered the Roast Chicken was unable to cut it with a knife, because it was so dry. Another member of our party had a meal delivered with a caterpillar on the food - in hindsight, it could have fallen from the parasol? - so the meal was returned and we were promised a fresh plate.

My wife is a Coeliac, and cannot have gluten otherwise she is very ill. So when her food was served I asked about the meal, as I knew we had ordered it from a menu which showed it as gluten free, but you never can be too careful! ... The server's response was "I don't know about that, I only serve the food!" ... I asked her to check in the kitchen and when she returned her reply was "Everything you have is as you ordered it."

Which is so non committal and I assume includes the meal we had to reorder after it was sold out?!!?

The fresh plate (minus caterpillar) hadn't arrived by the time everyone else had eaten, so we cancelled it (so one of us didn't get to eat) and asked for the bill.

When the bill arrived it had multiple drinks on it that we had not ordered, which we were eventually able to have removed from the bill. We asked for the "Optional 10% service charge" which is automatically added to the bill to be removed, which again was agreed to.

Only later did we notice it wasn't removed and we still were forced to pay the OPTIONAL 10% charge for the most appalling service I have ever received.

I've emailed to explain the issues we encountered, and two weeks later, have not had a reply. This obviously shows the consideration they hold for their customers.

I would not recommend this place at all, save your money, go somewhere cheaper, and you WILL get...

What a pleasant surprise! After months of driving and cycling past The Barley Mow while it sat empty, we finally decided to give it a go for lunch now that it's reopened. And we are delighted that we did!

The new owners have done a brilliant job of revitalising this classic pub. It still has that traditional charm, but with a fresh, modern twist that really works well.

We popped in for lunch and a few drinks on a beautifully warm autumn day yesterday. We opted for the Bream and the Malaysian curry. Both dishes were absolutely delicious - proper homemade food with spot-on flavours. You can tell the kitchen takes pride in their cooking.

The staff were lovely - attentive and friendly without being overbearing and you can tell they enjoy working there. We had a chat with Ben who told us all about the work that went into getting it this far and the plans they have for the future.

We chose a table in the sun in the adults' outdoor area, which offers stunning views of the South Downs. It was the perfect setting for a relaxed meal.

The outdoor spaces are really well thought out. There's a large family garden with plenty of colourful tables and a wooden play park for the little ones. If you're after a quieter atmosphere, the adults' garden is a real treat. It's got a slightly more upmarket feel, but still very comfortable. The are going to add covers and heaters for the cooler months too.

They've gone the extra mile with additional features. Two outdoor bars mean you're never far from a refill, and there's a fancy outdoor kitchen complete with a hog roast and pizza oven.

For a bit of atmosphere, there's even a garden DJ booth and a themed ice cream stand that I'm sure kids (and adults!) will love. One of the best things about The Barley Mow is its location.

The new Polegate to Lewes cycle path runs just behind its garden, making it easily accessible by bike, foot, or even horse! It's fantastic for cyclists looking for a pit stop, walkers out for a ramble, or horse riders fancying a break.

It's fantastic to see a local pub getting a new lease of life like this. Whether you're looking for a family-friendly spot, a peaceful pint with a view, or a refreshment stop during your countryside adventures, The Barley Mow has you covered. We'll definitely be returning - it might just become our new not so local, local!

If you're in the area, I'd highly recommend popping in, whether by car, bike, foot, or horseback. The Barley Mow is a real gem, and we're so glad the new owners have injected new life into this classic...

I pass this pub everyday. Loved the look of it so as a treat I took my family. Our experience there was lovely. Great food and staff were helpful and lovely. They even adapted menu options to meet gluten free requests.

This is where the 1 star review comes in.

At the end we paid our bill. We are a family of 2 adults and a 2 children (a 6year old and a 5year old). The bill arrived and the total was £107.86. £9.81 was an "optional" service charge. My wife and I between us paid a total of £100.00. As you can see we didn't pay the full service charge and this was purely because we are a bit strapped and we got a little carried away with the ordering. It said the SC was optional and so we halved the bill to £50 each. As we left I was approached by the manager asking me if I was happy with the service. I said yes as the staff were truly brilliant and the chef served some amazing food. He then started to interrogate me in front of everyone, his arm up, blocking the doorway. He was telling me the bill was for the food/drinks only and if I was happy with the servoce i should be paying the service charge. I did reiterate that it was no reflection on the staff, food or service and it was purely that I couldn't afford to pay anymore. He got very much in my personal space, was quite aggressive and I ended up physically shaking and had to tell him to get out of my face. He kept following me, still laying on the guilt in a rude manner, as I tried walking away and making me feel like I was a terrible person. Frankly, I felt bullied. I must apologise to the other customers for shouting out that they should all make sure they pay their service charge to avoid this treatment. Interesting to see another reviewers had a similar experience. One other thing should be mentioned...there is a parking space with a wooden post surround. We parked there and told the staff as there was no room. It wasn't marked up as private. Apparently it's the owners space for his expensive car. No real drama with that but that knowledge may well save others from an awkward chat.

To summarise: Great staff, great food. Had a lovely time, however, the experience has been completely ruined by the manager and his confrontational attitude.

Real shame as I was planning many a return visit and a glowing review. WILL NOT BE RETURNING OR RECOMMENDING....EVER.

Pictures attached are of our bill and the rude manager. Plse note that the photo of the manager is not...