The Wellwood Arms

We brought the family here on holiday, and I wanted to return because the carvery had been exceptional a few years ago. This visit was a huge letdown. The beef was the driest I’ve ever had and completely grey, the gammon was so dry my niece choked on it, and the turkey was only acceptable. There was no stuffing, the commercial Yorkshire pudding was expensive and mediocre, the vegetables overcooked, and the cauliflower cheese came out watery when I’d nearly finished eating. I can’t say when the beef was cooked, but it seemed as though it might have been on Thursday. We had booked, yet were seated right beside the carvery, with people queuing around our table while we ate. One woman leaned on my chair, and people kept bumping into us. Staff seemed fairly disinterested. The prices were confusing too. The menu listed Yorkshire pudding as £1.50 extra in one place and £2.50 elsewhere on the same page, which is already a lot. Pigs in blankets were £3.95 on the menu but £2.95 on the sign above the carvery. The staff didn’t seem to know what was going on. The outside signs saying “try our new carvery” feel misleading. Don’t, the new one is awful. Compared with how good it used to be, this was such a disappointment. Save your money and go elsewhere. Took 5.

We spent four really enjoyable nights here. The rooms were spacious and comfortable, clean and nicely decorated, and breakfast was hearty. There’s free parking on site, good pub food and drink, and the service was friendly and efficient. Amble is a great base for exploring the beautiful Northumberland coast and surrounding area. A cracking place, and we’ll stay again next time we’re nearby. Highly recommended.

For a pub carvery, I’d expect fresh-cut roast potatoes, chef-made Yorkshire puddings and meat from large joints supplied by a butcher. Instead, the potatoes are frozen and reheated, the pricey Yorkies are commercial pre-made ones, the meat is too dry and overcooked, and the vegetables clearly come from large-scale commercial suppliers. It tasted okay, to be fair, but the overall offering feels low quality. If I wanted a supermarket roast, I could buy one and make it myself. Maybe the relatively low prices only work because of those quality compromises. It feels like price has become the deciding factor, where taste used to matter more. In reply to the owner: Thanks for responding. Hospitality is in a really tough spot right now, with a government that doesn’t care about the costs being piled onto pubs and restaurants, so I understand the pressure to serve good food at a reasonable price. Good luck, and I wish you success.

We only came for dinner and didn’t stay overnight, but the service was amazing. I can’t remember our server’s name, though she handled the tables with such smooth grace. The steak and ale pie and chicken pie were both amazing, and the sticky toffee pudding is the stuff of legends. If I lived locally, this would be my hangout.