The British Queen

We were told at 1:15pm that food would take 20 minutes, which was fine. My son, his friend and I waited patiently, but by 2pm nobody had come over. When I politely asked another waitress if we could order, she brought over a staff member who was rude and dismissive. She said they had a table of 14, which I understood, but then told us it would be another half hour. Why say 20 minutes if that wasn’t realistic? I also explained that I had young SEN children with me, so long waits and uncertainty are harder, and asked if we could place our order in advance for the kitchen to make when it was our turn. She said no, she couldn’t prioritise us, even though it seemed other tables were being prioritised. There was no apology or understanding, just poor communication and a rude attitude that made us feel like a nuisance. Absolutely shocking service at the British Queen pub today.

We spent a lovely hour or two eating and drinking by the fire in the cosy main bar, and the starters were delicious. Outside, the grounds are beautiful, with a gentle path down to a flowing stream. Highly recommend!

The breakfast was very nice, and it was helpful that they agreed to start it at 8:30 instead of 9. But there seemed to be just one girl handling everything. We waited a long time after arriving and eventually had to open the kitchen door to let someone know we were there. We were offered less choice than the menu in our room listed. At £150 a night, I expected the standard menu. We stayed one night and sadly didn’t have a good experience. I’d called ahead to confirm a double bed, and was told that was arranged, but we arrived to find twin beds. The room looked pleasant, but the TV didn’t work, and from what I was told at checkout, it hadn’t worked for a long time. The room was very cold, with no carpet or underfloor heating, so the floor felt like ice. The bathroom had no heater or towel rail, and our towels were damp and smelly. Since we checked in after 8pm, there was no way to ask for fresh ones. When I mentioned the towels and TV, the man behind the bar said he was only the landlord and it was nothing to do with him, and that I should speak to the owners. I found an email address online and contacted them, but hadn’t heard back after more than a week. For the price, I wouldn’t recommend staying here, and I won’t be back.

Harvey's on draught was a lovely find, and the beer was spot on. We stayed for two nights in clean, modern rooms with some nice touches. Breakfast was amazing, freshly cooked and well worth waiting for, with no buffet. The pub also has a huge garden and patio. It’s a superb place in a beautiful part of the county, and I’d definitely stay again.