The Royal Sutton

My snacks were taken, so I had to watch the film hungry. Nobody else seemed to have theirs taken, which made me wonder if I’d been singled out for discriminatory reasons. It felt cruel and completely unprofessional. After I left the cinema, the woman called my name in a patronising way. Why spend time memorising my name instead of doing her job? I’m a child who just wanted to watch a movie, and it felt like she was harassing me. She needs to change her attitude, and if she’s that miserable in customer service, maybe she should reconsider that line of work. And if you bring your own snacks, hide them well. They charge about £100 for a bucket of popcorn, and this greedy, pathetic seagull will take yours. I know you’re reading this, so please work on your attitude, work ethic and how you treat people. Do better.

The staff really stood out. When they checked whether everything was alright, they stopped and waited for us to answer, and their friendliness felt natural rather than forced. We’d happily recommend this place. We liked lunch so much that we came back for dinner the same day. Lunch portions were just right, and the price was excellent for the quality. The evening menu was short, but what we tried was top-notch. The haddock and chips were beautifully presented, a generous serving, and fabulous quality. And the Guinness and beef pie was the best individual pie I’ve had in years, a proper, densely filled pie with creamed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

We started the night with 90 minutes of darts at The Royal in Sutton Coldfield, then went in for a three-course dinner. Killer, Robin Hood and Showtime were our favourite games, with a great mix of competition and laughs. The food was impressive too. The hake with caviar came with a shrimp and champagne sauce that was silky, rich and full of flavour. The chicken Wellington was cooked just right and really hearty. For starters, the scallops with black pudding were full of flavour, and the sausage roll was rich and comforting. We finished with classic bread and butter pudding with custard, then a warm, gooey chocolate fondant. Darts and dinner made for a brilliant night out. Definitely recommend it.

I’d read some reviews and was a little worried. It’s an older building, and upstairs does look a bit tired in places. But I slept really well, the bathroom was lovely, and it was good value. The staff were excellent, and the entertainment was good, with a decent band.