The Wheatsheaf Inn

Our return to the Wheatsheaf was meant to celebrate Valentine’s Day and my recovery after successful breast cancer treatment. My husband and I were married at the venue three years ago, so this visit meant a lot to us. Sadly, the evening didn’t live up to what we’d hoped for. We’d emailed ahead to order the chateaubriand and had confirmation in our sent messages, but on arrival were told the order hadn’t come through. We chose from the main menu instead. The starters were enjoyable, but I was given the wrong steak. Both meals were taken back so they could be corrected and brought out together. The delay would have been easier if someone had kept us informed, and staff didn’t check in during that time. The advertised couples’ dining experience also didn’t feel intimate. We were seated beside a group of up to 14, including children. One child ran around the dining area, making it feel more like a family entertainment venue. The neighbouring party had similar concerns, and said the atmosphere felt like an enhanced pub rather than a romantic setting. My husband’s fish pie came with vegetables and gravy, an unusual pairing. We appreciated the manager offering a discount and a complimentary drink. More attentiveness and earlier action when things go wrong would have helped, especially for a special occasion. Please take this as feedback for future events.

We were in the bar from 5.30pm, and our table for four was booked for 7pm on a Wednesday. Even so, we waited 40 minutes before asking someone to take our order. The waitress said she’d check whether the kitchen was ready. If it was busy, we could have been told to stay at the bar, or warned when we got the menus. Instead, our food didn’t arrive until about 8.30pm. Our friends had booked a room so we could meet for a meal. There’s a friendly welcome if you’re local, but we didn’t feel welcome, despite spending just under £400. I’d like to give the new management a couple of months to sort things out, so I probably wouldn’t visit again before then.

A lovely venue, and the friendly staff looked after us so well in the private dining area. We’ll definitely be going back :-)

George, the manager, went above and beyond. You don’t often meet someone so caring toward customers, and his staff showed real leadership. The food was excellent, the DJ was superb, and the idea was lovely. Staff were polite and considerate too. Looking forward to coming back.