The Wellington Arms

Christmas Day dinner yesterday was a real letdown compared with last year. We’d booked a table for 3pm as a large group and hurried over, only to be left waiting more than 30 minutes for a table. The bar area was incredibly busy, and we were squeezed in among other guests who were waiting too. My turkey was a tiny portion of hard, reformed meat. There was no stuffing or bread sauce, and hardly any roast potatoes. They weren’t cooked well or crispy, unlike last year when we had a big bowl of lovely crispy potatoes to share. There were no Yorkshire puddings, even though they were on the menu. We had to repeat our drink order and chase it up as well. I can’t believe we paid £145 per person. Last year’s meal was so much better.

For the past five years, ten of us have come here for Christmas dinner, and most years it’s been brilliant. This time, though, the service was only okay, and sometimes we had to go looking for staff to get served. The food took a very long time to arrive, and the portions were mean for the price. With the fish pie, for example, you got only the pie and no side vegetables. That should be made clear when ordering. They offered a side of sprouts as a sort of apology. Having two menu options seems like a poor idea and could confuse the kitchen. There are usually lots of choices, but one menu would be simpler. The bill had meals we hadn’t ordered and was missing items we had. Sorting it out took time, so we were still at the table when the next guests arrived. I hope this was a one-off, but we left thinking we might look for somewhere else next year.

I had dinner here and the food was amazing. The Cheese Souffle and Porchetta were especially good, and I strongly recommend them. I went back the following Sunday to try the Roast, but it wasn’t worth it. The Vegetarian Wellington was extremely small, and they substituted beetroot for mushroom without asking, even though I don’t eat beetroot. The Yorkshire Pudding was cold and very oily. I wouldn’t recommend coming for the Roast, though I do recommend the other food.

A lovely lunch in a great venue, with superb presentation and spectacular service. I had no complaints about the food. The only letdown was the waitstaff, who took a little while to come and take our orders.