Fountain Inn

The rest of our table of 10 found their food bland and tasteless too, so the lamb wasn’t the only disappointment. I ordered the £21.95 West Country Lambshank, and the plate looked so unappetising I took a photo as soon as it arrived. The carrot was dry and sad with no seasoning. There was barely any potato, and the small piece of lamb at the end of the bone was tough, fatty, lukewarm and flavourless. It was all swimming in disgusting soup. I told the waitress it was incredibly poor and asked for it to be sent back. An older waitress offered more veg, which I said not to worry about, but it came back with just more sad carrots, so it had to be taken away again. The young girls did incredibly well getting the plate over to me without spilling it on our laps, so I can’t criticise the service too much. When I paid, I asked whether they thought I should pay for the lamb. The waitress said she’d asked the manager, who said yes because that’s how they serve it. I showed her the photo again and asked if she really thought that was a presentable meal. No answer. There wasn’t a single apology, and the manager never came over to say this themselves. We paid and left, never to return. Seriously, avoid at all costs.

I didn’t feel safe staying here, so I checked out, then couldn’t find any staff member to explain it to, even at 6:30pm. I sent an email instead, got no reply, and was still charged for the full stay. I ended up down the street at the Wetherspoons, which was tremendously nicer, safer with a proper key card and security doors, and actually cheaper. I’m not usually one to support chains over local places, but the Fountain needs substantial work to bring it up to par. I’d booked two nights, then needed to change to one in the weeks before my stay. I called three times and emailed three times without reaching anyone or getting a reply. I should’ve listened to my gut. Arriving at 2pm, I found the courtyard and interior filled with the smell of old, sour cooking oil, even though it was freezing out. There’s no reception, as you’d expect for a pub hotel, and it took a while to speak to anyone. The barmaid wouldn’t let me check in early but said I could leave my things in an unlocked cupboard in the central courtyard. When I came back with 40 minutes until check in, I was told I could pay £20 to get into the room early. She advised against that, so I sat with a cup of tea and waited. The pub wasn’t busy, even for a Saturday afternoon. The room was shabby, with loose hairs and bits on the bed. The pillows were flat and pretty sad, though the bathroom was clean. Most concerning, there was no locked door between the pub or street and the rooms, so anyone could wander up. As a solo traveller, that made me feel unsafe. The room door itself also felt flimsy and exposed, not like the security or fire door you’d expect in a hotel. It had a deadbolt, but that didn’t feel like enough with so little security elsewhere.

Glad we stopped for the carvery today. It was delicious, possibly the best we’ve found so far, and I’ve eaten there before. The staff were helpful, especially Thomas, who served us. He was extremely polite and couldn’t have been more helpful. I also saw him notice a woman on crutches and jump in to help her. Nice to see a young person with manners and respect. Thanks to everyone, especially Thomas. 10/10.

After a hard day’s work, this was such a warm, cosy pub that I ended up staying for quite a few. The barmaid called martha promised the best baby Guinness, and I couldn’t argue 🥃