The Cricketers

The low ceilings are part of the country pub charm, though anyone over 6ft should watch their head. We also enjoyed live music that added to the atmosphere without drowning out dinner. The staff were lovely, the service was great, and the beef shin pie we shared was spot on. We went to The Cricketers for a Friday date night, loved it, and are already planning a return.

Breakfast was superb, from the brown toast to the quality ingredients in the full English, and the woman on duty was very friendly. We slept well in the comfy bed, with no road noise. Our courtyard room, Rose Bowl, was very clean and had tea and coffee ready; we checked in around 4, after being shown across the carpark while the pub was busy. We'd booked for Valentine's day simply because it was a free weekend to explore this part of the country. Dinner was served by welcoming, smiley women. The older man who seemed to be in charge looked thunderous all evening, though perhaps he was having a bad day. My Scotch egg and piccalilli was okay: the sausage meat could have cooked a little longer, while the egg yolk was nicely runny. The butternut squash Dahl was delicious. My husband enjoyed both his chicken terrine and cod bean stew. We couldn't manage dessert.

The food was limp, barely warm pub grub, and far too expensive. Dogs were allowed on the chairs and benches meant for customers. I saw staff pet them, then serve food and pour drinks without washing their hands. One person on staff seemed friendly; another kept coming back to clear empty coke bottles or cutlery, as though trying to rush us through the meal rather than check on us. The toilets were dirty, the dispensers had no soap, and only cold water ran. The lighting was so low that the menus' small grey print was unreadable. Standards were very poor. To me, this felt like an expensive, pretentious country pub trading on its old reputation and famous landlords. I won't return. I didn't see the hospitality, cleanliness, or "fine" dining standards they ought to be taking courses in. Poor.

Our overnight room was modern, clean and comfortable, and breakfast in the cosy breakfast area was good. The evening meal was excellent and good value, as was the meal overall, but the pub area where we sat had very little heating. We only discovered the cosiest spot, by the bar, as we were leaving. We came to the Cricketers for dinner, bed and breakfast. It's a quaint, rustic pub, and the staff were friendly and attentive in the evening, especially at breakfast. Thank you.