Overview

This is a very poorly maintained building, and food not much better, a place we do not encourage you visit, and yet it was so full, of senior citizens, mostly locals from what we could see, so perhaps a special offer on today, because there is no way we will be returning. Take a look at our photos with us to see what we mean. (Photo 1) is a head on front view, so enlarge it and take a look at that fence, it’s a disgrace, and upstairs windows are falling apart, would you think twice before going ? Now look at (photo 2) and considering that is a disabled car park, you see that it has not been cleaned for years, it’s so thick of dirty mud and green moss like layers along the fence where we had to park, the bays are not big enough for a large mobility car like ours to back into, so we had to park across the bay, and risk falling over as driver got out to try to walk across towards main entrance, and all along the edge of the main building you can see that the grass has not been cleaned away for many a long period, it’s nothing but dangerous for disabled people, far to many pot holes, and most off putting, the group that owns this property, Stonehouse, should be ashamed of themselves, and the manager should be given a good talking to and told to buck his ideas up. And then to cap it all, there are two small steps you have to try and get wheelchair up to be able to enter the restaurant (photo 3). For those of you who read our reviews, you know we don’t often complain, so to have to read this will show you how concerned we are for your safety, and we hope management sees this review, utterly shameful of the Stonehouse group. Anyhow, let’s back to reviewing this restaurant. First of all we mention that you must register your car at the bar area (photo 4) and we were not advised to do this anywhere on entering by this main front entrance, and could have found ourselves facing a large fine, so beware of this, the only way we spotted any signs was that we also took photos of the rear entrance and car park area (photo 5) again very untidy, but at least it’s quite a large car park. This entrance needs maintenance work done as well, but at least we could see the paint on the fence (photo 6) but it didn’t really cheer us up, we were still deciding if we should just run away, and forget it, but having driving a longish way we stayed, will we regret it ? Let’s see. It’s here we spotted instructions to register our car as you can see on photo 6 so good job we took photos for you. (By the way, on returning to car, and checking photos, we found a notice that we needed to register car, but it’s up at the side of main building, and disabled would have passed this by after parking without seeing it, just how many have been caught out by this need to register and have had to pay fines we wonder ? Anyway, we are inside now, so what awaits us ? At least it looks clean and tidy as you aim for the carvery ahead (photo 7) and there are plenty of seating areas (photo 8) with spaces you can park your wheelchair (photo 9) so let’s take photos of the carvery, but first of all we needed to get onto the Internet. We have never had such a problem as this, a simple task of logging on to their website, and it took us hours, we had to try to log on to their site, then add names and address, send that, to find we then had to log on again, with full details required, and at last we had help from a waitress who showed us what to do. I am absolutely fed up by now, but at least we can take photos for you. (Photo 10) shows a plain simple unappealing counter top with a few dishes of food items you can help yourself to, first of all of course waiting for chef to carve a few pieces of meat, before you make your choice of veg (photo 11) and hidden away behind you is another counter with a limited choice of sauces and gravy (photo 12) but at least we had a plate full (photo 13) and now, our thoughts about the standard of the food. It was cold, typical buffet heat, and if you are not a lover of sprouts, then these would put you off for good, but we did enjoy the meal ? No way, my wife had to leave most of it, I struggled on, I hate paying for something without making an effort, but it was not at all enjoyable, tasteless ready made food heated slightly, but the taste was not something I want to think about, it was tasteless. never again. But what was amazing is that the place became full quite quickly, all old age pensioners like ourselves, and most seemed to be locals, whatever are people willing to put up with nowadays we wondered, there’s no way we shall come back again that’s for sure. Anyway, I need to review the toilets for you. The ladies was quite handy, just behind our seat (photo 14) but I needed the gents urgently, so set off to find it. No sign of a disabled toilet, so let’s find the gents. I headed along towards the bar (photo 15) and carefully checked all the doorways around the bar area (photo 16) but still no sign of it, but I finally managed to ask a staff member who pointed to the fairest corner of the room, and this old disabled happy go lucky chap that I am, I am you know, when things go right, staggered across to the corner to find the gents (photo 17) and what a relief by now. It’s a push doorway, so need to get out of chair, it’s to dark in this corner for a staff member to see me, so had to struggle on my own, and then pushed open the door. It stank ! And there’s no way you could get a wheelchair into the cubicles, the passage was far to narrow, even walking in would mean you taking a deep breath and holding your stomach in to slip alongside the wall to push open the cubicle door. It stank ! Now you may be surprised to know that I didn’t bother, just crossed my legs and held bravely until I got home later on. My wife didn’t even try after I told her of my exploits. I have one space left for another photo now, but I don’t want to depress you any more, so let’s just pay up and get out of here. Our final thoughts It stank! Those of you who know me, and read our hundreds of reviews will know that I am generally quite a happy funny sort of a guy, I mean funny ha ha, so you will know that things must be bad if we give a poor review, so we hope you will see the funny side of things as we tell you about this place.

Transport & Parking

The disabled parking area at the main front door is a disgrace. It’s a dirty unkempt area, dangerous to walk across for the driver. We strongly suggest you drive round to the rear of the premises and park there.

Access

At the front door you face two small steps to get up, not a good start. If you park at the rear instead, then it’s a level entrance, but with push pull doors. DO MAKE SURE YOU REGISTER YOUR CAR ! Any signs to advice you to do so are carefully hidden away. You will miss them. Inside is level.

Toilets

No disabled toilet. I suggest you don’t bother, the standard is not good, just cross your legs and hope for the best.

Staff

In general, not pleasant, but hard workers. Our waitress tried hard for us, very patient as I tried to sort myself out.

Photos