The Brinsop Arms Westhoughton, Bolton Review

Lets start on a high, the food at the Brinsop is very good and nicely presented, when it comes. For the service, for whatever reason, is painfully slow. We had been seated for 45 mins and were still waiting for starters to arrive. Although, it dosn't help when you are not told what is off the menu, until after you have made your selection and you then have to deliberate all over again, very annoying. We asked if they could do a prawn cocktail, but they said "no". Granted it was not on the menu. We then selected tempura battered prawns. It was at this point, after we had placed our order, that we were told tempura prawns were unavailable. Obviously, the probable reason they could'nt do a prawn cocktail for us, was because they had no prawns, but they did'nt explain this. We were left to conclude they were not being very accommodating. I myself ordered Potato skins as a starter, but it should have been called Potato "skin", as there was only one half of a potato and at £5-70 was definitely the most expensive half potato, I have ever had.

We use the Brinsop as a family meeting place, when sons and daughters are visiting, having re-discovered it last year. I usually tell friends how much we always enjoy the Brinsop, but unfortunately on this occasion it fell short of expectations. The whole eating experience took over two hours and that did'nt include desert, as we had to cut proceedings short at that point. As many other reviewers have said, the Brinsop is not very inviting from the outside and I am sure much business is lost by its outward appearance, but I understand a refurb is planned and the sooner the better, so enough said.

We will still use the Brinsop in the future, but hope that service and stock control have improved somewhat, in the meantime. The comments are mean't to be constructive, for these are areas which need improvement.