The White Heart, Talybont-on-Usk

I visited this pub a few weeks ago after a very pleasant walk in the Brecon Beacons. Never again!

On entering the pub, the barman seemed more interested in recounting the story of his recent car accident to a bunch of lads at the bar than serving me. When he finally did get round to talking my order, his attitude was sarcastic, obstructive and rude. Biting my tongue, I ignored his pugnacious and surly behaviour and took the drinks I'd been served to the table the person with me had taken a seat at.

About 20 minutes later, I went back to the bar for a second round. Once again, the barman's attitude was shocking. I don't know whether that bunch of lads had been ribbing him and he was looking for someone to take his frustrations out upon, but he was once again belittling, condescending and obstructive. I certainly wasn't going to stand for this kind of treatment a second time! I gave him a piece of my mind in no uncertain terms and then informed the person I was with we were leaving. As I was walking out of the bar, in an apparent attempt to save face, he ordered me to leave, to which I retorted he wasn't throwing me out since I was already leaving!

Seemingly not content with two verbal exchanges, the barman then followed me out of the establishment in what I can only assume to be a belligerent gesture. The first person he came upon was my female walking companion (encountering a woman appeared to cool him down), to whom he proceeded to give some cock and bull story about how he'd recently been involved in a serious car accident and was in pain as his medication wasn't working! Well, if he was in pain, he shouldn't have been at work taking his anger and frustration out on customers. Standing some distance away, but ready to respond to any aggressive move on his part, this bizarre change of attitude was quite pitiful to listen to and tantamount to admitting he was in the wrong.

Incidentally, looking at previous reviews of this place on this site and others, I don't appear to be the only person who's encountered extremely rude and aggressive treatment at the White Hart. If the person I encountered that day is the owner, then he's an idiot and in the wrong job, as there are many professions out there where you can be rude to others without being detrimental to yourself. If he's an employee, then he should be sacked immediately before he does more damage to this business! In a time when pubs are struggling, it takes a very stupid person to be rude, let alone obnoxious to customers.

My advice, give this place a wide berth unless you want to risk the staff taking their frustrations and anger out on you!

Have just returned from our second trip to Brecon in as many months and felt that I had to write a review for this lovely pub. I was sincerely surprised to read the previous reviews as it was so nice there that we went back twice. The food was delicious, the staff friendly and the atmosphere was great.

By way of warning the double burger is HUGE!!!!! We went in as a family of 6 and had no problems with being seated and having fiendly helpful service unlike some places we have been to.

Excellent!!!!

Food was cheap service was OK the management had a bit of an attitude and they don't like customers on motorbikes for some reason. I will try the other pub further down the road next time. The only good thing about this place was the location, it's beside the canal and has some pretty good views.

Very rude, dreadful attitude. I got refused service before I'd even got in the The White Heart,door because I was wearing off road motorbike gear. I'd been stranded on my own (I'm female) because my bike broke outside the pub, she wouldnt let me in and i got freezing sitting outside at 8.30pm at night and refused service. I was appauled.

I thought the staff at The Usk Inn had a really bad attitude towards people parking in their car park. They wouldn't let us park, (after we'd travelled for 30 miles to go there) as we'd arrived 5 minutes before the pub opened, even though we told them we were going there for a meal. I subsequently telephoned the pub. There was no offer of a sincere apology or an invitation to go back and have a drink on them, by way of apology.

I would not go back to this pub again. I feel their attitude to customer service is so poor, that it makes me wonder if they apply the same level of focus to their food?