The Brocket Arms, Ayot St Lawrence

This pub and restaurant changed ownership and was extensively refurbished in 2009. The pub sells several guest real ales which are all well kept. We have been twice in 2010 for the three course set dinner which is excellent value. Also had a barbeque lunch at £5 with a very good quality Aberdeen Angus beefburger and accompanying salad. The setting is idyllic and ideal for visiting the national trust Shaw's Corner which is just around the corner in the village.

What a poor experience I had when I dropped in for lunch on 29th May with a friend I was showing around my home town and area. I came especially for Sunday lunch but at 2:45 we arrived too late. Our initial welcome was cordial and apologetic that we were too late and invited to try the BBQ.

So we did, Two Angus Beef Burgers with Cheese and Salad £5 each. The BBQ staff are surly and unfriendly but for a bunch of kids it's what you expect, but not at the Brocket Arms.

Within 2 minutes of ordering our burgers were plonked down on the tables outside and the waitress mumbled something about cutlery and sauces at the BBQ, at the other end of the garden. The Burger had obviously already been cooked and kept to one side to be tossed onto the BBQ again.

The massive but pleasant floured bun held a dried up over cooked burger, one had a reasonable slice of cheese and the other 2 slithers about 10 gms worth I'd say. There were 20 sad withered mixed lettuce leaves and 2 slices of yellow pepper and 1 pre-cut slice of tomato stuck to the top of the bun.

We were starving and ate the burgers and sadly just wanted to get out - it's not like the staff were bothered one way or the other. I had a good vantage point to watch the 4 members of staff in the BBQ shed, frequently using their fingers to serve chips and touching food both cooked and uncooked food, taking money, eating and generally enjoying a hot sunny day unsupervised and unwashed - I never saw any evidence of hand washing at any point.

I took that plates, minus the burger to the bar ( we were very hungry) and asked to see the manager. I was told you were away and the women who claimed to be in charge, was initially delighted that I was 'so well trained' to return my plates. I said I was unhappy and wanted to share what I thought was poor value for money of the BBQ was, the laughable excuse for a salad still on the plate, the indifferent service and mess up with the beer. The word sorry was mentioned, I said I just wanted to quietly tell the manager I was unhappy and leave. Sadly with customers joining in and other staff members keen to run me 'out of the village' for daring to say something I guess. I remember saying that if this was an advert for the restaurant I was rather glad I was leaving. My quiet word was escalated into an embarrassing fracas, a poorly handled offer to help you improve your business led to me being verbally abused by customers, staff members pulling faces at me.

I beat a hasty retreat to collect my friend from the garden, finish our beers and leave. I did not want my friend to be involved it was supposed to be a pleasant interlude an afternoon in a country pub. But the women in charge was undeterred came marching over to us in the garden from the pub and said she wanted us to be happy and insisted on returning our money, while members of your staff pulled faces and made gesticulations towards us. I was mortified and my friend was embarrassed and confused.

This was one of worst cases of handling a complaint I have ever been involved with a complete dogs dinner. I departed saying this pub used to packed full on my last visit some years ago and it's easy to see why it was so empty; I would not repeat the reply from your staff to that comment.

I do not think its OK, never mind the poor hygiene and cooking practice but the sheer audacity of your staff to behave in such an outrageous way. As we drove away your staff were gesticulating , laughing and cheering. The whole event was akin to a 'B' western or a poor attempt at Village of the Damned.

I know that sometimes things just go wrong and staff let you down. Oh yes one final insult my complete refund was a few quid short, maybe arithmetic along with tact, diplomacy and politeness are also areas where you staff need some re-training.

Martin

Called for lunch, late May 2010, while walking the Herts Way ....lovely pub , good beer but very ordinary food ....stick to a sandwich , though to be fair I overheard a party of 4 elderly ladies being very enthusiastic about their roast beef (i think it was ) Risotto however steer clear of .....

Possibly the best meal I've had for years. Friendly atmosphere, fantastic food, fabulous staff.

My wife, a friend and I ate last night in the restaurant at the Brocket Arms, Ayott St. Lawrence; I do not normally write restaurant reviews, but feel compelled as the food and service were outstanding. The dining room is small, but possesses character sadly missed in most pub-cum-restaurants. Chicken liver starters were perfectly cooked, with luxuriant texture and flavour; the main course of salmon on roasted vegetables, anchovies and creamed mash was tasty and succulent, while the rump ordered by my compatriot "was the best he'd had in the UK in ten years". At ~£18pp for 3 courses (including vegetables) this was fantastic value and we will be returning.

The newly refurbished Brocket Arms was a brilliant choice for a recent celebration. The service was both friendly and efficient, the food exceptional and imaginatively presented. There was an excellent choice of well priced wines. The atmospehere in this beautiful old building was both warm and welcoming. We will definitly be going again!!

cramped seating at table

poor service - half an hour for a unimpressive cold starter

wooden plates for main course?!

wrong wine served

inadequate main course with lack of veg

no atmosphere

lack of imaginative deserts - too similar!

excuses about chefs

ordered items forgotten

will not be returning to brocket arms!!

At The Brocket Arms I thought the food was disappointing as was the service. There were two of us eating at 8.45 on a Saturday so apparently not many takers. I had Coq au Vin which looked like the chef had stamped on a chicken - seemed to have every bit imaginable in it and lots of shards of bone. I wouldn't recommend the food here. No music in restaurant just two of us in the corner and a seemingly scatty waitress.

The poor manner of some staff there stands out, they seem to feel they are doing you a favour by serving you at all. We were treated not as well as you would like, and waited an hour for our meal. Its s shame that such a place could be run so badly.

I arrived by invitation of one of my oldest and best friends at the Brocket Arm in Ayot St. Lawrence, Hertfordshire. He had decided to celebrate his 60th Birthday at the Pub with a meal and an overnight stay for a select group of his friends.

Ann and I arrived a day early, walking into the pub at 11pm on the Friday night before the Saturday get together, It was to say the least heaving! An Irish Calie band were in full swing, on talking to people I found out this was a regular second Friday in the month gig.

We booked in and were shown our room, quaint; with sloping floor, comfortable beds, and electric heating at our control!

After a sound, silent night of sleep in the quiet of the countryside, we enjoyed a 9am full English breakfast with particularly excellent sausages and sparkling conversation from the landlord Toby who was still up controlling the party, when I went to bed.

Toby then even put some bottles of wine aside in the kitchen, the warmest area of the 14th century structure, in readiness for our evening meal.

Lunch was a bar ordered hot baguette fill with Beef, Ham, and stilton cheese, these are now being hurriedly introduces into my diet!

We then all (11 of us) took an afternoon stroll through the sunlit Hertfordshire countryside, a mere seven miles, speaking as one who drives the one mile into my local town, I needed the exercise.

Others who managed to escape the walk sat in the Bar by the log fire exercising their jaw muscle and drinking the fine ales, I can t help asking myself if I made the wrong decision?

On return from the walk we joined those at the bar and attempted to recover some of the lost fluids. Later and after a hot bath in our adjoining bathroom, (some are not on-suite a planning problem often associated with 14th Century buildings.)

We gathered again for drinks before de-camping to the restaurant for our meal, my two bottles of wine went down well, It has to be said their were complaint about the heat coming from the roaring open fire, two people move chairs and I took the place, with my back to the fire, it was hot! But then I turned the gas down and all was well!

Don t you love being in control!

Back at the bar the festivities went on till late, I looked around and found myself alone with the Landlord, the others having all gone to bed, maybe it was time I went too!

The Brocket Arm in Ayot St. Lawrence, Hertfordshire, is truly a unique experience, don t expect 5 star service, the staff are friendly and helpful, and you may find yourself migrating towards the bottom of the four-poster bed (yes they have one, all you lovers) because the floor undulates and slopes.

Yes two of our group had to wait an unusual amount of time for their baguettes, but then I would think it heaven to be sitting next to a log fire burning in an ancient inglenook, in the ambiance of a 14th century pub, with a pint of good ale, talking and laughing with friendly locals. If you dont I suggest Subway.