Been to The Greyhound yet?

[admin]

You are entirely correct, Parker1970!

admin

[Pally]

Outside the Greyhound at the front ...tables are being well used in the sunshine. Nice to see!

[JGD]

Whilst we have visited for a few beers over time, we had not tried the evening menu.

A mix-up and a lost reservation was efficiently managed by Donnata on a very busy evening and we took our table within ten minutes of the planned time. Donnata had taken care to offer us nibbles if we were to be delayed.

The menu offering was superb.

The dishes served to all three of us aced it - both starters and main - and across a range of crab, fish and steak.

Looking very mature and settled now and the food offerings are of very good quality and the service was excellent..

[JMLF]

Last time we were in (for some very tasty food) I was told the upstairs is hoping to be finished by mid October and is said to be for 2 private rooms that can be opened out into one for large dinner groups/ functions. I wonder if they might use upstairs more for regular dining when the rooms aren’t booked and expand the relatively small drinking area downstairs..

Just a thought!

[topofthehill]

That would prejudice disabled customers. I have to say that they are exceptionally considerate to the disabled.

[mosy]

That would prejudice disabled customers. I have to say that they are exceptionally considerate to the disabled.

You say as if it's a given: "That would prejudice disabled customers." Wouldn't it be an advantage if pressure were to be eased on the ground-level floor since there's no lift?

[Ghlpc]

That would prejudice disabled customers. I have to say that they are exceptionally considerate to the disabled.

Is this a serious comment??

[topofthehill]

What part of the comment do you think is not serious and why?

[topofthehill]

Mosy, my understanding of the suggestion was that the upstairs rooms should be used for dining when not in use for functions, while the downstairs drinking area should be extended.(for people who only want to drink)
If my understanding is correct, and I may well be wrong, those disabled people who cannot do stairs would be precluded from dining at all.

[JMLF]

I wasn’t suggesting the entirety of downstairs become drinking only, just thought could be nice for the relatively small drinking/bar area to be extended to a degree if there is room upstairs being unutilised at various times. Equally they could advertise the upstairs as an extension of the bar/drinking area if not booked out too. Who knows how often it’ll be booked out etc but with the weather getting worse and less people wanting to sit outside it may be difficult to get a seat most nights (as consistently appears pretty busy ) if upstairs is solely for large bookings/functions.

[topofthehill]

Thank you for the clarification.

[The Clown]

Really good meal again last night. Very fresh and tasty.
Service however was not so. Very friendly, but very unprofessional.
There really is little point in trying to upsell wines if you cannot pronounce them, and don’t actually know what they are.
Poor chap was obviously well meaning, but desperately out of his depth.
It was slightly awkward, and he was also slightly over-familiar.
Had brilliant service the other weekday lunch, so likely an issue staffing a busy Sat night shift.

[witchesrave]

Really good meal again last night. Very fresh and tasty.
Service however was not so. Very friendly, but very unprofessional.
There really is little point in trying to upsell wines if you cannot pronounce them, and don’t actually know what they are.
Poor chap was obviously well meaning, but desperately out of his depth.
It was slightly awkward, and he was also slightly over-familiar.
Had brilliant service the other weekday lunch, so likely an issue staffing a busy Sat night shift.

What an excruciating post. I hope to the high heavens none of the staff read this forum. Yet again the Sydenhamites are out in full pretentious force lambasting the efforts of a local pub. I mean...'very unprofessional' for not being able to pronounce the bottle of merlot you wanted? Oh please. You make it sound as if he spat the wine on your face!

[stuart]

Yet again the Sydenhamites are out in full pretentious force lambasting the efforts of a local pub. I mean...'very unprofessional' for not being able to pronounce the bottle of merlot you wanted? Oh please. You make it sound as if he spat the wine on your face!

First welcome to STF. Sorry it was a negative that made you make your first post.

Lambasting a fellow poster for lambasting The Greyhound is fair enough. But did they? I read it as a balanced review that had many positives, the food (which is the really important item) and the friendliness of the staff. It did criticise the training, or lack, of in putting those staff in a position where they were under-equipped to do the job of upselling French wine.

As the poster said it might have just been a particular issue with staff availability. I really think that such criticism, if honest, is very important. First that The Greyhound, if as I hope, read this in understanding a perceived problem and working out if they want to do something about it. A first rule of management is to treat a complaint is a gift. Only bad businesses ignore them.

We wince when we hear government politicians glossing over government failures. Honesty is good. I want to hear about where I go, what I eat and what I drink warts and all. Its the all too sugary reviews I get worried about.

Stuart

[JRobinson]

I'm only guessing here, but the waiter in question probably didn't realise that he couldn't pronounce the wine name, and maybe didn't realise he was being overly familiar, and probably wasn't embarrased about it.
or that's how I read it from the information given in the post from TheClown. maybe I've got that wrong, maybe it was obvious to him and the Clown that he couldn't pronounce the wine, and maybe he was embarrased about it, and maybe his over familiarity was his way of coping with the stressful situation. maybe it was his first shift?
who knows? who really cares? the food was good, and it doesn't look like the bad experience is going to put you off going there again.
being overly familiar with customers you don't know is a normal and common sign of inexperience of service staff.

[Sideofham]

Bit confused about the slightly over-familiar comment, are we talking "alwight mate how ya diddling" or are we talking '"Your wife, does she go, eh, does she go, eh?, bet she does, I bet she does, say no more, say no more, know whatahmean, nudge nudge?"