The Flower Pots Inn

Gastropub·
££££
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SquareMeal Review of The Flower Pots Inn

Beer buffs can’t get enough of this unspoilt country local – especially as its ales come straight from an on-site brewhouse. Winter fires & friendly staff offer a proper welcome, & two bars set the tone: one a cosy wallpapered lounge that feels like you’ve inadvertently strayed into someone’s front room, the other a rustic, hard-edged ‘public’ den with a red-tiled floor & old scrubbed-wood furniture. The food fits the setting perfectly – think wholesome soups (say bacon & mushroom) & hearty hotpots (lamb & apricot or spicy mixed bean), plus toasted sandwiches, ploughman’s & giant baps filled with home-cooked ham. A pretty front lawn & back garden are quite a draw in fair weather. The odd horticultural moniker refers to the fact that the pub once belonged to the retired head gardener from nearby Avington Park.

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - Under £30
Cuisines
Gastropub
Ambience
Cosy, Traditional
Food Hygiene Rating

Location

Brandy Mount, Cheriton, Hampshire, SO24 0QQ

01962 771 318 01962 771 318

Website

Opening Times

Mon-Sat 12N-2.30pm 6-11pm Sun 12N-3pm 7-10.30pm

Reviews

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2 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Sue C

14 June 2020  
Food & Drink 5
Service 5
Atmosphere 5
Value 5
Proper Pub
We Had aVery Tasty Meal,Well CookedService Was good, As They we're Busy. The Beers ?? On offer Have Won Many Awards.It is a Friendly And Welcoming. Will Be Visiting Again.

Kit

31 October 2019  
Unpleasant and unfriendly

If you want a warm welcome, do not go here!!!

Having always been a massive fan of the flower pots brewery I suggested the entire family go here after a fab morning out. They are obviously doing so well in the brewery that they don’t need anyone new in the pub and they certainly don’t wish to hire a bar tender with any bar or front facing experience!

Firstly we were put off having lunch by the erratic barmaid who warned us not to expect much from the kitchen because they were super busy and when I very kindly accepted this and assured her we were only after light sandwiches her response was ‘it doesn’t matter what you have, they’re still busy!’
Not a cracking start...

We were then told there are no children allowed in the bar we’d need to go and sit in a marquee. I exclaimed that this was a shame because we’d specifically come here being such a fan of the beers and I quite jovially said that I didn’t really feel like sitting in a marquee to be honest. She did not stop telling me that it’s all over the website and the doors, ‘it says very clearly on the doors that children aren’t allowed, there are signs on all the doors and it’s all over the website, it’s very clear!’

....

When I then came to pay I tapped my card on the bar, now I just want to point out this was a tap that I do often actually. A little rhythmic tap and nothing more but it clearly offended her and she began to thump the bar as if to mimic me! I immediately asked ‘everything alright?’ To which she replied it was irritating that I had tapped the bar and she couldn’t bear the tapping and then she went on... I then opened the suggestion that she seemed irritated and said quite clearly that I wasn’t trying to offend when I said it was a shame to have to sit outside, it was simply a comment on my disappointment.
The other bar lady then joined in and said she would come to talk with me in a moment and seemed much more sensible and gave me the nod which gave me the impression this has happened a lot....

Unfortunately, I left before speaking to her as the bar maid then continued to relay her version of this story to other guests, one of which I later found out is the proprietor of the pub, all of this only a few feet away from where I sat. When I confronted her, she stood behind the bar and mimicked me again in a whining voice ‘oh it’s such a shame, I was so looking forward to coming here, I don’t want to sit in a marquee...’
This was unbelievable, the landlord had nothing to offer at this point. Clearly he feels this is an acceptable way to talk to the public but I have never known anything like it. Disgusting behaviour.

I will not go here again, it really ruined the morning.
Might be great beer. Awful awful pub.

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01962 771 318 01962 771 318

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