The Headley, Warley

On booking sunday lunch for my party of 4 I enquired whether there was a good vegetarian option as one of my party was vegetarian. I was told 'yes' but when we got there it was vegetable pie, which was basically vegetables with curry powder and pastry on the top. It was very dry and when we asked for vegetable gravy was told there was none. First girl just said no there is no vegetable gravy. Senior waitress did sympathise and asked chef but no vegetable gravy. Surely they had some vegetable stock or something! Other roast dinners ok but hardly any vegetables and about 2 roast potatoes each. The vegetarian option wasn't eaten, we weren't offered any refund because of this. Waitress sympathised but basically did nothing. I filled in a customer comment card with my telephone number and address but no-one contacted me. I will definitely not go back again.

Will the owners be satisfied with the monicker of gastropub? Maybe not, and I think they are aiming their sights higher. I look forward to returning, if only to have the confit duck leg again!

It was quiet when we arrived at 3.15pm. Our order was placed and paid for at the bar, but it took over an hour for our food to arrive. After enquiring after 50 minutes, we were told that due to a 'mechanical breakdown in the kitchen' they had had difficulties. It would have been a good idea if they had told our party of 6. When the food arrived, one meal was over cooked and another was nothing like the menu described. The table staff at The Headley restaurant were very unhelpful when we complained. We eventually got the meal changed and got a refund for that meal. The staff may have been busy earlier and had other things on their minds, but it did not excuse their attitude toward us.

We went to The Headley having read that it had changed ownership to Chef and Brewer. We waited 1 hour and 15 mins for our order. I am a diabetic and having injected was nearly on the floor by the time our meal arrived. This was only after my wife demanded to know what was going on. We were told that it was busy downstairs.