Britannia Inn

Two weeks ago I was on holiday at Langdale estate near Elterwater village lake district and we visited the Britannia Inn at 6.35pm for an evening meal. All rooms were full apart from the “Restaurant room”. The lady asked if we had booked and when told not she went to check the time. We were told that she wasnt sure if she could fit us in (there were two other people eating in a thirty cover room) she explained there are two sittings, 6.30pm and 8pm. We were eventually sat right next to the only other diners in the room and left to feel that it was a great privilage. We were also told it was unlikely we could have a third course as the table had to be vacated by 8pm. in addition we were told there was a 10% surcharge for this room as they would bring the drinks to us. BIG WOW Overall we were made to feel most unwelcome The food was ok but then who can mess up long cooked lamb? I complained about our treatment most vigorously at the end of the meal before paying. The staff member listened said it would be passed on, but at no point was any suggestion of reduced pricing as a sorry or anything else mentioned. I believe this reflects their pompous attitude and does not offer good customer service, an industry I have been in for over thirty years. However the pricing for a small village pub was disgracefully high for just average food. If you want the traditional village pub eating experience I recommend the Wainwright a mile further down the road., more spacious, more welcoming and the food is far better for similar pricing. Or even try one of the three restaurants in the Langdale estate. much nicer surroundings, far better food and the pricing is no different from this “wanna be” Britannia Inn . They have taken advantage of being close to a high class resort and pumped up their prices for what is really something not worth it.

A group of us stayed at The Britannia Inn recently for a long weekend of swimming in the Lake District. Yep, you read that right, swimming. And swimming, as everyone knows, makes you hungry. If you can imagine how hungry you are after a dip in your cosy, chlorinated, local pool, then imagine how hungry you are after a chilly slog across Coniston Water. So the food here had some huge holes to fill, and it did that admirably. The menu is hale and hearty in that countryside way which cocks a snoop at nouveau pretensions: steak and ale pie with a suet crust, yes; battered haddock and chips, yes; goat's cheese salad with a honey and balsamic dressing, don't make me laugh! They still serve veg in porcelain bowls and it will almost certainly be boiled broccoli, cauliflower and a pureed swede/carrot mix. Taste-wise, it's about as subtle as the menu would suggest, but that's fine by most people: what you want after a long, leg-aching walk or 45 mins in 13 degree water is something which radiates warmth from the stomach outwards, not something which chilli-burns your tongue but leaves you shivering. It should come as no surprise then that it seems popular with locals and walkers (as well as the lesser spotted swimmers) and the benches outside filled up quickly at the weekend when it was sunny; inside seemed to get equally busy on weekend evenings with Sunday night no exception (thanks to the hotly contested quiz night of which no more shall be mentioned). The service is spot on for a country pub: at times it may seem a little chaotic but it always comes with a smile and always turns up trumps in the end. A lovely place for a well-deserved meal or as a base from which to explore this extraordinarily beautiful part of England.