Black Bull Hotel

Central location, but in need of updating and tidying up.

We checked the food menu on their website prior to booking and made our one night stay on the strength of that. The young lady I spoke to booked us in for an evening meal. What a joke!!! I approached the bar 15 minutes before our booked time and asked to see the menu’s. All I was given was a bar meal menu. I asked the bartender for the main meals menu but I was told that this was the only menu available. After voicing my opinion, the bartender chose not to deal with this issue and obtained the manager. She was of no help whatsoever and was full of excuses, no apology whatsoever. We wanted food off the Grill but this was not on the bar menu. Before setting off on our three hour journey, we again looked at the online menu and I chose mixed grill and my wife chose the fish and chips meal. No chance of getting any of these meals. Hence we both had curry and chips from the neighbouring take away. Now to the room. Early morning traffic woke us both up at 6am due to the window not closing. Room was adequate but the communal staircase leading to the room was filthy. It’s a crying shame that we prepaid. BREAKFAST. On arrival we paid for a full English and just toast for my wife. First of all, the toast was whole meal and no other choice. Butter seemed like if had come directly from the freezer and impossible to spread. No jam or marmalade available. Poor quality breakfast ingredients and swimming in oil HORRIBLE. I was going to complain again but my wife didn’t want any more conflict. What a shame. We stayed at this PUB several years ago and had a great experience with fantastic staff. NEVER NEVER EVER AGAIN. WHAT A MUCK HOLE!!!!!! Don’t know how I get my money back. But I’ll try.

This hotel was nice and clean with everything you could need for a night away. The only issue was that we were on the top room and the heating wasn’t working on our room. Once we came in the room was freezing this impacted my asthma the next day and we had to leave quickly in the morning. The room and service was great however.

Visited for lunch and can honestly say this was the worst experience we have had. Beer was awful. Wine was awful. They should be reported to Trading Standards. Menu stated sandwiches were on toasted farmhouse bloomer bread. What we actually received was cheap, supermarket, thin sliced, soggy white bread. There was no tartare sauce on the fish finger sandwich, as described on the menu. We struggled to find the fish inside lots of batter. The chips were lukewarm and inedible. The steak sandwich had no onions, again as described on the menu, and was so soggy it just collapsed. We would advise anyone in the area to look elsewhere for a meal.

Quite pricey for a small double room (bed up against the wall) with no breakfast, bed was comfortable room lovely and warm