Kitchen Rat

I've never been to the Cock, but the locals you quoted have a point. Too many country pubs have been effectively turned into restaurants, where almost the only seating is at ready-laid dining tables, the range of ales and ciders has become generic, and the back of the bar is a veritable wall of bin numbers. And where every menu option is "pan-fried this', or "wok-sizzled that" or "a blanquette of the other served with a jus of something-or-other".

The gastropub is a generic modern execration.

When the food becomes the reputation of a pub - beyond the drink, beyond the rendezvous and conversation - then the pub's died as far as I'm concerned.

Surely it's possible to bring the good old-fashioned boozer into the 21st century without losing the Englishness Orwell would have recognised?

Thanks for your comments Andrew. I don't mind a bit of guinea fowl and foccacia with my pint, but am quite happy supping Directors in the local (food offer: crisps and the occasional sweaty cheese roll).

What does everyone else think?

before i begin excuse the spelling im no scholar thanks. WHAT is this lad thinking! isnt there anyone to show him the ropes? he might be able to cook but he has no idea about running a buisiness. i am watching the prog from australia so forgive me if im behind the times, he has a limited amount to use for a budget and he is buying brand new carpet! i thought it was to have a tuscan feel to it so where are the terrecota floor tiles? has no one told him about auctions? seconds, end of season clearence, dear god mate your near the biggest city in the uk use the resources, what he paid for the carpet, and big mistake i thought, food trodden into matting carpet is a bitch to get rid of not practical or easy to keep clean and hygenic. he is throwing the money away he could have got a tuscan ambiance from the terrecota tiles easy to lay warm to look at sooo easy to seal and keep clean, and bought them from auction rooms all over the country for a fraction of what he paid for that bloody carpet which i can guarantee he will have probs with he just hasnt done his homework. they went to put a flier up in a local village right next to his flyer was another one which stated up coming local events he didnt take advantage of it people dont know him or his family or what his resteraunt is going to be about why the hell didnt he have a look at the closest event date go there introduce himself get himself known with the locals ask some questions get some feed back find out what local produce there is that locals can provide him with get on their good side a perfect opportunity gone even the WI is a good venue them ladies have all the time in the world to chat about people and pass on info word of mouth it doesnt matter if its a jam selling stall get yourself known with the locals the word of mouth will do the rest and please get your wife to stop waffling in front of prospective workers dear god she can rant and say nothing at all its very unproffessional. i just thought from watching the prog that so much money was thrown away because of not thinking things through properly about all the diff options he had and not taking full advantage of the local knowledge and gossip no one knows him or his ideas and he is perfect opportunitys go by the wayside coz he isnt thinking far enough ahead that money isnt going to last forever or stretch indeffinetly why has no one given them a helping hand with the practical things show him where to go for cheaper options soiled shop floor stuff seconds shutting down sales and auctions and please someone give them some idea how to interview she has two kids they go to school give out flyers to the mums im sure part time work with kiddies is scares in a small community its not london anymore lad you dont have the traffic coming thru you do in london its a diff pace of life alltogether,someone please show him how to use his money i would relly like to see this lad make it so others can follow someone needs to have a word before theres nothing left to buy the vegies for opening night. oh by the way any chance of a look at the opening night menu? good luck.