Beaulieu / Bucklers hard. What a shame !

[henryf]

The Beaulieu river and Bucklers hard has to be one of the most delightful spots in the Solent. That view of the cottages either side of the grass with boats in the foreground and the prospect of a lovely sheltered night as the sun slips quietly away to bathe some other lucky souls in it's warm bright rays.

The water dies down to a mirror finish, the occasional tender breaking the silence and causing a momentary ripple or two. Then you think back to the crappy lunch you had and the amusement staff who served it up

We hadn't been there for ages so popped in for the afternoon and once again were reminded as to what a shambles the pub and hotel is. Ironically we'd had a late lunch at the Folly the day before and the two places couldn't be further apart if they tried.

Whereas the Folly serves up hearty grub all day in a well oiled and timely fashion the Bucklers Hard mob shut up shop in the afternoon when the throngs are still milling wanting a bite to eat.

As luck would have it this weekend their purpose build BBQ gazebo was in action so we were able to dine out on the lawn. Orders taken we waited for the food to be cooked, sadly the chip fryer had seemingly given up the ghost although just as we'd ordered rather tasty looking fish and chips emerged from the seemingly closed kitchens ?

Once the food was cooked we queued up to be given still semi frozen buns and a dig at the salad things. I saw my burger given away to someone else and the good lady wife her sausage. No matter, the "chef" grabbed a couple he'd prepared earlier in the day (or possibly yesterday) from a tin and gave them 10 seconds for good luck on the heat before handing them over.

I've never actually eaten a rubber burger but now know what one tastes like. I was starving so ate my cucumber, tomatoes and carrot & leaf salad but just couldn't force the rubber thing down. Rather than say nothing I popped back to the rather well spoken chap who'd served us who was pottering around behind the gazebo doing a bit of washing up, put down the burger and said it was the most disgusting burger I'd ever tasted.

His reply was something that quite took me back. "Oh well." in a sort of "not to worry" manner. No offer of a replacement or my seven quid back. Just "Oh well".

We had to head up to the coffee shop for a bit of cake and a coffee to fill the gap before heading back out to the Solent.

Bucklers hard really is a cracking spot but you keep forgetting it's just an amusement park with amusement park staff and catering. If only they would let someone in to run the pub and food the place would be world class.

So don't forget to take food and refreshments with you next time you go!

The sad thing is someone high up really does care because there was a woman with a clipboard canvassing opinions of visitors as they left so obviously them that make the decisions want the place sorted. If only the people you dealt with at the coal face gave a damn and listened to the punter's comments it would save the clipboard lady a job.

As ever, keep smiling and enjoy the wonderful weather.

Henry

 

[strakeryrius]

Not to wish to disagree, but we ate in the actual restaurant at the Master Builder only a few weeks ago and had excellent food and very good service. Maybe its just the BBQ that's the problem?

 

[Seahope]

Not to wish to disagree, but we ate in the actual restaurant at the Master Builder only a few weeks ago and had excellent food and very good service. Maybe its just the BBQ that's the problem?

Ditto.

 

[YHQ]

Funny old thing, I spent last night at Bucklers Hard. First time I've been back in at least seven or eight years.

I'd forgotten how lovely the place can be, particularly at the end of a bank holiday when virtually everyone's gone home. My other half had never been there, and was hugely impressed, having previously thought of the Solent as Cowes, ie de rigeur Dubarries and shorts combinations, sunglasses atop heads whatever the weather sort of thing. It seems that as soon as you enter the Beaulieu River, the class of boat improves. Everything from immaculate 40 year old Swans, to Tom Cunliffe's replica. Even one of Lippy Purves' ex-boats lurking on a mooring I think.

Anyway, 'er indoors dragged me to the Master Builders where initially I thought not much had changed - harrassed looking young guy behind the bar kept us waiting for ten minutes whilst zooming around serving cream tea, rounding up a waitress, searching for orange juice etc. He was apologetic and it clearly wasn't his fault, and the pint of Ringwood was just fine, so no probs with that.

Like Henry, we were enticed by a nice looking BBQ in the garden, with aforementioned surprisingly well spoken burger tender. Equally sad at lack of chips, but the burger was pretty tasty I think, and I'm a bit of a burger snob having bred four-legged ones in the past. With horns and stuff. All in all, I'd say the place has imroved no end on my last visit - a bit haphazard perhaps but certainly more welcoming. I'd go back, and I absolutely wouldn't let it put me off visiting the river.

Or do I have low standards, being merely a visiting Cornish peasant?

 

[l'escargot]

The Master Builder has never been any different - but look on the bright side, it helps to maintain the peacefulness of Bucklers Hard by not attracting the same mobs as the Folly!

If it became any good the place would fill up with all sorts and before you knew it there would be dancing on the tables on a Saturday night and all that nonsense.

 

[henryf]

Sadly it wasn't me being a burger snob. This thing was matt on the outside with a leathery skin, solid on the inside and could have been used to plug a hole somewhere. It wasn't going anywhere. It may well have been a decent burger several hours, days or weeks previously when it was first cooked

The problem is that all the staff are part timers, there's no substitute for people who know what they're doing.

I remember having a lovely meal in the main restaurant a few years ago but Monday is more fresh in my mind, that bloke should have apologised and sorted it out. He will no doubt have been a part timer as well I suspect but that didn't help me at the time.

As a place to tie up though you can't beat it. I remember taking the tender up to the top of the river for a meal once and also walking back from the motor museum once along the river.

I won't put me off returning, I'll just remember to take my lunch with me.

Had dinner in the River Rat again in Hamble village on the Sunday night. What great service and lovely people there. If you've not been make sure you give it a bash. It's on the left hand side of the hill as you walk up from the jetty. The Lamb Massaman in the Thai at the bottom of the hill is also superb.

Henry

 

[jhr]

The food and service at the Pub has been mediocre for years. I had high hopes that the change of management a couple of years ago would make a substantial difference but it proved to be a false hope.

I am torn between despair at the fact that it never seems to improve, and (as a mooring holder on the River) being glad that it keeps the number of visitors down .

Such a wasted opportunity.

 

[volvopaul]

Hi Henry, are you doing your own Egon Ronay tour of the solent eating places I wonder as this is the second post about poor eating places, last time it was the Hambles new place, where are you going next I wonder?.

Solent pubs be on the lookout for 911virgin.com

I quite agree with you about Bucklers, the beer was awfull too last time I was there, the sunday roast was like boot leather.

 

[CMJ]

I've never actually eaten a rubber burger but now know what one tastes like.

Me too - have to say I've never had a more disgusting burger in my life than the one served up to me from the infamous BBQ tent last year - real shame 'cause it could be so good. Love the river though.

 

[penpal]

I never bother to go there as the food and service are so bad.

 

[Firestone]

I had a meal there many years ago and will never go back and service was ****,but I blame management for not recruiting the right people or for that matter not having in-service training days for staff. I wonder what chef Gordon Ramsey would make of the joint!

 

[strakeryrius]

I had a meal there many years ago and will never go back and service was ****,but I blame management for not recruiting the right people or for that matter not having in-service training days for staff. I wonder what chef Gordon Ramsey would make of the joint!

If its such a long time since you went there to eat in the restaurant, then if you went back now you might be pleasantly surprised. As I mentioned much further up the thread, I was there only a few weeks ago on a Sunday and the food and service in the Master Builder were excellent. Others have said the same - it just seems to be the BBQ that suffers from a problem with the food.