Surly - Shipwrights Arms, Helford

[Tintin]

Earlier this year while at Helford I went for a pint at the Shipwrights Arms.

They had a few customers outside, but the service was surly at best.

However I try to not damn a place first time around so yesterday evening I gave it another go.

And it was even surlier. My friend had to wait while barman finished chatting up a girl, despite the bar being empty. He was grunted at. The drinks were pored with absolute minimal contact, either eye or verbal. Then he paid, and said barman immediately returned to texting someone, and tried to ignore our request for where to order some food.

Food order had to be done with a lady that I think is the owner. Very brusque. very efficient. very unfriendly again.

Heading out of bar I commented to my friend about the service. It was overheard by the chef cooking on the outside BBQ.

Later when we left, having decided that one drink was enough in such a glum establishment, the chef was outside having a fag. I started to chat to him and commented on the barman. His reply was merely to say “I thought you would say something" in a very dismissive way.

It's no wonder the place is so empty. I would advise everyone to try somewhere else. This is not the sort of warm welcome that Cornwall needs to be giving people.

Such a shame.

 

[lustyd]

Food order had to be done with a lady that I think is the owner. Very brusque. very efficient. very unfriendly again.

Lol I had a strange food order experience in Cowes recently. There was a sign over one till saying "food orders only" but not over the other 3 tills. The barman gave me a strange look when I asked if I could order food at the other tills (answer was no) and actually laughed when I asked if I could therefore order drinks at the "food orders only" till (of course you can!).
Now my English may not be the best but all of this seemed backwards to me Thanks for the advice on the Helford pub, I'll be down that way later this year.
Dave

 

[[2574]]

Yes that's my experience of the Shipwrights Arms as well. Food was third rate in the extreme. It's overrated and is relying upon its village pub monopoloy for custom. We've not been back and now patronise the excellent Helford sailing club instead.

 

[Tintin]

Lol I had a strange food order experience in Cowes recently. There was a sign over one till saying "food orders only" but not over the other 3 tills. The barman gave me a strange look when I asked if I could order food at the other tills (answer was no) and actually laughed when I asked if I could therefore order drinks at the "food orders only" till (of course you can!).
Now my English may not be the best but all of this seemed backwards to me Thanks for the advice on the Helford pub, I'll be down that way later this year.
Dave

Shipwrights has a similar system. The twist was that the food till is about 4m away from the bar till, and the food could only be ordered from the lady (owner?). She was standing beside us when we asked the barman where to order food from. She didn't say anything (but would have overheard our question because no-one was in the bar) but waited for him to answer after he had finished his texting.

Crazy way to do business.

 

[SimbaDog]

Totally agree Crap service & overpriced food
Trouble is that on the other side is the Ferry Boat Inn with similarly rip off food prices, at least most of the staff there are a bit friendlier. Then there is the Helford River Sailing Club, my last experience there was really friendly girl taking food orders, rude barman who reluctantly found time to serve me & a chef who couldn't be bothered to do half the things on the menu, too busy chatting to his mate about all the jobs he was applying for off the gumtree website!

 

[Seajet]

It would be worth having a look at, and adding to, the 'Pub & Restaurant Guide' forum, just along from the Lounge; I have a feeling the Shipwrights already gets a mention or two...

 

[snowleopard]

Hearing that the owner is happy to lose custom through poor service makes me wonder whether this is a situation like the Spaniards on the Tamar where the landlord wanted to drive away customers so he could make a case to the planning committee that the place wasn't commercially viable so could be replaced by houses. The site is a prime one and could be replaced by several weekend cottages/flats.

 

[fireball]

Sounds similar - there was a pub near us which was (in the eyes of the land owner) prime for housing development - planning was refused so the LO closed the pub and left it standing for a year or two - the planning was then granted ... strange eh?

 

[Tintin]

Plan B

Hearing that the owner is happy to lose custom through poor service makes me wonder whether this is a situation like the Spaniards on the Tamar where the landlord wanted to drive away customers so he could make a case to the planning committee that the place wasn't commercially viable so could be replaced by houses. The site is a prime one and could be replaced by several weekend cottages/flats.

That would seem to make sense. It seems that back in 2008 the pub was put up for sale for under £1m - not sure if it sold at all - perhaps not, so driving customers away is the Plan B.

 

[jimi]

That would seem to make sense. It seems that back in 2008 the pub was put up for sale for under £1m - not sure if it sold at all - perhaps not, so driving customers away is the Plan B.

There definitely an unsavoury feel to the place, not sure I'd want to eat there now. The walk up to Manaccan is nice and the New Inn there used to be worth the walk. (Have'nt been there for about 18 months though)

 

[SimbaDog]

There definitely an unsavoury feel to the place, not sure I'd want to eat there now. The walk up to Manaccan is nice and the New Inn there used to be worth the walk. (Have'nt been there for about 18 months though)

Will give the New Inn a go next time

 

[monkfish24]

SimbaDog

It's a shame that you have had bad experiences at Helford River Sailing Club.

There is a new chef in now who seems very keen, the bartender is definitly an exception. Was he a younger lad or a chap in his early 30's with a beard?

I'm friends with the commodore at HRSC and she has no qualms with re-briefing any of her staff who don't show the club in a good light. She is most friendly and would welcome any feedback, positive or otherwise.

The stewardesses at HRSC do a brilliant and job and I have never known one of them to come across as anything but pleasant.

 

[snooks]

As you say such a shame.

Many an afternoon did I used to spend sat down by the water with a pint and a pasty/steak/pie watching the tide come slowly in then disappear again, before we decided it was time to sail back to Falmouth.

The place will remain good in my memories. Though sadly is sounds it's not the case in reality

 

[SimbaDog]

SimbaDog

It's a shame that you have had bad experiences at Helford River Sailing Club.

There is a new chef in now who seems very keen, the bartender is definitly an exception. Was he a younger lad or a chap in his early 30's with a beard?

I'm friends with the commodore at HRSC and she has no qualms with re-briefing any of her staff who don't show the club in a good light. She is most friendly and would welcome any feedback, positive or otherwise.

The stewardesses at HRSC do a brilliant and job and I have never known one of them to come across as anything but pleasant.

Was about a month ago, barman was young lad, girl taking food orders was great & apologised for the chef's attitude!

 

[snowleopard]

Sadly the price of waterside land is so high and the returns from pubs so low that it must be very tempting to slap a few houses on the land and retire. The Tamar is now without a pub you can access from the water and I guess a lot of other places are going the same way.

 

[NealB]

The Tamar is now without a pub you can access from the water and I guess a lot of other places are going the same way.

When the tide serves....anchor over where the Tavy joins the Tamar, then take the dinghy under the viaduct, and introduce yourself to Sarah and Ed in the Old Plough at Bere Ferrers.

 

[jamesjermain]

We were in the Shipwright's a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed a very pleasant evening. We were served our food by a friendly and helpful girl and the bar service was prompt but nothing special. The situation is delightful and, on a sunny summer evening it's hard to better. I'd go back there for the location if nothing else. It would be a pity to miss it.

 

[Woodlouse]

I was in the Shipwrights last year and remember the bar staff being quite friendly. It was quite late though, and I was a bit pissed so I might be remembering wrong.

 

[Alfie168]

Hearing that the owner is happy to lose custom through poor service makes me wonder whether this is a situation like the Spaniards on the Tamar where the landlord wanted to drive away customers so he could make a case to the planning committee that the place wasn't commercially viable so could be replaced by houses. The site is a prime one and could be replaced by several weekend cottages/flats.

We've had a few like that in the Dales. It has become very hard to make a profit running a pub, so you can't always blame them, but some of the activities engaged in to make some pubs unprofitable deliberately are pretty sickening stuff.

Tim

 

[Resolution]

We ate in the Shipwrights in July and had a very ordinary meal. Adequate service and an old fashioned menu, cooked to sixties standards. Not one to repeat.

Two years ago the waitress in the Helford River SC was a stunner. Sweet sixteen and knew exactly what effect she was having on old men every time she leant over!!