Pubs In Long Itchington Area

[alan_fincher]

We will be around Cuttle / Long Itchington tonight, if all goes to plan, and looking for a pub for a meal.

 

We seem to be more spoilt for choice than usual, with the Cuttle Inn & the Two Boats at the foot of the locks, the "Blue Lias" part way up, and the Boat at the top.

 

So any people have had particularly good (or bad) experiences of lately, please ?

 

It looks like the Cuttle may have live music, and I want to enjoy a meal with conversation, so I'm minded to rule that one out first!

[john6767]

I don't know about the Two Boats now, did it change hands earlier in the year? The Boat is a bit variable and probably a bit of a walk for you anyway?

 

We are leaving Calcutt tomorrow morning BCN bound, so we may well pass you.

Edited May 25, 2012 by john6767

[nicknorman]

We will be around Cuttle / Long Itchington tonight, if all goes to plan, and looking for a pub for a meal.

 

We seem to be more spoilt for choice than usual, with the Cuttle Inn & the Two Boats at the foot of the locks, the "Blue Lias" part way up, and the Boat at the top.

 

So any people have had particularly good (or bad) experiences of lately, please ?

 

It looks like the Cuttle may have live music, and I want to enjoy a meal with conversation, so I'm minded to rule that one out first!

Blue Lias is definitely our favourite, although recently we have only embibed there and not eaten. Cuttle/2boats has a rather noisy road and sometimes noisy music. Have not been to Boat at the top, but again it's by a noisy road. Blue Lias garden is tranquil and you have the weather for it.

Edited May 25, 2012 by nicknorman

[carlt]

Personally I'd hold out until Stockton and walk up to the Crown Inn.

 

A Petanque banter sounds like fun...

 

I'd rather drink canal water than visit the Blue Lias (though it has been 15 years) so I'd probably give the new Two Boats a try, if you don't want to leave canalside.

[Ray T]

There is also The Boat at the top of The Stockton flight, just past Kate Boats.

[twbm]

New landlords at the Two Boats, ex Lord Nelson but not sure how long ago that was. Ate there just as they were closing the kitchen a few weeks ago, and I think I commented on here that there was definately a sense that meat and mushrooms had been dumped in the deep fat fryer. I'll be charitable and say maybe they were still arranging the kitchen the way they want it etc etc. Beer was fine.

 

Edit: If you fancy a curry the Essence of India aka Black Horse in Marton, about four miles away, will come and pick you up. 01926 632766. It's a bit of an experience in their minibus and the pub side of the business is a bit scruffy, but the restaurant, food and service are excellent. And they do a good pint of Doombar which, it turns out, goes very well with Indian food. Ate there Monday and Tuesday this week.

Edited May 25, 2012 by twbm

[David Schweizer]

There is also The Boat at the top of The Stockton flight, just past Kate Boats.

I assume you are referring to The Boat at Birdingbury. If so, I would not even consider it unless the owners have changed in the past few years. We used to moor the other side of the bridge and the last time we went in there, Jan's meal was cold and not fully cooked, when I approached the landlord asking for it to be rectified he was rude and agressive, (and drunk!!)

 

I cannot prove it but I am fairly certain that he was behind having our permitted moorings closed. A former (boat owning) employee told me that he was constantly complaining to BW about the boats moored the other side of the bridge because we were preventing casual moorers (and potentially his customers) from stopping overnight, which was rubbish of course as there was still plenty of visitor mooring space opposite the pub.

 

I have not been in the Blue Lias for a few years, but last time we visited, the food was nothing out of the ordinary, but was reasonable value for money, and the young staff were both friendly and helpful, of course that could have changed, but it may be worth the walk.

Edited May 25, 2012 by David Schweizer

[nicknorman]

Its a bit late for this now, but the best dining experience in the area in our opinion is where you were last night - Radford bottom lock, walk up the hill to the Stag at Offchurch. It is a little up market but not too expensive, but has that nice combination of a cosy bar with real fire etc, plus an exemplary dining room with great food and professional staff and the best lighting of any restaurant I have ever been to! (I have a thing about lighting, I want to be able to read the menu but not have glaring light in my face!) Prices are quite reasonable for what you get. If you fancied spashing out on a nice evening, it is not too far by taxi - 5 miles!

Edited May 25, 2012 by nicknorman

[Farey]

There is also The Boat at the top of The Stockton flight, just past Kate Boats.

 

I've been to the Boat twice this year, in March and April (Saturday lunchtime and Friday evening). Both times they had run out of draft beer, and only had bottles (and the pub was almost deserted).

 

I've been to the Blue Lias and Two Boats quite a few times over the last few years, and they've always been OK. Not been this year yet though,

[jelunga]

We used The Boat and The Two Boats last year. Mikron were performing at the Boat at Birdingbury. We eat there three times. The food was ok beer was ok. They did manage to charge my debit card twice for one meal but I got a refund in duecourse. The Two Boats was nice and helpful by taking in mail for us. Beer was ok, food was acceptable but nothing special. Never tried Cuttle or Blue Lias.

[Nine of Hearts]

Not been there since we were moored at Napton in 2007, but the first mate and I always liked (I think it was called) The Bell, in the centre of Long Itchington. Very nice food and in those days at least, a very cheeky french waiter.

 

I say, I think it's called The Bell, because the Mate could never remember the name and used to make them up instead, finally coming up with "the whore in the hedge", by which we referred to it ever after.

[Catrin]

Instant coffee! I've just been offered instant coffee in the Blue Lias

[carlt]

Instant coffee! I've just been offered instant coffee in the Blue Lias

 

Nobody ever listens to me.

 

 

I'd rather drink canal water than visit the Blue Lias (though it has been 15 years)...

[Allan(nb Albert)]

Not been there since we were moored at Napton in 2007, but the first mate and I always liked (I think it was called) The Bell, in the centre of Long Itchington. Very nice food and in those days at least, a very cheeky french waiter.

 

I say, I think it's called The Bell, because the Mate could never remember the name and used to make them up instead, finally coming up with "the whore in the hedge", by which we referred to it ever after.

 

You are thinking of the Buck & Bell which is the best of the six pubs in Long Itchington. However, I like your name.

 

Not sure how this would be depicted on a pub sign!

[ditchcrawler]

Personally I'd hold out until Stockton and walk up to the Crown Inn.

 

A Petanque banter sounds like fun...

 

I'd rather drink canal water than visit the Blue Lias (though it has been 15 years) so I'd probably give the new Two Boats a try, if you don't want to leave canalside.

The keep a good Adnams

[Ray T]

I assume you are referring to The Boat at Birdingbury. If so, I would not even consider it unless the owners have changed in the past few years. We used to moor the other side of the bridge and the last time we went in there, Jan's meal was cold and not fully cooked, when I approached the landlord asking for it to be rectified he was rude and aggressive, (and drunk!!)

 

I cannot prove it but I am fairly certain that he was behind having our permitted moorings closed. A former (boat owning) employee told me that he was constantly complaining to BW about the boats moored the other side of the bridge because we were preventing casual moorers (and potentially his customers) from stopping overnight, which was rubbish of course as there was still plenty of visitor mooring space opposite the pub.

 

I have not been in the Blue Lias for a few years, but last time we visited, the food was nothing out of the ordinary, but was reasonable value for money, and the young staff were both friendly and helpful, of course that could have changed, but it may be worth the walk.

 

I came past The Boat at 1:00 pm today and it was all shut up and locked. A local said the brewery were looking for a new Tennant.

[Barry]

Instant coffee! I've just been offered instant coffee in the Blue Lias

 

How much were they intending to charge?

[alan_fincher]

How much were they intending to charge?

I'm not sure we got as far as that part of the discussion!

 

For the record, the Blue Lias was absolutely heaving, with nearly all outside tables taken,(and there are lots!). They were running out of some choices of meals, but managed to serve us remarkably quickly given the large numbers of meals they were doing.

 

OK, but not exceptional, which in the circumstances I'm OK with.

 

The coffee thing is inexcusable, though!......

[Barry]

I'm not sure we got as far as that part of the discussion!

 

For the record, the Blue Lias was absolutely heaving, with nearly all outside tables taken,(and there are lots!). They were running out of some choices of meals, but managed to serve us remarkably quickly given the large numbers of meals they were doing.

 

OK, but not exceptional, which in the circumstances I'm OK with.

 

The coffee thing is inexcusable, though!......

 

Ah! Conversation ended with a resounding 'Poke It' then

 

Fair play...

[Keeping Up]

Do you remember how the Blue Lias used to be? Donkeys, goats, chickens, geese and other animals in the garden - a donkey stuck its head in the side window which really startled the dog - and a Vampire bomber in the car park. It had the most amazing range of scotch whiskies available, many of them brought back for them by regulars who had been on holiday in Scotland.

 

The first time we arrived there as a party of 8 hirers, the whiskies were arranged on three shelves behind the bar. The landlady said "I don't know you so you're only allowed to choose whisky from the bottom shelf. One person asked for ginger in his whisky and was summarily served a pint of beer instead. When we approached the bar again, three of us were deemed to have chosen well and were allowed to choose from the second shelf; the others were told they must choose again on the bottom shelf, apart from the one of course who was only allowed beer.

 

We returned to the bar and the landlady looked around furtively. "The landlord's not around" she said to us three second-shelfers "so I'm going to let you and you, but not you, choose just one from the top shelf but don't say a word if he comes back in". I chose a 30-year old MacAllan and the memory of its amazing taste still lingers with me forty years later ...

[carlt]

Do you remember how the Blue Lias used to be?

Yes, being told what I can and can't choose from the bar was the reason I have never been back.

 

Contrast with the Old Mint, in Southam, whose landlady took great pride in allowing a new customer to sample all of her amazing range of beers and single malts.

 

I was stone cold sober until I got off the bar stool and had to be carried back to the car.

[john6767]

I came past The Boat at 1:00 pm today and it was all shut up and locked. A local said the brewery were looking for a new Tennant.

 

I was going to post exactly the same thing myself, and it must have been around 1:00pm when we went past too, heading down, just outside Leamington now.

 

 

I must say the garden at the Blue Lias looked inviting when we came past, but we resisted stopping. The Two Boats looked very busty with the tables on the towpath packed and lots of people eating, again we resisted stopping.

Edited May 26, 2012 by john6767

[system 4-50]

... The Two Boats looked very busty with the tables on the towpath packed and lots of people eating, again we resisted stopping.

!!!

 

 

 

[carlt]

!!!

New barmaid.

[RLWP]

New barmaid.

 

<Richard plans where to have Sunday lunch>

 

Richard