The Lion, The Which and the Why? (Red Lion (Egham))

Member Name: blueboxoffroad

Product:	Red Lion (Egham)
Date:	18/08/09 (41 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Errrrr.....

Disadvantages: Service poor. Food awful. Beer average. Atmosphere none.

Having found myself in "Historic Egham" at lunchtime with a work colleague, we decided we would go for a quick pub lunch. Both of us enjoy a pint of real ale, so we started by going into the White Lion (stick with me here - there is a logical progression to this!) After looking through the door, seeing no-one behind the bar or anywhere else, we left in search of a warmer welcome... and found the Red Lion in the High Street.

The outside looked promising (signs referring to Real Ales in the plural and Home Made Hot Food). We entered a 1970's time warp bar with three people having lunch in the corner. On reflection we should have followed any atmosphere straight out of the back door and kept walking. The barmaid looked positively disappointed when we wanted to order food (at lunchtime - I ask you!) and made no apology for the presence of a single ale on hand pump, despite an extensive list of tempting ales on a handwritten blackboard beside the bar. The pints were ok... (we both had to have the same don't forget!)

As there was a special offer on two meals for £7.99, we decided to give the food a chance and ordered a chicken rice and veg dish, along with a steak and claret pie with new potatoes & veg.

The service was prompt, although stunningly graceless ("cutlery's over there") which would be forgiveable if the pub had been busy - we were the only customers, so it really would not have been a great breakthrough in customer service to deliver two set of knives & forks the five yards to our table!

To describe the food as poor is giving it too much praise - I won't bang on but I have seldom eaten less appealing fare. For those old enough and brave enough, the pie was like a Casey Jones burger meal, only in gravy with what appeared to be a used trainer insole passed off as the 'crust', whilst my friend's chicken had no vegetables....... oh, or heat! Both meals had been microwaved, but neither had been heated properly.

In summary, I can see why there was no-one else in this bleak, soulless shell of a pub. Despite its great location and appealing exterior this pub is the kind of establishment that explains why so many pubs are closing - it gives the entire pub industry a bad name. The rating of one star simply reflects the fact that a) it was open and b) had a member of stafff in evidence. there is nothing else to commend it to anyone (except maybe the health inspectors).

Summary: An experience to be missed!