We take a few trips out a year as a department and invite ex colleagues along as well. We have dined all over town but have a soft spot for the Mailbox area.

This was our first visit to Pennyblacks and we won't be back as a group (although who would have thought that 12 people is so unmanageable). It may be fine for small groups or couples but there were not that many in so it was hard to gauge.

We booked by e-mail (but called to confirm) and were greeted warmly enough in what turned out to be a spacious and comfortable pub, mainly - but not exclusively - frequented by businessmen.

We ordered, painless enough, then waited 45 minutes for the starters to arrive. In the meantime we attempted to order drinks for the table - and got so fed up waiting we wrote our own drinks list and took to the bar, which they got wrong in parts and missed other people out altogether.

The food, when it arrived, was edible but nothing spectacular. I know at £10 - £15 a main meal is not expensive, but when you consider the local competition it was still short of value for money and hardly inspiring; especially when compared to a similar-priced and stunning meal at Peppers the night before.

But by all means go, the atmosphere was okay, the pub was lovely, the staff were, erm, there but toilet roll was not - it also appears that you have to take your own or, as some in the party did, go to neighbouring pubs....