Pooley Bridge Inn

I have just returned from the Pooley Bridge Inn after a holiday to scatter my fathers ashes as he came from that area. Keith and staff were excellent and very helpful. The breakfasts were top class. Even though we have returned home to Scotland yesterday we were on the phone to Keith (manager) to book again for June for a week and he was very pleasant over the phone. Also we only went for three days this time. Next time will be for a full week or more. Keep up the good work Keith and staff.

Me and my wife Grace stayed at the 'PBI' for a night on a Saturday and I must say, everything was brilliant. The atmosphere was superb, the food cooked perfectly and the pretty blonde girl on the bar had a delightful attitude. The only thing I could see to improve would be to get more eye-catching toilet signs. Superb night - 9/10!

Re: Simon's comments. If the service is so appallingly bad, why go back 'on a number of occasions'?

I just went to the Pooley Bridge and it was better than I expected. The food was quite nice and so was the service. All quite up to standard. 8.5/10

On reading Simon's comment I feel that in all fairness the barmaid who declined to warm the bottle in the microwave was extremely cautious of the health and safety of the baby.
A baby's feed should be made up fresh when the baby needs it. Infant feeds should never be warmed up in a microwave as you would find on the NHS infant feeding website if you cared to take a look. I MIGHT ADD THAT I AM NOT A MEMBER OF STAFF AT THIS ESTABLISHMENT.

Just to confirm Alex's comment. Weve just stayed in Pooley Bridge for 6 nights and having tried the food and drink on the first evening, we ate at the Pooley Bridge every night! The new Manager Keith (a chef by trade) and his staff were great hosts, the food is top notch, good selection of wines and beers and the atmosphere is laid back and welcoming. Forget its past reputation and give it a try - you'll be glad that you did!

The Pooley Bridge Inn has changed owners since Summer 2008 and the service is now unbelievably better than before. Nearly all of the staff are different and tend to your needs without a doubt. The rooms are excellent and the breakfast is spectacular!
I tried to Toad In The Hole and it was exquisite. The sausage was cooked to perfection and everything else was gorgeous.
I highly recommend you drop in if you ever stop off at the Lake District!

I recently had a meal at the Pooley Bridge Inn whilst on holiday. We chose to eat there as it looked so attractive from the outside and the menu was flowered up to make the food sound really appetising. I ordered lasagne which consisted of layers of tasteless grey coloured mince and some white unrecognisable paste sort of stuff [which I later discovered was the pasta which had been frozen] and 2cm of greasy melted cheddar cheese on top, there was not a trace of tomato, herbs, betchamel sauce or even salt and pepper. The salad was also drenched in a very vinegary dressing which was overpowering. My husbands steak pie also lacked any seasoning and the pastry was almost white and barely cooked. I left at least half of my lasagne and asked the waitress to speak to the chef about it, however she returned from the kitchen and walked past us without a word. I went up to the bar to ask what the chef had said and his only comment had been that it was like that because it had been frozen, there was not even an apology offered never mind a refund for my meal. So don't be fooled by the beautiful exterior of the Inn - the quality of their food and their service does not match up. All in all a very disappointing start to our holiday.

I have stayed at Pooley Bridge Inn on a number of occasions. It is a beautiful building in a beautiful place with unique rooms, all more than adequate.

I have stayed at the PBI on several occasions and have never found the service to be anything less than friendly, welcoming and attentive. The rooms are nice (all slightly different and definitely not of the the standard 'prescription' variety like most hotels) and the delicious food is served in large portions - just what you need after a day walking in the hills!

I've just phoned the health and safety executive who happily informed me that what is said below about health and safety isn't true. Employers are required to make their own risk assessments and take any action as they seem appropriate. There are no all encompassing health and safety rules that instruct on what can and cannot be done in a restaurant. If they say "health and safety" won't let us do this, they mean "I don't want to".

I have visited the pooley bridge inn on a number of occasions over the past five years and can state that the level of service has been consistently atrocious.
The staff are unfailingly rude, arrogant and unhelpful. One gets the impression that they begrudge serving people and act as if they are doing you a favour when they pull your pint.
The last visit was the last straw. The miserable dour faced cow serving would not heat up the babies milk in the microwave quoting "health and safety", she was happy however to hand over a jug of boiling hot water for us to put the bottle in. I wonder what health and safety would say when that gets spilt over a small child.
The weather was good so we opted to sit outside. Food was duly served out, cutlery came later almost as an afterthought. We then had the audacity to ask for a high chair and were told that "health and safety" wouldn't let them take a high chair outside. Our group had two babies and a toddler with us and they hadn't thought to tell us that before.
Despite the fact that the food was rather good, I am never going to the pooley bridge inn again and I make an issue of telling everyone how totally and utterly ... e it can be.
Hope this review is helpful!