We had been to the Fox and Grapes a few times previously and did not have the best of experiences similar to the other reviewers. However, when passing one day we decided to pop in and found that it had been done out and was possibly under new management. This is now my favourite place to eat and drink. It's good honest British food. The staff are always friendly and helpful and it doesn't break the bank either. I would urge anyone who has tried it in the past and been disappointed to give it another go. It has definitely improved on all levels.

My wife and I visited on 15.08.2009, at lunchtime. I'm sorry to spoil the party, but we came away with a poor impression of the Fox and Grapes.

We have been several times over the years, and have, up to this most recent visit, enjoyed the food and drink, but we were not 100% satisfied on 15.08.2009.

There were not many other customers, which suits us fine, for we like a quiet pub, and we found a table by a window.

We each ordered Toad in the hole. The menu said that it was made with a "light batter", but ours was definitely not light.

It had been reheated and it was rather on the heavy side, but it tasted OK and we carried on. The crust, at the edge, was so hard that it almost defeated me (and I'm a big lad) when I tried to cut it.

I just managed to saw through it, and it was edible, but my wife (petite, five foot three) had to give up, and she left her knife embedded in the crust.

I carried on because I was brought up to eat everything that is put in front of me, and old habits die hard, but that crust was more like wood than a light batter.

There was a family at the next table, and they did not have a happy experience, either. There was mother, father, a teenage lad, and three children of about 9 or 10 years.

They had not been long seated before mother took the smaller children's drinks back to the bar. I don't know what the problem was, but replacements were soon, and cheerfully, brought.

Then the father, who had ordered Cesar salad, was told that there was no Cesar salad dressing, so he had to change his order.

The glass in the window that was next to our table had obviously been cleaned by someone who used a circular motion when wiping the panes, for the corners had so much black dirt in them that it could have been picked out with a finger tip.

The same dirt could be seen on a wall, at the end of a shelf. Finally, our cutlery coul

no sour grapes here, brilliant pub. me and all my family love eating, good value for money and friendly service.