Black-a-moor at Troway - Has it re-opened?

[lizmachin]

The Cricket Inn has a no reservation policy and it works well, although sometimes if you go at the busiest times you will have to wait at the bar for a table to become available.

 

How many times have you turned up at a pub on spec and found every table reserved, yet no-one actually sat using those tables?

 

How many times have you phoned to book a table at a place for say 7pm, and been told the tables are all reserved from 8pm so you can only have that table if you finish within an hour?

 

The Cricket (and the Inn @ Troway) avoids both the above, and serves a lot more meals to a lot more people as a result and rarely turn away disapointed customers. They also have a much more relaxed ambience.

 

 

There was no way we were going to stay in there on the off chance of getting a meal. For a start there was nowhere to wait. The place was full of kids who were bouncing on the sofas.

 

I suspect that I am not alone in not being prepared to risk turning up again only to find the same situation.

 

I think they will quickly alienate many of the type of people who they hope will fill the place night after night. This pub has failed many times in the past. They might be filling the place at the moment...but when the novelty wears off.

[Andy C]

There was no way we were going to stay in there on the off chance of getting a meal. For a start there was nowhere to wait. The place was full of kids who were bouncing on the sofas.

 

I suspect that I am not alone in not being prepared to risk turning up again only to find the same situation.

 

I think they will quickly alienate many of the type of people who they hope will fill the place night after night. This pub has failed many times in the past. They might be filling the place at the moment...but when the novelty wears off.

 

I have to say at this point I haven't actually been to the Troway yet, but the policy works well at the Cricket where I do go regularly. The Cricket did have initial teething problems, but basically you need a manager that knows what he/she is doing and a good team of staff in place to make the BrewKitchen format work.

 

The people that take their kids in the Cricket ensure their kids behave properly, although it does help of course there is a big field out front they can run around in when not eating!

[pete_jim]

There was no way we were going to stay in there on the off chance of getting a meal. For a start there was nowhere to wait. The place was full of kids who were bouncing on the sofas.

 

I suspect that I am not alone in not being prepared to risk turning up again only to find the same situation.

 

I think they will quickly alienate many of the type of people who they hope will fill the place night after night. This pub has failed many times in the past. They might be filling the place at the moment...but when the novelty wears off.

 

We haven't been yet but will do and your experience was a similar one to the early days at the Cricket at Totley. As the previous post said that is now doing really good business. Personally if you had friends coming from a long way away and you wanted something a cut above the ordinary I think you would have been better served at a place that took reservations.

[lizmachin]

We haven't been yet but will do and your experience was a similar one to the early days at the Cricket at Totley. As the previous post said that is now doing really good business. Personally if you had friends coming from a long way away and you wanted something a cut above the ordinary I think you would have been better served at a place that took reservations.

 

 

Yes but when we rang to try to reserve a table we were told that there was a 130 seat restaurant and it would be no trouble turning up on spec.

 

Never again.

[Tine.S.]

Review in the paper today: A massive pie and views of big sky at new gastro-pub

[beer]

Review in the paper today: A massive pie and views of big sky at new gastro-pub

 

We went last night and had a problem getting a table. It is a long way to go on the off chance of getting a meal.

 

I won't risk it again soon, now I have experienced the problems.

 

Re the Telegraph article. The view is very nice if you are seated at the 3 or 4 tables that look over the valley. The other 25 tables have no view whatsoever. Neither is the view out to the Humber or whatever. It is a lovely view across the Moss Valley towards Norton Aerodrome.

 

We did eventually manage to get a table. The beer was superb. Jaipur is the best. The food was OK. The chips with my burger were dry and tasted like yesterdays reheats. The wooden platters are stupid. Eating of a small flat lump of wood went out when someone invented the plate. It all looked great when it arrived and was all piled high, but anything round rolled off onto the floor the moment I tried to tackle the food with a knife and fork.

 

Overall it was a disappointment. I got the impression that they might be overwhelmed by the number of people who are turning up. Bookings might keep it under control. I went many times when it was the Blackamoor and usually there were very few diners. Trying to make classy food for hundreds in a kitchen used to doing regular stuff for a few dozen is stretching things a bit.

 

It might be better when the novelty dies down and folk realise there is better food served without the uncertainty of getting served or not.

 

I might try it again in 6 months, but won't be rushing back until they get a grip on things.

[DippyDore]

Is it the same Menu as the Cricket?

 

It's bigger, A4 size I think.

[DippyDore]

Tried to book a table there this evening but was told that no bookings for parties under 10.

 

Turned up at 8 to meet friends who had travelled a long way for a meal. The place was an utter shambles. No tables available. Long waits and kids running around screaming. It was like a Wacky Warehouse.

 

We waited outside until everyone arrived and then moved on. I certainly won't be going back.

 

Looking back on events I am rather pleased we could not find a table. The place was a living hell, and I would rather have eaten at McDonalds. If this is upmarket I'm a Dutchman.

 

I presume we are the type of people that this establishment is aimed at. If so they have got it very wrong. I am not prepared to take the chance of meeting friends in such a hell hole. We won't be back. When the novelty wears off they will wonder where they went wrong.

 

I'm the spontaneous sort of bloke that will decide at 7 o'clock on a saturday night that I fancy going out for a meal. I don't know what and I don't know where, but I know I want to dine out. My partner likes this about me - apparently it makes me exciting! (She's easily pleased y'see).

 

So, I actually think it's a good thing that there are places like this where you can just turn up and take your turn to get a table. So many places are booked up a week or more in advance (well, most of the good places are let's say). Another favourite of mine for the same reason is The Devonshire Arms at Beeley, where you can, once again, just turn up without a booking, and usually be seated in 20 -30 minutes, even at weekends. (And the food there is very good).

 

But back to the Inn at Troway, or the Black-a-Moor as it should be called. It sounds to me like your main problem was one of unruly children, not the place itself. And I can empathise with that. I have two young children of my own and we do take them out to eat with us occasionally, although it's rare we'd be out after 8 with them in a restaurant midweek. They are normally in bed by then. However, we don't let them run around wild and turn the place into a giant playground - they have been taught how to behave in public.

 

Obviously not all parents place the same value on this. I think if you want to go out and sup beer and let your kids run wild, take 'em to a pub with a huge beer garden and let them burn some energy off. But not in a pub/restaurant.

 

When I was in the same pub the other week I noticed that they were looking to attract families with children, that's obvious from the menu that this is the clientele they are aiming for. They are not aiming it a people who want to come for a quiet drink with friends I don't think.

 

Anyhow, I wouldn't write it off if I were you, but maybe choose a less busy time - maybe midweek rather than weekend? I hear the food is worth it and you have to admit it's a very attractive place.

[DippyDore]

We went last night and had a problem getting a table. It is a long way to go on the off chance of getting a meal.

 

I won't risk it again soon, now I have experienced the problems.

 

Re the Telegraph article. The view is very nice if you are seated at the 3 or 4 tables that look over the valley. The other 25 tables have no view whatsoever. Neither is the view out to the Humber or whatever. It is a lovely view across the Moss Valley towards Norton Aerodrome.

 

We did eventually manage to get a table. The beer was superb. Jaipur is the best. The food was OK. The chips with my burger were dry and tasted like yesterdays reheats. The wooden platters are stupid. Eating of a small flat lump of wood went out when someone invented the plate. It all looked great when it arrived and was all piled high, but anything round rolled off onto the floor the moment I tried to tackle the food with a knife and fork.

 

Overall it was a disappointment. I got the impression that they might be overwhelmed by the number of people who are turning up. Bookings might keep it under control. I went many times when it was the Blackamoor and usually there were very few diners. Trying to make classy food for hundreds in a kitchen used to doing regular stuff for a few dozen is stretching things a bit.

 

It might be better when the novelty dies down and folk realise there is better food served without the uncertainty of getting served or not.

 

I might try it again in 6 months, but won't be rushing back until they get a grip on things.

 

 

I hear they are having some teething problems. It's to do with staffing problems from what I can gather. I don't know if they are desperately short-staffed or incompetently staffed, maybe it's both?

 

Being the new place on the block it is heaving busy most nights and I think they are struggling to cope - as you say, give it a while and it will probably calm down and get into its stride. I wonder how many potential customers they will lose in the meantime though?

 

As for it being a long way, doesn't that depend on where you are coming from? It's less than 10 minutes from Meadowhead - but I suppose that's a long way for some people?

[beer]

I hear they are having some teething problems. It's to do with staffing problems from what I can gather. I don't know if they are desperately short-staffed or incompetently staffed, maybe it's both?

 

Being the new place on the block it is heaving busy most nights and I think they are struggling to cope - as you say, give it a while and it will probably calm down and get into its stride. I wonder how many potential customers they will lose in the meantime though?

 

As for it being a long way, doesn't that depend on where you are coming from? It's less than 10 minutes from Meadowhead - but I suppose that's a long way for some people?

 

I hear what you say and think you are spot on with the staffing. However wouldn't it be fairer on the customers to restirict numbers in that case by taking firm bookings.

 

It is very easy for a new place to get overstreached and ruin its reputation.

 

As for the distance part of it. It is not so much the time to travel there it is the time to travel somewhere else if they can't fit you in. It is no good turning up at 8.30 on a Saturday and finding no table, and nowhere to sit whilst one becomes available. Settting off in search of an alternative isn't really going to be easy unless you want to be eating a 2 for one meal.

 

As I say, I won't be rushing back to try again as the above option is about as appealling as eating out for the bins at McDonalds. :gag: