| sweet potato recipes | ottawa restaurants | Nightclubs las vegas | restaurant furniture | Ten Best Restaurants in London | Tarjeta Mercadona | Localiza Mercadona | Mercadona Actualidad |
Restaurant insurance specialists. For more details visit the UKinsuranceNET website.
Related Search
Landlord Insurance.
For more details visit our website.
User login
Navigation
Do you know of a restaurant that needs to improve their image? There's a brand new tv show seeking Restaurants who want to participate. More here.
The UK's top writer on food, as voted by readers of Restaurant Spy, talks exclusively to Spy! Click here for details.
Rose, author of the Savvy Shopper and the New English Kitchen, talks exclusively to Spy. Click here.
Reliable and courteous parking service for visitors to London Gatwick airport.
Who's online
There are currently 0 users and 13 guests online.
The Well Diggers Arms, Pulborough Rd, Petworth, West Sussex. GU28 0HG
Pulborough Rd, Petworth, West Sussex. GU28 0HG
01798 342287
When I lived in London I really couldn't get excited about fox hunting or hare hounding or deer dogging, it just all felt too alien – and anyway what about the hunting of humans that goes on all over the world every day? However, when you spend time in the backwaters of Kent and East & West Sussex you really do feel obliged to take sides; and if any place is going to make you take sides it is the Well Diggers Arms in deepest darkest Western Sussex.
The Well Diggers is one of those Pubs that only has locals, and those who accidentally come a calling. You know, the kind of place where folk go quiet when you touch the door handle and all you can hear is the creaking of twenty brass necks turning toward you.
This tiny two room Pub plays on its familiarity with the punters, you get banter between the female staff constantly (well slag ups, not banter really) and some of the argument is actually recorded in chalk on the beams – hilarious I'm sure, unless of course 'you're not from round 'ere' and you don't get the jokes. This banter is mixed with welcoming signs like 'Bullocks to the EU' and 'English spoken here – pounds and ounces' . Anyway we didn't know any of this until we wandered in one weekday lunchtime on the recommendation of the AA Pub Guide 2004. We didn't feel comfortable from the beginning, the barmaid said 'take that table, sit opposite each other, that's how it works here, because people will join you at the table' aaaahhh. We wanted to comment on this and everything else, like pictures of Churchill and horsey doggy stuff, but the thing is the place is so small that every word of every conversation is heard, so effectively you either contribute to the ongoing saga or you watch as though at a recording of the Archers in a very small studio. The talk was mostly of misspellings on the menu (spinage anyone?), the local Shoot, the Pub's very own 2005 Calendar £10 (every penny to charity) but mostly how great it is just to be right.
The menu was smug and expensive, steaks all over £14, Dover Sole £19.50, etc.
I had fish soup ( my favourite thing in the whole world) which came as a watery light red liquid (reminiscent of tinned tomatoes); there were four small prawns and three mussels floating in it and it tasted as wet as it looked. My chauffeur had a very pleasing burger – pinky inside, fat and homemade, though the chips weren't. We ate, we drank and we left quickly.
This place is so smug about its menu, its 'characters' and its politics you can almost hear it humming. Even if none of the punters were fox hunters (and I'm taking a wild guess that they were),I'm glad that country folk can't now spend their weekends getting dressed up and watching dogs eat a fox (or whatever it is they think is excellent fun – my city friends can no longer bait their bears or fight with their cocks! So fairs fair). But hold on, they might replace it with hunting people they don't like, so let's ban the countryside and all who live there. Here's to the tolerance of the urban dweller!
Don't go to the Well Diggers Arms, the food is wet, its expensive and even though they have never met you, they don't like you. REJECTED HAVOC
Search
Latest Food News
Aggregated news stories from the media.
Poll
Directory - search by area or type
Click on any of the following categories to see reviews by area, rating or type.
Country/Region
Americas - Canada, Greenland, USA
Asia/Australasia - Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, The Maldives
Europe - Austria, Belgium, Eire, France, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland
Other world region
UK, England - Beds, Berks, Birmingham, Bucks, Cheshire, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, Essex, Glos, Hants, Herts, Humberside, Kent, Lancs, Leic, Lincoln, London, Manchester, Middlesex, Norfolk, Notts, Oxon, Shrop, Somerset, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Wilts, Worcs, Yorks, Scotland, Wales
Cuisine - African/Afro-Caribbean, British - Modern, Traditional, Cafe, Chinese, French, Indian, Italian, Meditteranean, Mexican/North American, Other Asian, Other European, Pub, Takeaway
Special type - Ambience, Disabled Access, Families, Large Groups, Romantic, Service, Views
Spy rating - Approved, OK, Rejected
Award-winning Restaurants & Pubs
Top Restaurant Critics
Recent comments
Restaurant Spy Links
Links to friends, partners, brothers and sisters all. Help keep this site free by visiting these links.
All-time popular content
- DON'T WORRY - YOUR PAGE WILL BE HERE!! (2383839)
- Va Pensiero Italian Restaurant, 183-185 Watling St, Radlett Herts WD7 7NQ (17685)
- The Pot Kiln, Frilsham, Yattendon, Berkshire RG18 0XX (14836)
- A Touch of Novelli, The White Horse, Hatching Green, Harpenden, Hertfordshire. (13242)
- The Cricketers, Clavering, nr Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 4QT (12586)
Well Diggers
The chips are now very good, and the prices on the menu are about the same some years later and everuyone elses have caught up or surpassed them. How much do you expect to pay for a WHOLE dover sole, its not just filletts you know.
You can't walk into any pub and expect everyone to be your best mate. After all, anyone turning up with a chauffeur is going find issues.
The mix at the diggers is very broad and sledom the same on 2 days. The constsants are Ted and Tuppy. Ted is Ted and thats that. Tuppy is lovely. The barmaids are very sexy too.
Its old fashioned tegh people like shooting and horses, not all like hunting, so they mind their own business!
You can have fish & chips for £10 and a heap of Mussells and loads of good dishes cooked brilliantly for under £15. The starters are ample for most people. Take your pick.
Its still a pub, thank goodness, and doesn't pretend to be a restaurant.
Had a birthday lunch there
Had a birthday lunch there yesterday (15th march) and loved it. It's just what I want in a country pub, the lady that wrote the bad review didn't need to go so far, just that she shouldn't have strayed too far from her local wine bar.
I loved it and if I can ever find it again will stop off for a pint......
Tom
It is significant that the
It is significant that the writer of that vitriolic review wanted to be annonymous, He was obviously ashamed of it , can't think why he wrote it in the first place."The Well-diggers" is where we go for a meal when we feel like treating ourselves. We love the atmosphere and have experienced nothing but friendliness from staff and locals. We had the fish soup on one occasion ( beacuse it could be served immediately) when it was so full that there was only room for us at a table that was reserved . We thoroughly enjoyed it and it was as substantial as a main course.
We are going there today
Beryl Reynolds
Havoc ??
I feel it MIGHT have been vibes coming from the writer after being told 'where and how to sit'.
'Townies' never like being told what to do, furthermore, suggest he/she tells Marco Pierre Wight he obviously doesn't know what he was talking about when he rated the pub VERY highly !!!!
However, it is just as well that those who loathe traditional old fashioned English ways do NOT appear there ! more space for those of us who appreciate something genuine and worth saving !
P K A Gjetnes
Welldiggers arms w.sussex
The lady who wrote this reveiw needs to stay in London. The pub is frendly, with a locally famous landlord. The food is excellent.
I think your reveiwer should not be so 'closed' to tradition. Perhaps its the first time she has ventured into the countyside?
Do us all a favour and stay on the tube.
Martin W.Green
Dreadful review
I can't belive we are talking about the sane place!
If you like polished wood and sleek alluminium bar stools this place is not for you. But if you like honest people, good food and an excellent traditional pub then you should be skipping over each other to go there. This is what old english pubs are all about.
Maybe the feeling of rejection and havoc just meant old english pubs is not what this city dweller wants. Odd baffling review - the place is wonderful
Can this be the same place?
Last time I was at the Welldiggers (it happened to be my first time too) everybody was very friendly and the food was excellent. I did notice that the patrons were all locals, but how refreshing that is in modern Britain where nobody seems to belong anywhere in the cities! It had an authenticity that was wonderful. Lots of English city-dwellers aren't comfortable with the notion that their country has an indigenous way of life that isn't all trend and granite counters, where people do things their own way. REJECTED HAVOC sounds like one of them. Ignore, and go to the Welldiggers if you are after something real.
Well Diggers Arms
This is a truely amazing pub with a very good reputation locally and further afield. I was horrified to read the review posted by a city gent recently. It was correct in as much as he got the ambience of this very traditional English country pub, but his perception of their famous fish soup was all wrong I can only assume his mouth is totally devoid of any tastebuds! On my last visit to this fabulous "spit'n'sawdust" pub I had the Spicy Roast Belly of Pork which was devine the previous time I had it and was equally devine this time too and the crackling was just that, too! It is EXCELLENT value for money and there are some real characters in there, both sides of the bar, so making for an entertaining atmosphere. Also they're not precious about whether you have a dog with you, and so makes for a great pitstop after the dog walk! All I can say is don't rely on my review (and definitely don't rely on that city chap's review)try it for yourself and you'll be glad you did! Gourmet Guru
Well Diggers Arms
REJECTED HAVOC has done us a great favour. This is a gem of a pub, with outstanding food, real character and real characters. I count myself lucky that we country folk still have such 'unspoilt'places where we can congregate and socialise without being overrun with city gents. It is difficult enough to get a booking as it is.
Well Diggers Arms
I cannot comment on this pub, as I have never been there, but I have visited similar establishments and am very grateful to Havoc for the warning. I'm proud to be a city dweller and proud to be European, but I don't shove my politics down people's noses. We had a B&B for many years (in London - a place where everyone is welcome, as long as they behave, regardless of nationality, race or sexual orientation) and I had to keep my lip firmly buttoned many times as I overheard bigoted and ignorant views at the breakfast table. I had to listen to my beloved home town being run down and insulted, without once joining in, and let me tell you, the strain almost killed me sometimes.
But ramming your politics down customers' throats is bad for business. So apart from the Amnesty collection box on the hall table, few guests ever knew what we thought. But now I'm free to speak, I'll tell you that I loathe this type of country pub, I'm glad they have no idea of how to run a business and are therefore dying out.
Havoc ???
I may suggest you visit it before slaughtering it - this is a genuine 'English pub' that reminds us a bit of what England USED to be like - and will be a great pity if all we find is 'politically correct grovellers to everyone' -is THAT what creates an 'atmosphere' ?? -
Go away !!!
P K A G
The Well Diggers
The fact that Ms. D Middleton (I suspect she may be a spinster) loathes this type of pub pleases me, at least if I ever visit The Well Diggers I will not be sharing the bar / restaurant with her, hooray
Diggers
Sweetheart, when you find yourself in a hole - stop digging! We all love to be reduced to a stereotype, so you're probably one of those fat, red faced, blazer wearing, xenophobic UKIPs with a wife called Marjorie. The kind that always hit on me in smelly old pubs.
I could never have managed that guest house without my husband (34 years - do you think it will last?) and he couldn't have done it without me. Having said that - what's wrong with being a spinster ? Much better to be single than unhappily married to a pub bore and called Marjorie.
Don't worry, you can kip in peace at the Well Diggers, that leaves the rest of the world for me and my beloved old man to explore.
Well Diggers
These Well Diggers people seem to be maintaining a 24-hour vigil on Spy. Funny lot.
Pezza
Well Diggers
I'm not a city gent, i'm not a country gent in fact i'm no sort of gent.I don't live that close to the pub but iv'e been using it from time to time over the last twelve years or so. Iv'e allways had a great meal the locals warm and friendly bar and serving staff a joy and Ted well your a legend. Oh my wife and I were ther last sat night brilliant food as usual so if you don't like it tough. Rick Passingham
well - diggers
I'm not a city gent I'm a working man who lives in the country. I don't care about politics or hunting or any of that. Firstly I lived and worked in London for over 19 years and believe it to be the lonliest place on the planet where you are basically judged by your wealth and position before anything else. Secondly I am a chef who has had the distinct misfortune to work at the well diggers for a short period of time. Ted is considered a character by many but I found him to be a pig ignorant bullying slob. I had to clean maggots out of a bandsaw used for cutting meat. I personally witnessed Ted taking a pee in the back garden and then cutting smoked salmon afterwards without washing his hands. It really was the worst few weeks of my life. As a catering professional I think Teds standards are crap although I do not criticise the staff working for him. As for the city folk bemoaning country pubs - Don't tar us all with the same brush there are many fine establishments that work to a fine standard and are very welcoming to all - find them and enjoy them before they do really all disappear. Nuthall
Landlord Ted
Yes, that's the one. Good God - is he still alive? MUST go back to be abused and humiliated once more. And our very best wishes to you Ted, you are a survivor. Or not, as the case may be.