The Sawley Arms used to be famed for good food so we were a little surprised to turn up at 12:30 and find an almost empty car park and only one couple inside eating. That should have set the warning bells ringing, and the signs by the entrance forbidding children, dogs, muddy boots etc hardly made for a welcoming atmosphere.
The choice of beers and wine is limited to nitrokegs and screw tops and the menu had the look of having been put together from the ready pub meals of the local cut price cash and carry.
The scampi and chips was perhaps some of the worst I have ever experienced, tasteless with no texture (possibly reconstituted) and served with a bowl of obviously frozen chips, the ubiquitous bowl of peas and a rather mean sliver of lemon that looked to have been fished out from the bar rather than the kitchen.
At 11 pounds a head we had expected better than motorway service station food. It's a shame but we won't be back.
