Unhappy Diner (15 February 2009)

This is a disaster of a restaurant if you want a chilled evening out and to be honest there are much better places to eat in Oakham and around the town. From the request by telephone during the day to pre-order our meals, to being rushed into giving our order, being hounded to take our places in the dining room, to having to tell them to not serve our mains as soon as starters were finished and then holding our already cooked food under a grille so it was dried up when served meant it felt like we were in a fast food outlet. Appreciating we had booked an early table on what I expected to be a busy Valentines Day, I was surprised at the lack of diners following on so could not comprehend the rushing diners. Food was at best mediocre for the price we paid. We are unlikely to return.

Les Kennedy (25 February 2005)

The Bistro at The Whipper Inn Hotel has an excellent deal for early diners - 30% off between 6pm and 7pm Monday to Thursday. We've often taken advantage of this and been more than satisfied.

On the occasion of our last visit we had to hurry there on our way back from Peterborough and arrived in the bar at 6.55. Conscious that we were near the end of the 'Happy Hour' I checked with the staff if the offer was still available.

'It's 7.00pm' I was told. I know my watch is accurate and it still showed 6.55pm so I queried the time. I was told the offer was not available - quite emphatically, to the extent that other diners were a little embarrassed.

In the absence of an official clock, we left. As we passed hotel reception I attempted to get an alternative view from the hotel of the correct time - but no staff were available. The Switchboard on reception did have a digital clock - and even then it showed 6.59pm.