Star rating: ****
From the outside little appears to have changed but once through the door The Travellers Rest has been through a time warp.
The once traditional English country pub alongside the busy A49 between Craven Arms and Church Stretton is now a modern, stylish bar/eaterie.
Fraser and Mauresia Allison ran the Travellers for many years, serving real ale and decent, honest pub food. You were always made welcome and felt comfortable.
Well they have now sold up and moved on and there are new owners - Nostalgia Inns, who also run the Punch Bowl at Bridgnorth and The Plough Inn at Far Forest, near Cleobury Mortimer.
They claim to continue the tradition of fine old English country pubs. Well I can’t comment on the Punch Bowl or The Plough but I can say the Travellers is not in that tradition. And that is not meant as a criticism in any way. It’s just that the style is not that of a country pub. The contemporary and very pleasant makeover has taken it into a different style - more that of a bar/bistro and there’s nothing wrong with that.
We visited early on a Saturday evening and it was absolutely pouring down. Dripping our way in we noticed several tables already taken with people eating. Obviously the bad weather had forced others indoors as well.
The menu has five starters and 12 main courses (the latter included two vegetarian options) and between 6pm and 9pm on a Saturday night and midday and 2pm on Sundays they serve a carvery offering a wide variety of roast meats.
You have to order at the bar and we quickly chose before taking a pleasant table in the conservatory area.
I had baby ribs in sticky and sweet sauce combined with, according to the menu, other “secret” Chinese ingredients (£4.95).
Well if these were baby ribs the full grown animal must be enormous because they were not only large but very meaty indeed. The sauce was delicious and they came with a lovely crisp salad.
Neil had loaded potato skins (£4.95). Two were served filled with smoked bacon, mushrooms, spring onions and cheese with a sour cream and chive dip. Everything disappeared off the plate. Need I say more?
Next I had a whole sea bass (£10.95) which was beautifully presented. It had been stuffed with garlic, herbs and onion, covered with slices of lemon, wrapped in parchment and then baked in the oven.
It not only looked a picture, the taste matched it in every way. Baking fish in this way is one of the best ways of cooking but you have to be careful not to over do it. The chef here had not.
Neil had a dish from the traditional favourites section - homemade steak and kidney pie (£8.95). Now he likes to think he knows a thing or two about pies and he may very well do but even to me sitting across the table this one was good. It was full of chunks of steak and kidney in a rich gravy - not a few bits and pieces swimming in a sea of thin gravy.
All main dishes, unless otherwise stated, come with a choice of potatoes, vegetables of the day or salad. I had new potatoes and vegetables and Neil had chips - so tempting that I had to sample!
We shared a pudding - the Travellers either buy them in from a “reputable” company or make them themselves, says the menu. We had treacle sponge with custard (we could also have had either cream or ice cream) (£4.45). The sponge was light with just enough treacle and a small sea of creamy custard.
There is the usual range of drinks including cask ale and a good selection of wine.
And now for an apology. Our waitress was charming and efficient and I forgot to leave a tip. If you see this - Sorry!
by Sharon Walters
The Travellers Rest Inn, Upper Affcot, near Church Stretton (A49).
Tel: 01694 781275
MENU SAMPLE
starters
Homemade soup of the moment (£4.95) Smoked mackerel patŽ (£4.95)
Main courses
Grandad Fred’s faggots (£8.50)
Horseshoe gammon (20oz char grilled) with pineapple (£10.95)
Desserts
Banoffee pie (£4.45)
Cheesecake (£4.45)
sides
Fresh crusty ciabatta and butter (£1.20) Side salad (£2.25)
ATMOSPHERE
A little bit on the cool side but we were sitting in a conservatory with rain lashing down outside
SERVICE
Friendly and attentive
DISABLED FACILITIES
There are disabled facilities
SMOKING POLICY
Smoking and no-smoking areas
10 Comments
Are we singing from the same hymn sheet. I think you may be paid or at least get a free meal for your write up.
Tonight Wednesday the 6th June the wife and myself travelled quite a distance from SY12 down to Affcott, we arrived at the Travellers Rest about 18:30 only two other lady customers in the pub. The bar person who obviously had never worked a bar before was out of her depth every time she attempted to use a till she jammed it and another member of staff had to come and help the only way of getting a fast service was to arrive at the bar with the correct money.
The lady who seemed to be in charge spent most of the next one and half hours attempting to get the Card machine to work the two ladies before us 1 of them using crutches had horrendous problems attempting to use their card we left before they did I wonder how they managed to settle the tab.
A male overnight B&B came in he was informed at 18:45 that there was a delay with food orders due to the fact they had no Chef he was sick and they were awaiting another one from one of there other outlets. This person must of arrived because food was been served it all looked to me that it was only Micro Waved food the Fillet steak the overnight guest had was well cooked but blood red the veg and chips not much better.
In conclusion the Woods Beer was good we came back to Shrewsbury and purchased Fish Chips
Much like Alan Ellesmere said. We travelled from DY following the review in the Star. We had came for the carvery which has a lovely plaque saying “Shropshires Best Carvery”. Voted by who ? Not us! The potatoes were ROCK HARD and cold, the seasonal vegetables were mush, the meat tough and the gravy like dish water. Absolutely dreadful and about par for a carvery. Friends of ours stopped last week at lunchtime, also to find it deserted and with no snacks available were going to opt for the soup at just about £5 per bowl! They waited (so they say) for about 10 minutes but there were no staff manning the bar, so they left.
In conclusion, the Woods Beer was not on (there was no-one who knew how to change the barrel) as was the lager and if this is “Shropshire’s Best Carvery”, I’ll stick to fish and chips too.
I read the original revue - seemed fine, and then read Alan from Ellesmere and Dave Bentleys too. I really feel that this sort of aggressive revue acomplishes little.
If these people were as off hand with the poor staff as the revue suggests I am not surprised they had a bad experience - try smiling and having some patience and you might be pleasantly surprised!!
After having visited sister pubs in the company we thought it was a nessecity to visit the newest addition to Nostalgia Inns. Me and my partner pulled up to a full carpark on a busy Sunday afternoon hopeing for a table for a Sunday carvery. We were greeted on the door by a beautiful, wellspoken, friendly young lady who showed us to a perfectly laid up table in the main resturant. Conversation was pleasent and we where politely directed to “Claire” on the bar who greeted us with smiles despite the obvious activity on both sides of the bar. Upon enqireing about the wine list we were given indepth information about each wine we then selected one perfectly suited to our taste. The carvery at only £8.95 was well above our expectations and well worth the money; beautifully presented with the finest aray of meat i personally have ever seen on another carvery. I would just like to make a comment in retaliation to “Dave Bently” and i can confim that his accusation about the is so far from correct. it truly is the finest carvery in shropshire with charming and whitty carvers accompanying the meal. Overall our experiance was delightful and we will most deffinatly be visiting again and i hope many others will do the same.
I have on several occasions visited The Travelers Rest, the first occasion was just before the referbishment and then several times after that. I have to say that the referbishment was a stunning face lift for what was a tierd and worn out country pub. A good start. Now I have to admit that I have had dishes from the a la carte as well as trying Shropshire’s Finest carvery. All of which were excellent value for money and of a high quality. Might I suggest to the other whingers on this comment board that the fish and chips are superior to any that I have ever had at any Shropshire fish and chip shop!
I would like to make a personal thankyou to the staff who made the entire experience overall more enjoyable.
As a frequent user of the old pub due to travelling between ST Helens and Cardiff I visited the Travellers on Tuesday 28th August for lunch for the first time since refurbishment and I found the decor excelent. I cannot comment on the food however,as after waiting for nearly an hour for it to arrive,I was informed(after I enquired)that they had run out of the salad that had been ordered.My money was refunded,my journey was commenced and two hungry travellers ate somewhere else.
What a novel concept. Regular visitor for years from L’pool. Pulled into what appears to now be a dead pub. No beers on (no gas and nobody knew how to change it) “Are you serving food then?” “Yes” was the reply and sat down at 1:50. Waited for a waitress, none appeared so went to the bar at 2:05. “Sorry - kitchen now closed”
Understand why the pub is empty now. Cannot comment on the food or the beer because there was none. Shalln’t be back. Call me a cynic, but at least two of the comments above look suspisiously like their own!
Lovely Carvery and great service. Will certainly come back when travelling up to Shrewsbury again.
I have visited the Travellers Rest Inn for the last 60 years and have seen it change many times and with various landlords over those years.
I visited it in its latest form and was delighted with the latest alterations. It is now modern, spacious and comfortable.
I have sampled the carvery three times now and cannot fault it. It is equal or better than any carvery I have sampled over the years. So much so that I have booked tickets for the family for the New Year Dinner and Dance.
we were recommended to come here, and have done so 3 times now, we have had the carvery each time and cannot fault anything. the staff are friendly and efficient great food great beer apparently so my husband said(unforunately i was driving)we really cannot fault everything fantastic. decor,countryside pub, what more could you ask for. we will now use regularly to prove the groaners and moaners wrong