The Carnarvon Arms, Newbury

We recently had Sunday lunch here, following a walk over Watership Down (recommended!). We don't usually let our young lad play with his nintendo ds during lunch, but found there was nothing else for him to do, so relented (this once!). I would return for an evening meal with friends as the food was superb, but not with child, and certainly not with other families.

If you need space for the children to run around this is not for you. No garden and seating outside is by a busy main road with no fencing. There isn't a childrens menu and had to wait for 15 minutes before asking again for a high chair with a toddler thats a long time. The staff were not very friendly and seem to struggle with common courtesy. If you have a baby its so quiet on a week day its not such a problem, you can sit in the restaurant and its a really nice interior for a relaxing lunch but the down side is that there is nowhere as far a changing facilities or feeding area. Its a lovely pub if you don't have children but since I've become a mum this place has really gone down hill for me which is a shame and hope that the hotel chain will soon accomodate for the large customer base which is families. The prices are resonable though and they have a two or three course deal at the moment which is always a good thing.