Harden's survey result
Summary
A “lovely old pub” in scenic Hambleton near Rutland Water that’s “at its best if one eats in the bar and older part of the building, in front of a log fire (the newer additions seem less appealing)”. Over many years, it’s provided “a classic ‘curate's egg’ experience. It has a great location and if all goes well it’s a great experience. But sadly service and quality can vary quite a lot. And, as is the case for many establishments today, they no longer wish to offer a simple single lunch dish – good for their profitability but less good for the casual diner”. At best, the food’s “interesting”. At worst “service is awful, and as to the view from the dining room… well, there is no view!”. Whatever your experience, “there are lovely walks from the pub to walk it off!”
Summary
In picturesque Hambleton, a seventeenth-century pub enjoying a “lovely location with views of Rutland Water from the terrace” and a “really nice old pub” feel in the original parts of the building (“modern additions are less successful”). The “interesting menus usually offer good cooking at fair prices for the quality”, but “the big letdown in recent times has been the service, which is very poor…hopefully this can be resolved as the place deserves better”.
Summary
“A good, hearty, meat-rich lunch and a pint by an open fire on a cold November day in the middle of Rutland Water: there are worse places to be…”. This “modernised” and extended old inn – “the original bits are by far the best, with open fires in the bar” – has a “brilliant location” with a big garden (and can become “exceptionally busy in the summer months, at which time service gets stretched”). “There are good set lunches and bar fare, but the cooking can be variable, with the occasional strange mix of ingredients leading to a mild note of caution”. “An out of season bar lunch though can be a very pleasant experience.”
Summary
“A good, hearty, meat-rich lunch and a pint by an open fire on a cold November day in the middle of Rutland Water: there are worse places to be…”. This “modernised” and extended old inn – “the original bits are by far the best, with open fires in the bar” – has a “brilliant location” with a big garden (and can become “exceptionally busy in the summer months, at which time service gets stretched”). “There are good set lunches and bar fare, but the cooking can be variable, with the occasional strange mix of ingredients leading to a mild note of caution”. “An out of season bar lunch though can be a very pleasant experience.”
For 32 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Finch’s Arms?
Restaurant details
Finch’s Arms Restaurant Diner Reviews
"A lovely old pub, at least in the bar and older parts; the newer additions seemed less appealing. The food was much more ordinary than on previous visits, nor more than pleasant enough pub grub. There are lovely walks from the pub though!"
Prices
| Availability | 2 courses | 3 courses |  |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Always | £25.95 | £4.00 |  |
|
|
Traditional European menu
| Starter | Main | Veggies | Pudding |
|---|---|---|---|
| £9.20 | £24.40 | £9.00 | £5.00 |
| Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £30.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £4.50 |
| Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 12.50% |
Oakham Rd, Hambleton, LE15 8TL
| Number of Diners: | |
| Required Time: | |
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2:30 pm, 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm‑6 pm |
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