The Talbot - Malvern Hills

A busy Friday lunchtime with a large group arriving ahead of us pre booked. Our small group was advised of a 40 minute wait for food. It was served quicker than that, very tasty, good value food. Hats off to the owners. They were busy, but food and service was excellent.

Great pub with some of the friendliest service I've had in a while. Will definitely be going back.

Really nice spot, great service and atmosphere will be back soon, this was a nice find!

I always enjoy visiting The Talbot. The food and beer are simply exceptional. I'm consistently greeted with a warm smile and a welcoming team. Every time I dine here, the food arrives quickly, hot, and absolutely delicious. I can't fault what Martin and Dee have done with this place. If you're in the area, you definitely need to try it out.

I don't usually feel the need to write many reviews; however, I feel compelled to do so on this occasion. As a group of friends, we have been to the Talbot in Kempsey many times and enjoyed great evenings, having a drink or two and enjoying the food on a few occasions. When the Manager changed some months ago, we were looking forward to it as the previous management team just didn’t cut it. The drinks service is good now that the bar team has settled, and new staff members are in place, some of whom worked there some time ago. It was good to see some organization back and not poorly poured drinks with staff in panic mode. A few weeks back, we dropped in around 7:20 pm and asked if we could still eat. We were told that the kitchen closed at 8:00 pm, so there was no hurry. We ordered our drinks and sat at the table looking at the menu. We were then approached by what I can describe as a panic stricken chef, who I now know is the Manager, Martin. He explained that we needed to order soon as he wanted to close the kitchen since he had had a busy day. That may have been the case, but when we arrived, there were no more than ten customers in the pub. Had it not been for our drinks, I would have walked out. The food did arrive and was okay. There was nothing to write home about, but we weren’t expecting a gourmet dinner. This week, Wednesday, May 15th, I phoned and spoke to a very helpful team member and booked a table for 7:45 pm for four people, having been told that the kitchen closed at 8:00 pm. We were on the way to the Talbot at Kempsey when I received a phone call to ask if I was a member of the curry club; I said no, but I had booked a table, and we were nearly there. After a few seconds, I was told that the Manager wanted to speak to me; he gave his name as Martin. He then told me he had closed the kitchen at 7:30 pm and couldn’t serve us. I asked why the booking had been taken, and he did not respond. I said we would go somewhere else that wants our business, and we did and enjoyed the drink and food. I am sorry to say that this will be the last time I attempt to eat at the Talbot. On two occasions, we have been made to feel like a nuisance and that we are not welcome. If that is how the pub is going to be run, then there will be more changes coming up. Hospitality is about good food and drink served with a smile. The bar staff can manage it, but the Manager needs to be trained.