Hmmm. I've had nothing but bad experiences of the Lion, and I've met many others who feel the same way. I really want to like it.... I mean it's a pub in the middle of Avebury! But once bitten....

Anyway, I noticed someone mention in this thread that the pub's changed hands recently. I was heading to Avebury today, and I thought I'd give the Lion another chance. I wanted some lunch, so I thought I'd drop in and see if the food/service had improved any. I was even (foolishly) optimistic.

Well, I never got to sample the food. They'd stopped serving because they were too busy! I suppose it's just as well I never got to order really, as some people had been waiting for 90 mins for their food to arrive. The staff couldn't even agree on when they'd start serving food again - I heard three different versions (all stated as fact, not estimates).

As if this wasn't bad enough, the place was a midden. Tables were piled with dishes, glasses and bits of food (some on the plates, some off) that appeared to date back over more than one meal. When the staff finally got around to clearing them, the sighs and general noises of discontent could be heard from a distance. I've never seen such miserable service.

Honestly, the place was dump. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I'm sure whoever runs it has the best of intentions, but that isn't always enough in the hospitality trade. Good intentions alone do not translate into good service and good management. More effort needed, really.