The Hand and Shears in West Oxfordshire

Disappointing visit and disappointing food sad to say. There was a nice vibe from the chatty locals but the pie pastry was hard as hell, when I got through that, I made it to the chewy meat. No gin, other than flavoured gin and to top it off, no till roll so no itemised bill, strange! Would I return no!

Just had a phenomenal Sunday roast. This has to the the best in Oxfordshire! Delicious food, wonderful atmosphere and welcoming staff. We will be back!

Excellent, friendly service from Rachel, and an even better chicken, ham & leek pie. Would recommend this pub most warmly

Excellent pub with cosy welcoming atmosphere and lovely bar staff. We were in a big group of 25, all ordering roasts, and it all came out in great time and was especially delicious. The staff went out of their way to welcome us and make us feel comfortable. Special shout out to Amy who kept the drinks coming with a packed out bar! All done with a smile across the face at all times. Would definitely come back

Fabulous food, friendly staff. My daughter and I visited this pub while we were staying nearby, and went back again the following evening. We ate on each occasion, and the food was delicious. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the service was excellent. I thoroughly recommend it for a lovely evening out.

Our second visit for Sunday lunch, and the main course was just as good as the first time. Great range of vegetables, excellent roasties and Yorkshire pudding. Service was good, staff all friendly and pleasant. Only disappointment was the desserts: no berries (as on the menu) with the otherwise tasty cheesecake, and no strawberries (as on the menu) with the Eton mess - in fact barely any meringue either, so the Eton mess was mostly a smallish pile of whipped cream with some strawberry sauce, felt rather inadequate for £9 a pop.

Had the pie and a pint on a Wednesday for a very good price and the quality was unmatched very fresh very good quality meat with a great pint to go with it , my friend had the meatball linguine and it was also top notch for flavour and portion size couldn’t recommend more for price , quality of food and service !

sticky toffee pudding was outstanding best i’ve ever had, really did enjoy it and sunday lunches are brilliant size

Had an amazing Sunday Roast here for my birthday with friends. Service from Lydi and Sally was top notch and would recommend this to anyone.

Amazing Sunday roast for a friends birthday and amazing service from Lydi and sally , food and service top quality

Came for a Sunday roast for a friends birthday and we were blown away. Lovely food and great service by Lydi, thank you.

Lovely friendly welcome , nothing too much trouble for Lydi although she was busy, Food menu great for lunch( we had the soup and sandwiches) and very dog friendly too, we will come again and recommend

This village pub just gets better and better! Great food, great ale, pie and a pint on Fridays, quiz nights and folk nights mostly Sundays, all very friendly!

If I could of given this a 0/5 I would have! When booked we questioned if we’d be ok booking at 2:30pm for a roast for 7 people to which we were assured we would be along with confirming the price would be between £14-£18. We turned up at 2:22pm and the table was only just being put together for us, it then took a further 15 mins to order any drinks, the waitress wasn’t sure on what was available on fraught when we asked, these came missing 2 of them that were ordered. We placed our food order to then be told 10 minutes later that there was no chicken which 2 of our party had ordered so they changed followed by a further 5 minutes to be told there was no beef. At this point we decided to leave. Why accept a booking for 2:30pm for Sunday lunch offering multiple meat options to only have 1 meat left when people order. There was no warning that this might be the case when we booked? The waitress was rolling her eyes to the bar when we were deciding after being told some meats weren’t available. We felt very unwanted and the staff didn’t make any of us feel welcome and clearly unknowledgeable from the phone all booking when we were told inaccurate information to ordering drinks they didn’t know what was available and then taking orders with no knowledge of what was available twice! Having worked in hospitality for 10 years and over 15 years in customer service this has to be up there with the worst I’ve ever had from start to finish. They then felt after this they needed to charge us for our drinks after the issues which was insulting when we ordered them in the anticipation of our food which they couldn’t provide with no warning at point of ordering! The manager explained they had pork still to which no everyone likes… why offer roasts when you only sell Pork? Or take bookings for 2:30pm if you won’t have it all available?? The food looked good but I can’t comment on how it tasted only the poor service given!

Great value for money Very friendly Lovely location Your not rushed little chaotic waitresses running all over the place Still a great meal

What a lovely meal and better than I expected. Visited the Hand a Shear a few times before and expecting something average. Tonight was a complete surprise. We had the Fish pie amazing and desert wow. Talk about upping their game. Well done

Popped in here after a trip to Blenheim Palace and a quick TripAdvisor search of local pubs and what a find it was!!! Not being able to decide on what to have for lunch we asked Amelia what she would recommend and she said the...

Excellent home made lunch. Steak and Kidney pie with lovely shortcrust pastry and real kidneys. Just like my mum used to make. Front of house staff friendly and lots of smiles. Had not been here for some years so it was good to see it...

We live in Dorset but often, when visiting family in the Oxford area, we try and find a good gastro pub...there are quite a few in the area. This place is up with the best. We came for a midweek lunch and whilst the place...

Visited today with a prebooked table of 12, for lunch. We phoned an hour before so say that most of wanted soup and 1/2 sandwich and wed be there but did not want to wait an hour for the food. Sadly the same as Mothers...

We booked to come here on Mothers Day (19th March 2023). We pre ordered as requested the week before. On arrival we were seated and starters came out quite quickly. It was all downhill after that. We had to wait over an hour for our...

My wife and I dined here for her birthday in early March. I had a fishcake starter which looked huge, but was as light as a feather and tasted really really good. I then had the rib eye steak, which was very good and served...

Visited after a walk with 6 friends for an excellent lunch. Food incredibly good as usual. Tempura shrimps a real hit, wonderful flavours in the cauliflower & apple soup and the best fish cake I’ve ever eaten! Patrick’s pies are always good and he cooks...

When I first came to this pub about 5 years ago, it was nothing to shout about. So I wasn't too thrilled when my other half suggested we try it again. Boy was I in for a surprise. Incredible pate starter (can't remember the exact...

Always friendly with a good food. Good value for money. A favourite for a local lunch or Sunday roast. Much improvement since the previous ownership. Strongly recommend.

Went with my partner Jane to this country pub for a Sunday roast. Everything that came out of the kitchen was beautifully presented. The Belly Pork and Sunday trimmings was perfectly cooked and the Yorkshire pudding was a monster. The staff were attentive and friendly....

We travelled about 45 minutes to come to the Hand and Shears for a Christmas dinner last night (our first of the season!) and we will definitely be travelling the distance again. Before we had even left we were planning who we could bring with...

Outstanding food, exceptional environment and such brilliant service. We’ve been looking forward to visiting and weren’t disappointed- we’ll be back.

Great quality food and very well priced considering quality, pleasant staff and atmosphere. Great place to stop for a meal or just a drink. Highly recommended ‘typical’ village pub.

Driving home from Oxford we decided to stop somewhere for lunch on Saturday . Not been for many years but what a great choice. Lovely bar and friendly staff. Two of us ordered the fish pie and one ordered the double burger. So pleased with...

The only thing that makes me reluctant to make a review, is the more people that find out about this place, the less chance we have of getting a table!Our absolute favourite place to eat. We have eaten here as a small family and with extended family. Outstanding service every time, the food is faultless and all around lovely pub.During our last visit we ordered a range of starters and mains off the Saturday menu and my brother in-law made sure he tried every one of ours and said they were all amazing, we all agree!Although, our favourite time to visit is a Sunday, if you haven't had a roast here, you need to. You won't find a better one!Can't wait to visit again soon!

Visited the hand and shears with a large group of friends and family. Staff were super helpful and friendly and I can say I was served one of the best roasts I have ever had. Absolutely delicious.

Popped in for an evening meal as we hadn’t eaten there since before the lockdowns.Place was very clean with polite and attentive staff.There was a good range of dishes on the menu and both courses chosen were very tasteful and well presented, and reasonably priced. Good range of beers were also available.Would recommend for someone looking for a quiet pub meal.

We had a thoroughly enjoyable and delicious birthday meal. Portions were huge and good value for money. Service was excellent, very attentive and went the extra mile to make our birthday special. Thanks so much Sally, Patrick and team.

Not being local to Witney we weren't aware of the Hand and Shears until it was recommended to us for a lunch when we just happened to be in the area on a cold winter's day. Fairly quiet there this lunch time being half-term. and they placed us by the log burner which kept us very toasty.I had chicken and leak pie and my wife had a sausage sandwich so that she would also have room for apple crumble and custard to follow. All was really scrumptious, including the chips which were about the best we've ever had. The pie was home made and very meaty, the bread of my wife's sandwich was also homemade and surprisingly very light.Likely to be in the area again soon so will aim to drop in for dinner, we spotted lobster on the menu - can't wait.PS the sausage sandwich was actually quite filling so I had to help my wife out with the apple crumble, also quite fab.

Enjoyed, with friends, the most delicious Sunday roast dinner. Our friends said that it was one of the best roast lunches that they have had. The roast chicken and roast lamb were cooked to perfection. Also the desserts that we had, crumble and sticky toffee puddings were very tasty. The team provided excellent service, we also had a wonderful table near to the warming open log burning fire. A truly enjoyable experience, and a venue that we will be visiting often.

Had an amazing Sunday lunch with my wife. Roast beef was superb, my wife had the pork, I tried it, also superb. Lovely atmosphere, staff were lovely and attentive. I’m fairly local and this will now be a regular for us. On the whole, lovely food in a really great atmosphere. I’ll be back with no hesitation. I can’t honestly see how anybody could leave a negative review. Having read some of the poor reviews, it’s apparent some people live in a wibbly, wobbly world of their own. I personally want decent food, not fast food. Dinner even with my children is about the whole experience not about just feeding them as fast as you can! If they have no patience, that’s reflection on you, stay at home and fill them with beans. ;-)

Having booked for a table of 6, we were presented upon arrival at our table with an excellent Amuse Bouche of either Scottish smoked salmon, green cucumber and herb salsa, caviar or Home smoked baba ghanoush, green cucumber salsa. I then had Crispy breaded white bait & squid, spring onion, curried aioli , followed by a substantial helping of Slow roasted belly of pork, dauphinoise potatoes, Cavalo nero, meat gravy. Both starter and main course were delicious. Despite my ample appetite I, along with another guest asked if we could take our pork belly left overs back home with us. That was no problem, a recyclable take away container was provided without fuss and the pork belly tasted very good, eaten cold with salad on New Year's Day. Along with our meal we had good bottles of wine, including a Pecorino, followed by a Sancerre blanc and ending up with a Cotes du Rhone rouge. Jugs of tap water were offered and taken at no charge and despite having insufficient room to partake of what looked like a very decent home made dessert selection, we all had a very good evening at a very reasonable price. So thank you Patrick, Sally and the friendly waiting staff for helping to make this village pub such a success and for making the end of 2021 very much better than the rest of the year.

Just had the most disappointing and frustrating lunch experience ever here. The food was good but we waited over an hour to eat it and even then they got the order wrong. My 5yo waited even longer and when his meal came it was literally some sausages on a plate with mash potatoes, not even one other vegetable. The roast arrived 10 minutes before the gravy which we had to ask for. When we complained to the manager she was unbelievably rude. I’ve never experienced anything like it. She told us we should have walked out after an hour instead of waiting. She was patronising and unapologetic. We’ve been twice before and one other time had to wait an hour so it wasn’t a one off. Won’t be visiting again when there are plenty of other great pubs around.

Amazing food freshly cooked , staff gave excellent service also superb value for money ,wwe will come again .

We had our office Christmas meal at the Hand & Shears, and it was superb. The food was delicious - absolutely first class, and the staff were attentive and genuinely happy to look after us. The Christmas menu was varied and of excellent quality, both presentation and flavours were of a high standard. The staff worked tirelessly to ensure weren’t short of drinks etc. and we’re quick to clean up and bring the next course when we were ready.The premises were very clean, and the spacing between the various tables made us feel very comfortable.10/10 in all departments.

Best Sunday roast meal out, we’ve probably had. Sat next to a log fire on a damp, dreary day. Just perfect.

Amazing food, friendly staff and generally great welcoming atmosphere.We working at Blenheim Christmas market, and the highlight of our day was dinner at the oh so welcoming hand and shears. The food was always amazing, we never left disappointed, each visit was a delight.I would like to thank the chef and the friendly and efficient team who made us so welcome and looked after us so well. Thank youI recommend to anyone, please visit and enjoy the fine hospitality

Booked the hand and shears for a friends get together after hearing about how good the food was and it did not disappoint. Right from the booking process sally was attentive and accommodating. We were warmly welcomed and chose to sit in the bar area for drinks first and not at all hurried into taking our seats in the restaurant which was so refreshing. Six of us ordered different starters , they were all amazing, beautifully presented and utterly delicious as were our main courses. The portion sizes were great and the price very competitive for the excellent quality. The service was relaxed and friendly but very attentive. We all had a wonderful experience and will definitely visit for food or just drinks again soon . Can highly recommend for any social event or just a relaxed drink. My new favourite restaurant. Thank you sally and your team at the hand and shears for such a lovely evening .

Went for an unexpected evening out and chose the Hand and Shears. It was fantastic, duck bon bons to die for and the mushroom risotto with salmon so delicious. It's alot busier now, but the staff are still so lovely and welcoming. We can't recommend this place enough. Superb.

We dined at this restaurant today with a group booking (maybe 50 of us) and the staff and food were exceptional. We will definitely come back to experience their hospitality and cuisine. Well done guys, just awesome and thank you!

Yet another wonderful meal ate at the Hand & Shears. A Sunday lunch that will be hard to beat. The staff were all happy and doing their upmost to ensure their guests were well looked after.We will certainly be back to try more of the exciting menu.

Parking no issue. Lovely fresh outlook on arriving. Sat and had a drink at the bar before being shown to our table .Lovely small menu. The waitress had superb knowledge of the menu. My wife had Duck Bob Bons and Sea Bream (i think) and i had the whitebait and the fish pie (Best Ever).To finish a lovely evening Patrick directed us to a local fuel station where we found diesel to get us back to Norfolk.Thank you Patrick, Sally and all the staff

Had Sunday lunch here today with my husband after a recommendation from my in-laws and it really didn't disappoint!! From the moment you step into The Hand and Shears there is a lovely, buzzy atmosphere and a friendly greeting. Drinks were ordered and served very quickly and were very well priced. I ordered the belly pork and my husband had the chicken (with additional cauliflower cheese balls) , it arrived within the amount of time you would expect a freshly cooked meal to arrive and presentation was excellent everything was cooked really well and tasted even better. I had the creme brulee to finish and my husband an espresso which finished our meal off perfectly. Everyone at The Hand and Shears makes you feel welcome and homely and I can't wait to visit again. If you haven't yet visited...get booking....and if you've visited before....get booking

As always, the food was incredible, the service was impeccable and great value for money. Thanks Sally and Patrick.

4 of visited. Just a very lovely place to be. Head chef was super kind and friendly, as well our waitress who knew the menu very well. All good cooked to perfection. I had a fish pie. Delicious. Will certainly visit again when next in the area. Thank you very much!

Fantastic food and service. We went on a recommendation for my husbands birthday. Mains we had the Fish pie and Steak&Ale pie which was seriously tasty. Followed by a delicious Sticky Toffee pudding. We will be visiting again soon. Highly recommend.

Well we had a super Sunday lunch I had the roast beef as did my son his girlfriend had chicken my wife vegan wellington.the service and the friendly staff topped it all off.would recommend to anyone.

Gorgeous pub with a fish pie to die for accompanied by beautifully cooked green vegetables. I had lunch here as well and that was equally delicious.

Excellent food menu to suit all tastes Superb steak & fish pies were very tasty indeed Friendly & attentive staff We shall return

After reading great reviews and seeing pictures on their website, we were drawn to booking a Sunday lunch.This was our last day in the Cotswolds and wanted to finish off the trip, with a plendid pub lunch, we weren't disappointed.I had the Porchetta Pork lunch with all the trimmings & my better half, had the Vegetarian Wellington.My wife asked to exchange the potatoes & Yorkshire pudding for extra veg, they were very helpful, good start.We both had the Whitebait & Squid for startes, which was sublime, then followed the main event - it was a mountain of succulence, everything well cooked with exquisite 'crackling'The staff were very tentative, always asked if we were ok or needed a top up of drinks, even the chef had time to talk to us, about the local sourced ingredients.Would definitely advise anyone looking for a fantastic Sunday lunch, this is the place to be.Pity we didn't have enough time to order other items on another day.

Have eaten here several times, yesterday (17th August) being the last time for a celebration lunch for my father's 83rd birthday. Extraordinary food - quite fantastic. Everyone, from children to the somewhat older were happy. Portions are large and generous, with everything fresh and high quality. Service was skilled, friendly and charming. The quality is at the fine dining end and significantly better than many 'fancy' restaurants I have eaten in - far better. The food is created and cooked with passion, imagination, love, and care... and it shows.

9 of us went for Saturday lunch. Lovely staff, fantastic cocktails and the best fish pie that I have ever tasted. 5 Stars all round

Would definitely recommend this wonderful pub! My fiancé and I went for dinner yesterday (04/08/21) with our 4 month old puppy and had an excellent experience. The pub has a lovely feel; being light and airy with lots of space for tables (and puppies!). It was easy to park on the road outside and it’s set in a typically beautiful Cotswolds village. We were made to feel so welcome by the staff, who couldn’t do enough to help us have an enjoyable time. From fussing the pup, to giving us tasters of wine and whiskey! The food was incredible - definitely gastro and really, really tasty. Much more than your standard pub fare.Overall a fantastic choice for a pub dinner - welcoming, generous and dog friendly!

My wife and I can't get enough of the food here! Great staff, dog friendy. Their Sunday roasts are a must-have!

Food is absolutely lovely, and great portions, staff are friendly and service is great, the place has been done up since previous owners, all done very nicely, couldn’t ask for more in a pub.

Fantastic food and epic portions. A small plate is basically a meal! Complements to the chef and waiting staff, we had a great time

Honestly the best food I’ve eaten in years and all the more surprising for being delivered with no nonsense or pretense.

The food never disappoints at the Hand and Shears. Our last visit was the best yet when I decided to choose items from the menu that I wouldn't normally go for. I had the crispy pressed pulled pork to start and the sea trout for mains. I think it was the nicest meal I've ever had, both dishes were so full of flavour and fresh tasting. I am a Coeliac so find it hard to eat out but coming to the Hand and Shears I know that Sally and Patrick will make sure I can eat safely and will adapt menu items to make sure they are Gluten Free. They are incredibly warm and welcoming making the whole experience of dining at the Hand and Shears a wonderful experience. We feel extremely fortunate to have this gem on our doorstep.

We’d been craving some decent well cooked food and our BnB host Julie recommended this pub in the next village. Wow! I’m so grateful we walked up to this pub. Me and my partner shared a goats cheese starter, with figs, candied walnuts salad and crunchy home made croutons. This was exactly what I was craving! Perfect! My partner had the steak and Stilton pie. An actual pie with an actual bottom! Not only that one of the best pies he’s ever had!! I got a small taster and if I was to go back I’ll defo have to get a whole one for myself. I had the the lamb with celeriac purée, mash and veggies. Again perfectly cooked and delicious. I think personally I would have preferred a berry/wine gravy instead of the slight tomato in the gravy but that is entirely my own preference. We thought the pricing was really good and fair for the quality of food. They’d run out of house red so we bought a bracket higher than we would normally but it was delicious and prob priced about right. This was fantastic food so I will defo return if I’m ever back in the area. Oh and they had a good value burger deal 2 For £20 which normally I’d be all over but we had burgers the night before when we were eating our for our burgerblog! I did spy on on the next table and it looked like really decent burgers too!

Just had a five star dinner at the hand and shears, church hanbourgh The food was out of this world. Service second to none. We are so glad to be back enjoying life . Thank you to our host and staff

We went for a lovely walk in the forrest behind the pub and then came for a drink at this pub, beautiful place and lovely staff. Only problem was we got charged £9 for a double Malibu and pineapple... far too expensive and is a shame because we would have loved to have come back for an evening meal

Visited for a birthday lunch with a friend and it was a delight! Warm welcome, clean, cosy and excellent homemade food. My friend had a gorgeous tomato soup served with lovely bread. I had spicy yellowfin tuna rolls which were sublime! Excellent value and lots of parking spots in the village. Try it out!

Popped in after work for a bite to eat on my own. I was served by the lovely Tia. I originally came for Patrick's famous Fish and Chips but was swayed by the very knowledgeable Sally to try the Lamb rump. This turned out to be a great decision. The lamb was cooked to perfection and complimented well with the creamy garlic mash.I had a lovely bottle of Beaujolais to accompany my meal.Couldn't recommend enough.Patrick, Sally and Tia will make sure you are in safe hands.I look forward to visiting again soon.

Popped in for lunch with some friends, had a wonderful welcome for the landlady, had the chicken pie with wild garlic mash, which was picked locally Sally mentioned, also had a lovely crumble on the desserts, what more do you want from a great gastro pub

Went out for a family birthday - food and drink. Not massive of outdoor seating so definitely get there early to avoid disappointment. Can’t wait for the pub to be able to host indoors again. The food was amazing, the staff bent over backwards to look after us and our fussy eating child in the party. Made to feel very welcome, constantly checked for more drinks etc. And the food was amazing! Great quality for price - massive portions and such amazing flavours. The gravy on the roast dinners was unreal! Can’t wait to come back!

We've now had 2 takeaways and on both occasions we have been very impressed by the freshness and presentation of our meals. The friday night two for £18 offer of Haddock with hand cut chips, home made tartare sauce and taragon peas is a must try. Our visiting friends from afar were delighted with the Slow Cooked Belly of Pork and the Chicken Kiev which were both delicious too. The village is very lucky to have had Patrick and Sally take over last year and their efforts to serve up really good food during difficult Covid times has been much appreciated. And now at last they are able to serve drinks outside. We're much looking forward to getting back inside again when the restrictions are further eased from May 17.

After walking in the nearby woods, we remembered hearing about a lovely pub in Church Hanborough and were so grateful we had our smart phones with us! We got the takeaway Sunday roasts (roast beef and pork belly) and they were without exaggeration the best we’ve ever had. The owners were also incredibly friendly and helpful and we can’t wait to come back after lockdown.

This is the 2nd weekend on the trot that we’ve now had a take away roast from here. They are to die for!I took one over to my Dad for his birthday which falls on Valentine’s Day and he just loved it.Said it was the best he’s had in a long time!The vanilla cheesecake is highly recommended also, taste delicious.10 out of 10 for all..... Service and food!

We have now had two takeaway meals from The Hand and Shears and both have been delicious.They are very well presented in recyclable packaging, taste really good and portion size is good as well.We had pie and chips 2 weeks ago and today we had a Sunday roast. I am already looking forward to my next meal from them!

Fantastic takeaway roasts (beef & pork), amazing Yorkshire puddings and crispy roasties...so good. I can’t wait to go there when we’re out of lock down.

Rustic country pub with a beautiful romantic feel and a calm warm atmosphere.We have been coming to the pub since Sally and Patrick took over the pub and they have brought the pub to life with a beautiful menu and friendly service, they cannot do enough for you! The pies are outstanding and if you like fish you will love the seabass its exquisite, but my favorite has to be the granny Johnson's apple pie. We like the pub so much I had a covid friendly Birthday meal and had a lovely cake made for me, Thank you Patrick and Sally.

Fantastic and welcoming pub. Even if you are not a local . Lovely staff and service with great selection of food and drinks , what more could you ask for !

What a pleasant experience.Really warm welcome when we visited for lunch on Saturday. We sat in the bar with our dog and had a lovely pie and great fish and chips.The owners took over recently and are serving a high standard of food.We are very happy that we are local and will frequent this lovely pub again and again.

First visit to this pub. the staff was very friendly .the food was excellent the best steak and ale pie I have ever had and we would certainly revisit Derek n Jill from isle of wight

A lovely COVID-aware country pub with delicious food and great service. I understand the current owners haven't been there long - they're clearly making a big effort to impress. their home-smoked tomato relish is to die for!Shame the fire wasn't going on such a miserable day, but you can't have it all

The quaint pretty frontage gives way to a bright and intriguing interior, with bucket loads of character and a very warm welcome. The front of house team made us all feel very welcome despite us arriving an hour early. We were shown to our table, a grand old dinning room table from a country house. The menu was small, which shows attention to detail is important to the kitchen team. The pâté starter was as smooth as a late night show on Jazz FM. For mains a few of the group had the steak pies, and top marks, these were home made shortcrust pastry, not just a shop bought puff pastry hat. I went for the steak, cooked to perfection and sooooo tender. I’m sorry to say I could not fit in desert, but the more gluttonous in the group loosened their belts and dived in to stick toffee puds and chocolate fondants.The only critsisume was that Covid rules kicked in and we had to leave early ☹️. But the team had organised a taxi for the 6 of us and a parting gift of a mini Guinness!!!Thank you to all of the team. A great night with great friends.

This was our first visit under the new management and we were not disappointed. Excellent, late afternoon, family Sunday Lunch for my Birthday on 11th October. The food was cooked to perfection, beautifully presented and lots of it! Sally, Patrick and their team were extremely friendly and welcoming, giving us a choice of two tables and following all the necessary Covid precautions. The icing on the cake was a surprise, extra dessert on the house in celebration, such a thoughtful touch. We have heard nothing but good feedback over the past few weeks from fellow locals and will definitely return. It is rare to find a decent pub these days that ticks all the boxes, but this one is up there with the best restaurants in terms of quality and customer service, without losing any of its traditional, quintessential warmth and charm.

Our biggest complaint was appalling covid 19 standards. We had booked a table for lunch and when we arrived we were told sit anywhere, no table had been allocated. We were presented with the menus which were neither wipe down versionsor for us to keep as in other restaurants. When our drinks and meals arrived the waitress kept leaning over the table to distribute them.There was track and trace information in the foyer of the pub but no one checked if we had completed the track and trace requirements, or if we need to complete a paper version.If our table was anything to go by, they are not wiped with a clean cloth; it was sticky to touch.The meal was very poor, two members of the party had fish which was very poor quality; unrecognisable as Haddock. The other two meals were not up to stranded being burnt and only warm.Service was very slow and had to chase things up. Later arrivals than our party were served ahead of us.We have not been to this pub since the new management took over and I am afraid it will be a long time until we come back; a shame as it used to be our local.

Four of us visited the hand and shears.Safety all in place, The welcome was great , good to see Sally and Patrick .Great choice of starters. When they appeared , wow presentation was amazing and the taste was superb.Main course was just as good , the sweets were to die for.What a great experience, see you again soon .Thank you to everyone, and good luck at these crazy times

Celebrating a family birthday in this great country pub made up for the many times we've been unable to get together this year. The staff, led by lovely Sally, were welcoming, professional and knowledgeable. The food was superb...we had a delicious Sunday lunch, with all (and I mean all) the trimmings! I travelled 100 miles to see my daughters, and it was worth every mile. Thank you to all concerned, front of house and the magicians in the kitchen. Simply Brilliant!

We had our first dinner in The Hand and Shears, our village pub/restaurant, since the new management took over in the late summer. Patrick in the kitchen and Sally, front of house, have already created an amazingly welcoming environment. We hoped for good solid pub food. What we found was a really interesting menu and food which not only tasted excellent but was presented in a manner worthy of any top class restaurant. There were 4 of us at dinner and the mains taken were steak and ale pie, chicken pie and seared tune. The pies are clearly a speciality of the house with outstanding pastry packed with meat or chicken and accompanied by vegetables cooked to perfection. They offer 4 different pies including one suitable for vegetarians. The seared tuna was a most generous portion beautifully cooked. The wine list is interesting and we choose and excellent New Zealand sauvignon blanc. Having almost run out of steam we decided to share one apple crumble with cinnamon between the four of us to finish. It was delectable and provided a portion quite big enough for our group of seniors.

Just about the best Sunday lunch for years, apart from my wife’s. Cooked to perfection with great service. Highly recommended but book it is very popular.

I’m not a meat eater and found there was still plenty on the menu I could chose from. I ordered the tomato and mozzarella salad which was super fresh and flavoursome, definitely one of the best tasting salads Iv ever had! On top of the great food was also friendly, welcoming staff and inside was a comforting atmosphere. I will be returning, that’s for sure.

Just popped in for a drink and decided to have some lunch. The food was amazing and the staff were so welcoming. I had the smoked salmon sandwich which can’t be faulted in any way. The home made crisps served with it were a real treat. 5 stars

We were a family of 3 who ordered a variety off the menu (starter & main course) and were not disappointed. The burrata starter was just amazing. The portions were a good size so meant we were too full for desserts but we will be back very soon to try them out.The staff were all friendly and very attentive.

Have called in for a drink a number of times since the new owners took over and always felt welcome as has our small dog so booked for Sunday lunch.A starter of white bait and squid with curried aioli plus salad leaves, herbs and edible flowers was different (in a good way!) and excellent. Roast beef and pork were also superb with plenty of well cooked veg and lovely roasties. Presentation was different (again in a good way!). A cinnamon apple crumble for desert was really good although we couldn't do it justice as we were so stuffed!Service was friendly, helpful and professional.We will be back!

I'm losing count of the number of times we've set off to a pub whose website insists it it open only to discover it isn't. On the rebound of one of those experiences we came across the Hand and Shears. We were hungry. It was lunchtime. And miracle of miracles the pub was open and serving food. Alarmingly the pub was completely empty (the Rishi subsidy had just finished). But a small sensible menu reassured us as did the friendly and helpful staff. I wasn't entirely convinced so I ordered conservatively - a steak and ale pie. My partner was more adventurous. We shared a starter of whitebait and calamari and my expectations rose. My partner had a goats cheese tart - which turned out to be a mousse of goats cheese in a pastry case garnished with goats cheese and a rather good selection of salad leaves. A clever variation. My pie was a proper pie - not just a lid of puff pastry on top of a serving of stew - contained within proper shortcrust pastry, jammed full of steak, with generous servings of gravy and vegetables (again properly cooked rather than presented as an inedible garnish). Our lunch turned out to be a lovely combination of proper stuff cooked properly and some quiet cleverness. What with the food and the Charlie Wells IPA the bar recommended we were very happy. We discovered on the way out that the new management are there for 5 years. A pub this good deserves our support so we'll be back again. And possibly again...

Just had the most delicious and biggest ever sandwiches at this welcoming pub. The bread is homemade and we had one home cured salt beef and one smoked salmon and cream cheese. Absolutely delicious and so enormous that I brought back half to enjoy at home tomorrow. Beer and cider equally excellent.Hard to believe it has only been open under new management for 2 weeks. Already looking forward to an evening meal here.

The service was great and the food was equally as good. perfect place for a quick lunch if your passing by. I had the shear stacked burger and it was one of the best burgers I've ever had. And for pudding I had the triple chocolate chip brownie and it was equally delightful. Overall, great service, great food and I'll definitely be coming back soon!

This pub has recently been taken over by new management, so we thought we would give it try. The food was fantastic and the welcome was lovely. Perfect for our quick lunch stop (service was speedy)!

Amazing Sunday lunch.....best we’ve had for years!! The pork was delicious, Sally is as always the perfect hostess!! We will definitely be back.

Fantastic visit for the first time tonight! I visited with my girlfriend and some friends. Sally at the bar was very accommodating, friendly and knowledgable about food and beverage. Atmosphere was fantastic and I am so excited already to visit again. Thanks Sally and the rest of the team. See you soon. Would highly recommend!

Came for a long lunch on a Saturday - waiting staff were beyond friendly and helpful, as were the chefs who brought food out to the table. Food was lovely, cooked and seasoned perfectly. Great atmosphere too!New management seems wonderful and we’ll be back very soon.

I would would like to say a very big welcome to our guests. Sally and I (Patrick) have taken over here at the Hand and Shears. We have yet to get control over trip adviser and are truly great full of all your support.. WE ARE OPEN.. WITH NO PHONE LINES OR WEB PAGE...07540281523