The Live and Let Live in Central Bedfordshire - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

This pub/restaurant is now called The View! A spectacular location - staff friendly. Sadly food was a disappointment. My wife had salmon and I had a tossed salad with grilled chicken! The salmon was over cooked to the point the tail end was carbonised!!! My wife not wanting to make a fuss plodded through the other end even though it wasn’t moist! As she left the food she Pointed the fish out to the waitress so kitchen would not make the same mistake again! Sadly I have heard from locals their experience with the food was simular! 100% take a visit and enjoy a drink and savour the view and not the food!

Now called the view and is now a great pub with top class food , drink and service. What a great place to site and enjoy the great view with very good food and drink and the staff are very good.

Had read a few bad reviews of this place. Believe it may be under new management as I have to report an excellent dining experience there recently. Well thought out menu, not over priced and quite tasty, served by pleasant staff. I particularly liked their commitment to an eco friendly environment with all plastic replaced by bio degradable alternatives. Would recommend.

Having parked nearby, we did a circuit of the Deacons Hill and the Knocking Hoe nature reserve. Along the B865 is this place that has been refurbished and reopened as The View. Great outdoor patio with table service via the app. Great tasting food and very good service. The new owner is always around making sure you are being taken care of. A perfect location to take in the glorious views of the hills.

My family arrived on Friday afternoon at 15:00 the room was not ready as you will see from the pictures it’s not run right at all. We paid £170 for 2 nights including breakfast my family never saw a member of staff from the 1st day. Things in the room where rusty. The beds had books under them to keep them level. They had to sanitise and clean there own room. The fridge was empty. No milk no tea no bottled water. It’s a shame as the pub is not a beautiful location. When asked for a refund via our booking agent they refused as they said they had meet our expectations. Please people avoid this place like the plague. As you will only be let down.....

booked here for my mum and sister as my partner is local to the area and had told us lovely things (so had his family) We arrived on Monday, the place was empty, pub not open and noone around. My partner went inside to find someone to get a key & to pay for the two nights. After we paid and got chatting to the lady behind the bar, she said the live and let live was "too much for them" and they were trying to sell it. When we got into the room, it was obvious that the place hadn't recieved a clean the whole lockdown, which you would imagine would have been done? Cobwebs on appliances, fridge was turned on by the gentleman who arrived 5 mins after we got the key, with a TV (no remote). The doors, wardrobe and window had been primered but not painted, the towel stand in the bathroom was so rusty, it was unstable, there was soap marks (from previous lodgers) up the walls in the bathroom, the complimentary soaps, shampoo etc were already opened and half used. No curtains up in the room, but curtian pole was there, full of cobwebs and coat hangers. Also dead flies rolled up in the blinds. Light switches were brown. My mother and sister went out to buy anti-bacterial wipes to clean (as when they went to find someone, the place was empty, not a person in sight, also noone answering the phone in the pub) Lamp shades had stains on them and the bed sheets had mould spots on them and the bathroom ceiling was mouldy too. There was other peoples items in the bedside tables & everything was covered in a good thick layer of dust! We paid for bed and breakfast on the understanding that the guests would get a choice of either a continental breakfast or a full English, its a good job we ere visiting family or they would have starved in their room! Not a soul to be seen the whole 2 night and 3 days they stayed. We have rung the company who we have booked with and the live and let love hae refused to speak to us or issue a refund. This is obviously not acceptable and I hope for the pubs sake that someone manages to buy this and turn it back into the beautiful place that my partner & his family remember! The place has great potential & its a shame to see it get such a bad reputation! £170 is alot to pah for a dirty room. Please find attached the pictures of the room. Do not be fooled by the pictures on the booking sights! They are from 2012 when the previous owners had the pub!!

Initially we that it was shut down Reception bar in darkness Very very cold so uncomfortable radiators were cold and it was a freezing day Used to be packed only one other couple in the country pub Meal took forever to arrive which was ok ish despite one stalk of broccoli not fresh same with cauliflower Had to leave as was so cold Very disappointed used to be great Appeared run down now needs loving tender care

Went for lunch and it was dead. The service was slow. No one asked if everything was OK. The food was very dry. Chicken has been microwaved. My hunters chicken was served without BBQ sauce but with gravy and mushrooms. Hubby's jerk chicken was BBQ chicken. Hubby is Jamaican. This pub could be a gold mine if in the people that own it put some money and sorted the chef out. It is very grubby inside. Overall was very disappointed.

We have just had lunch with a Groupon we were given for Christmas. We had a table by the window looking out at a beautiful view. I had homemade mushroom and goats cheese soup with warm crispy bread and my husband had camembert. I had steak, mushrooms, tomatoes and chips all homemade even the onion rings. My husband had lamb chops with fresh vegetables. The portions were generous. It was a very relaxed and friendly service. The food was very good indeed but the red wine could have been better but all in all very enjoyable.

Been there lots of times always great food,on this day it was disgusting we ordered hunters chicken,is a dish made with chicken breast always,on this occasion we’ve got chicke leg and thigh we didn’t enjoyed

The place has a very homey feel to it. I really liked the interior. Friendly staff. Cosy. Quiet. Plenty of parking. My friends loved the food. I would highly recommend the camembert cheese as a starter - it's tasty and filling. I also liked my burger though the meat was a little dry. All in all, I'd like to go there again :-)

First visit for lunch, two of the party ordered Caribbean food off the menu and it was completely tasteless. Asked for extra spicy and got food that was bland, the jerk chicken thighs were microwaved, therefore dry and unappetising. The lamb was tough and the salmon was overcooked and dry. Service was non-existent. The premises need a complete refurbish, however on the plus side there is plenty of parking. Shame, because the area could do with some tasty Caribbean cuisine. Would not visit again.

Five of us had booked for Sunday lunch. We were surprised to find that we were the only diners at 13.00 (one other diner arrived later). We all chose the Sunday roast chicken, which was cooked perfectly and provided in ample qualtities. With cauliflower, roast potatoes, peas, stuffing and gravy, all as they should be. Three of us chose desserts, apple crumble was voted very nice, and 'pavlova' with meringue cases, whipped cream and mixed berries (pleasantly sharp) was enjoyable, though not a classic pavlova. With three drinks, the price of £65 was reasonable for five diners, but more than it would have been at a traditional carvery. We would go there again, especially on a sunny summer's day when one can eat on the patio, with a view of the Pegsdon Hills (though the garden trees have begin to spoil that marvellous view and need to be severely pruned, or even removed).

Used to love coming to this pub after a walk over the Pegsdon Hills for a drink and a bite to eat. Such a beautiful setting deserves a well preserved pub and unfortunately this is no longer the case!

Food average ..roast was ok ..nothing special ...lovely waitress very attentive and sweet ...service was good ...not a very exciting menu ...roast ...salmon ...pasta ..that’s about it ..wouldent return ..

Good pub food, breakfast ok with choices between cold and cooked food. The rooms are ok, but not very clean. People are very nice.

Met up for a lunch, the service provided by Sarah was excellent.

Went here on mother’s day and had pre booked. Took 30 minutes to be shown to our table and another 30 minutes for the starter to arrive. We thought there were problems when, what appeared to be, a customer was so fed up waiting he went and poured himself a beer. The lady was doing her best but they were massively understaffed. There were 2 large tables complaining about the delay in food and then how tough the food was!! The couple next to us waited nearly an hour for the menu to then be told that there wasn’t a menu and I quote “I can’t show you the menu as the prices are wrong. She put the prices up today because it was mother’s day”. I assume ‘she’ was the manager! We witnessed 2 young children under 10 I would say coming out of the kitchen serving food. Health and safety?? We left after the starter as an hour and a half is just too long to wait! We also heard one of the staff shouting at a customer but not sure what was said! How it has 3.5 out of 5 I will never know! If you want to experience Fawlty Towers at its best, this is the place for you!!!

There was one person serving food, manning the bar, taking orders and attending to guests. She was trying her best but just could not keep up.

13 booked for lunch at 2pm. There was only 1 front of house staff and 2 in the kitchen. Half our party were served with drinks at the bar before being shown to our table. 50 mins passed with no sign of our order being taken or more drinks. So we took our own order through to the kitchen and got our own drinks. After a long wait the starters came out in bribs and brabs. Prawn cocktail was extremely dry with only lettuce and dry bread. Again after a long wait and people wanting to leave the mains finally started appearing. The beef was tough as was the lamb. We had 1 floret of cauliflower and broccoli and 3 slices of chopped carrot. 3 tiny roast potatoes and a teaspoon of gravy. No accompliments. When we asked for the bill we were told it was £30 per head as it was mother's day but the Sunday lunch menus that was left on the tables said different. There was no extra special treats or a glass of bubbly for the mother's. Nothing warranting £10 + difference. The manager was quite rude and certainly didn't accept our concerns. Definately won't be coming back

Had the chance to sample this out-of-the-way country pub/restaurant set in some very nice surrounding countryside. It doesn't look much from the outside, but don't let that put you off as it is very nice and well decorated inside.

My wife purchased a Groupon Voucher for my birthday for lunch .We arrived during midweek to find we were the only guests .We wereshown to our table by a pleasant young lady who took our order for drinks .I ordered a lemon and orange (St Clements )and was surprised to receive a lemon and orange squash .

Just home from a Lovely Meal and wanted to share our experience,The Lady who served us was very friendly,welcoming and

We had a lovely meal in very nice surroundings.The staff could not have been more pleasant and helpfull.We had a three course meal and totally enjoyed the food. The sirloin steak was the best I have had and extremely good value.I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone.

Visited this establishment with my friends as I have read previous reviews saying the food is lovely. I am a foodie myself so I thought I would give it a try. First of all, the lady behind the bar was drinking wine and the other lady behind the bar was very welcoming. She welcomed us in and sat us down at a table. 10 minutes later nobody came over to take our order so one of my friends had to go back to the bar to get somebody’s attention. I ordered the fish & chips and my friends ordered hunters chicken and the scampi.

I was part of the retirement do on Saturday night. The service was appalling and the very very very long wait for the food was definitely not worth it. My mutton curry wasn’t anything like a curry - tough and tasteless. I’m not a fussy eater but I couldn’t eat it. My husband ended up eating it because there was nearly an hour in between my food arriving and his arriving. He was starving by then as it was after 10 pm (we sat down at around 8). The interruptions by staff during the two (failed) attempts at a speech for the man who was retiring just beggar belief but the worst was the attitude of the manageress when we asked for a (substantial) discount on our bill. She swore at us, showed us two fingers and then stormed out. DO NOT GO TO THIS ESTABLISHMENT!!!

Visited for a retirement do last night.

Group of 21 of us went here for a work retirement do and after ordering we were waiting for food, starters for some and mains, for well over 3 hrs. There were constant interruptions when speeches were being made, with no awareness or apologies from staff, and people were left sitting without food waiting for more than an hour while others had to eat or their food would get cold. When we complained at the end and asked that there should be some discount on the final bill, the manageress accused us of trying to rip her off and then finally slammed the bill on the table telling us, 'F*** you!!! Pay what you want!!!'

We visited after seeing good reviews but were very disappointed. I popped my head in to ask what time they served food until as we wanted to go for a walk first. The lady behind the bar was very welcoming and I was really looking forward to a nice lunch after a family walk.

Was given a Groupon voucher for a row course meal with wine here. There were no restrictions on time or menu. Service was excellent. Food was absolutely delicious and piping hot. Would recommend a visit to anyone.

Had Sunday Lunch with a group of girlfriends - have to say one of the best meals I have had in a long time, I had roast beef yum yum.

We came here for a Groupon meal, which by Groupon standards wasn't particularly cheap at £22 to start with, but thought fair enough if the food is good and different and the place has a nice ambiance, lets give it a go, especially as it is close to where we live.

We used a Groupon voucher for Sunday lunch. When we arrived it was pouring with rain. There were dirty dishes by the steps as we walked down to the front of the restaurant. We were the only diners. Christmas lights and candles were not lit and the place looked as though it could do with cheering up. A lady served us who also told us she did the cooking. I had the prawn salad which was okay but no lemon! My husband had the camembert cheese which was enormous. We both had the Roast chicken and I must say it was delicious. We decided not to have pudding as the place was so quiet although music was being played. We were uncomfortable. We did like the food and thought in the summer it might be a good place to come back to. As we left the dirty plates had gone!

Had lunch here today 30th of November 2018 it was great food lovely service will definitely going back thankyou

We were bought a meal for 2 via coupon. The restaurant is very very romantic looking at night. My kind of style. Staff very polite we have made the mistake before of ordering West Indian food. And thought never again. But I said let's just bite the bullet and try it. Wow glad we did the food was excellent. Very good portions taste was on point. We had a main and a sweet. All food finished. Very lovely place to visit will be going again.

This is lovely place, nice atmosphere, polite staff and very relaxing a home away from home, food portion was very fair and tasty, drinks at the bar was very affordable. Nice to have your wedding or any other functions.

I hadn't been to the Live and Let Live for 20 years - boy has it changed! The story of the pub's name is great local folklore and the updated pub is a blend of old and new - with a more modern menu and affordable lunches. We sat out in the garden looking out at the Pegsdon hills. Highly recommended for walkers and those wanting a traditional countryside pub meal delivered with friendly service.

Very helpful and accommodating staff. Tasty homemade food with great flavours. Has great countryside views.

An old friend rang me up and suggested that as they were staying at the Live and Let Live for a night, my wife and I join them for a meal. We had a good meal there a few months ago so after reading the recent poor reviews I didn't know what to expect.

Old pub in the country with a block of rooms for B and B. Easy to find, car parking and a beer garden. Restaurant good selection of food. Do try the jerk chicken. Full English breakfast in the morning.

My wife and I had the pleasure of dinining at the live and Let Live recently with four relatives from America.

Our family originated from Hexton 100 years ago so decided to take a trip to the area. We planned a walk on Pegsdon hills then Lunch at the Live and Let Live. We were surprised when we got there that there was only two tables occupied for lunch and that should have been a warning. I mostly write positive reviews on Trip Adviser but this is without doubt the worst experience I have had with a meal out in the UK.

We had the misfortune of experiencing very poor service at the Live and Let Live on Saturday. Bumbling incompetence can have a certain charm, I suppose, but it wasn't what we wanted for our family get together to celebrate our mum's 80th birthday. We left after a couple of hours, during which time they'd only managed to serve us part of our meal.

Visited for family celebration Saturday lunch after local walk. Wrong food brought; lamb served with frozen mixed veg; food brought at different times over a two hour period; dishes not served that were ordered; no explanation let alone apology. The worst service I have ever received, and manager rude and "unhelpful" to put it politely. (We were first told manager was not in, they emerged from the kitchen eventually!) Left shaken and upset, and wondering if this experience was for real or if the "You've Been Framed" team were going to rescue us!!

We were looking forward to going to this restaurant for my Mum's 80th birthday because she and my Dad had been before and loved it. But something has happened because this was the WORST restaurant experience we'd all (9 of us) ever had. It took almost TWO HOURS from ordering to receive our meals, and they all turned up at completely different times - the last about 20 minutes after the first, and still my 10 year old's kids meal didn't turn up (she ordered a straightforward spaghetti bolognese). In all other restaurants I've been to, kids meals are served first or at the same time for obvious reason. When we chased twice, a revolting plate of mince with a few strands of spaghetti turned up. She tried it and it was incredibly spicy and inedible. A few of the adults tried it and thought it inedible, too. We asked if she could have something else, and were promised pasta and tomato sauce in 5 minutes. Twenty more minutes and it still hadn't turned up. The waitress came and said she was sorry but she couldn't find the cook. We left so that my very hungry daughter could eat at my Mum's house! The meals themselves were variable - some were okish, and some were not at all good (I had sausage and very lumpy mash, two people had 'tough' garlic bread, my partner had 'hand cooked chips' which were obviously straight from the freezer). What a shame! My suggestion is AVOID COMPLETELY!

Spent the day in and around Pegston starting with lunch at the Live and Let Live and dinner later that day. Lovely walk over the Pegston hills to the Raven at Hexton for a quick refreshment before setting off back to Live and Let Live - brilliant day

Home made from Scratch well seasoned great portion sizes I’m A foodie & I highly recommend the food which is great value for money !

We stayed here for a wedding at Hexton Manor and we wanted to be able to walk there afterwards and avoid a taxi. As it happened, we got a lift back from someone - good job too as you can't walk down the road, as there's no path. The Manor gates are locked too which would have been a good optional route.

Didn't even get through the door. Turned out to be a non-vegan restaurant called Live and Let Live. Can you believe it?!

Stayed for a night, upon arrival taken to the room. First impressions were good - very modern and clean with all amenities necessary. However the member of staff only turned on the heating upon my arrival!! The whole night the room was freezing had to wear multiple layers to bed. I didn't mention this on the night however Should have as the staff were very accommodating in the restaurant.

Slow service even when the place wasn't busy, food was ok, nothing special but it was greasy. Children's portions were really big though. There were no baby changing facilities and had to use an armchair in the ladies toilet. Really had hoped for more, we won't be going back.

We were a table of 12 booked for a special occasion. When we arrived the place smelt like grease and was very smoky. It didn’t get off to a good start we waited at the bar for the rest of our table no ice for drinks, no straws no lemon given on the G&T; until asked. No bottled water.

We booked a table for 12 for Sunday lunch and it was terrible, firstly no ice or straws for the pre dinner drinks we ordered not exactly brilliant for a pub but maybe the food would make up for it.Unfortunately that was very poor as well,poor quality,badly cooked, I had Tempura chicken as a starter it came in a thick batter with a few bits of old limp lettuce,2 slices of cucumber & a dip from a jar you'd buy in the supermarket lets just be generous & say it was edible,on to the main course which was roast beef allegedly,it came, two thick slices and well overdone dry & tough accompanied by probably the soggiest baked potatoes I've ever been servec in fact it was hard to tell if they were baked or boiled and a couple of bits of over cooked & cold brocoolli & 3 sorry looking sprouts what a treat !Hoping desperately that the desert would save the day I ordered pavlova which was presented as a packet merengue with some tinned fruit on it & 4 squirts of spray cream to dress it up but the lemon posset that others ordered was a masterpiece a warm bowl of something not sure what with a few bits of shortbread broken on top of it which just got sent back untouched.

Paid the pub a visit on NYE for an evening meal - not been for a while, so thought we would check it out once again. Sadly (and surprisingly) we were the only people in there, apart from another couple and a man playing piano by the bar - which was nice, as we'd have been sat in complete silence if he wasn't (except for an episode of NCIS on the TV). Asked for a gin & tonic at the bar and the guy serving didn't know what that was.

We went here for a wedding in September and the staff had done a great job decorating the rooms. The food was lovely but drinks expensive.. the couple had their evening reception here as well and a lot of people were outside amongst an awful sewerage smell that kept coming and going. The dj wasn't very good which was a shame as a lot of us wanted to dance. For some reason he kept disappearing. Apart from that the venue was fairly clean and tidy and has great views of the pegsdon hills.

We visited this restaurant on a Saturday night at the beginning of October to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We had a table booked for 7.30 (we booked as it is usually very busy), but not on this occasion. We were the only ones there. We thought something had happened as never seen the place so empty. We was greeted by the bar man where we ordered a drink and we went straight to our table. Felt very strange being the only ones there. Have to say the place has been modernised and has lost that "cosy" feeling that it had before and is very basic. Have to say the food was very nice but there was absolutely no atmosphere . Another couple of tables did get taken during the course of our stay, but still lacked the atmosphere of a "Saturday night out". It is a real shame and I feel that the lack of people probably has something to do with the bad reviews it has received. I understand the place has new owners and the restaurant is very out of the way but if they can get back the atmosphere it used to have I would definitely recommend it. The food is very nice. Will we return, probably not, unless we go with a lot of people, but don't recommend just as a couple. Such a shame.

What a gem, set in the most beautiful countryside. We all enjoyed delicious meals, freshly cooked and of a high quality. The staff were extremely welcoming and friendly, and able to accommodate my gluten intolerance with ease. The resident pianist enhanced our dining experience. I thoroughly recommend The Live and Let Live, and look forward to a return visit very soon!

We visit this restaurant on average twice a month. The food is consistently of the highest quality and the staff...

Terrible, I took my wife for her birthday Sunday afternoon, I have been a few times before and all ways...

My husband and I regularly dine here about 2/3 times a month either for an evening meal or lunch. The staff are always friendly and the food is always delicious.

My first trip here was to try it out as I was coming to a wedding later in the year .If I'd gone by first impressions I would of drove off and not bothered .You are greeted with dead hanging baskets and broken limp umbrellas . However we went in and the dining area is respectable and the food very good . The service is very laid back which doesn't really work in a busy restaurant . After your first course don't expect them to come back and take your plates or ask if you want anything else as you are not important enough .

Arrived for meal with partner for meal .A 60th birthday party was going on when we were shown to restaurant.ordered drinks and pint beer was replaced twice as tasted like vinegar.Soup for starter was cold so sent back.Ordered main meal for two and waited and waited.in meantime the chef arrived with a party children and were served straight away with food and staff seemed too busy with party food for 60th to bother with people waiting in restaurant.eventually left in disgust.what a way to run a business terrible will not return.

We booked the live and let live for our wedding reception. We were a bit dubious due to the reviews but everything went well. Everyone commented on the food and how delicious it was especially the steaks (locally sourced) - in fact some people said best they ever had. The day was very hot and we were able to sit outside in the afternoon. Eileen was very helpful and the bar kept up with the busy demand. Would definitely recommend this venue for a small function of maybe no more than 35 inside and they have got a marquee outside for function use.We asked for music on the day and her husband who is a dj did a couple of hours and requests.The only downside was the venue was being used outside for another function of a family blessing and they had their own music playing across the restaurant into the garden and from then on we could not hear ourselves speak so then went outside. I think they need to get the music system organised so that it can be set up outside as well, but saying that did not spoil our special day.Would definitely recommend.

I Booked a table for my 55th birthday meal with my husband on booking they told us there was a private booking foe a blessing but they are still taking bookings there was us and another couple eating they left then half way though our meal some of the guess at the blessing started moving tables and chairs around us so there could make room for dancing what a cheek what a fire hazard they only had to wait half hour for us to finish it spoilt our meal it was a very hot evening every one was outside how RUDE management said nothing

If you have seen an American Werewolf in London and remember the pub scene.... this was very on par with that.We were made to feel like an inconvenience for wanting to order a drink as they all stood around chatting. Sat in the garden as it's beautiful around here. That was the only positive. I hope they take on board all the negative comments as it doesn't cost anything to be kind and helpful.

we stayed here for a birthday party on site. the garden is lovely the rooms are very comfortable, clean and well equipped. the staff were really helpful , and went out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed. the bar was well staffed and they worked sooo hard! it was a really enjoyable experience. breakfast was good, service was prompt, food tasty, as much of everything we asked for, i would certainly go back. and then when we had left stuff behind in the wardrobe the manager rang us and was extremely helpful with returning the items.

A group of five of us went here for lunch on a Saturday lunchtime after a nearby walk. Having seen recent reviews I was a bit apprehensive but needn't have worried. We booked a table and pre ordered our food before setting off and on arriving back at the Live and Let Live our meals were promptly served. We had a mixture of main meal salads and cooked food between us and thought it was all pretty good. Service was friendly and we had no complaints. I would definitely go back.

I've eaten in many places both in the UK and abroad and this place is by far the worst I've ever experienced. Beautiful setting but whoever runs this place knows NOTHING about how to run a business. There is no customer service, the owners don't care if you're standing in front of them they just walk past you without so much as a smile, eventually they might decide to offer you a menu but you have to make your own way to a table. You will wait a lifetime for service at the table, continents move faster than these people do! The food (if it can be called that) takes forever and is overcooked/microwaved slop. I sent my plate of slop back only for it to take 40 minutes for a scorching hot version of the same slop back... it had obviously sat in the kitchen for 37 minutes only to get 3 minutes of nuking in the microwave. In the meantime our ambience was set by the owners unruly children running around in the restaurant shouting and being a nuisance. These jokers actually had the cheek to give us a bill which was not cheap... they must actually believe they are delivering on all fronts. There is so much more but this review cannot do the place justice as to how terrible it is. If you have money to waste, hours of your life to throw away... and wish to be treated as if you do not exist then this is the perfect place for you.To the Live and let live owners, you are disgraceful and know nothing about business... thank you for ruining my visit!!!!

Last summer I had lunch here. Sitting in the Garden looking at the beautiful views, and the food was great. Views still great but the food poor.Salad limp, chips made from frozen potatoes. Salad cream sachets out of date,Waiter bought a bottle of salad cream from kitchen, the squeeze dispense lid removed, which was concerning as the lid would of showed use by date. Cost of sandwich with chips was around £8!On leaving noticed state of car park area. Note to self if no pride in appearance of public area.....

Key ingredients for the menu not available. Steak undercooked and served on cold plates onion rings batter contained more oil then batter. Service slow. After complaining no where compensation offered. Gave up with sweet not prepared to wait any longer.

Group of 12 friends visiting for lunch. The service was slow, the food took about an hour to arrive after ordering. The so-called 'Sunday roasts' were either just chicken breasts or fatty lamb and poorly (and very over) cooked vegetables. Puddings then took ages to arrive and the strawberries were mouldy. The tuna salad was soaked in balsamic vinegar making it inedible. Equally, they gave no priority to hungry children. To cap it all, there was a strong stench which appeared to come from a leaking septic tank. On the plus side the serving staff were quite friendly and responsive when asked but this did not make up for the long waits and poor quality food.

My partner and I arrived for a booked lunch, we ordered two roast dinners. One meal was then served although we had no cutlery, we asked for cutlery to be brought with the second meal. You guessed it, after another 5 minutes the second meal arrived still without cutlery, after about another 8 minutes of waiting the meals were nearly cold when the cutlery finally turned up. We then found that the meal was very heavily over seasoned with pepper, to the point at which it was inedible. In addition, I must say the service from the bar staff was really terrible, unwelcoming, disinterested and appeared untrained, ten minutes to get a drink, and the bar was empty.

My special family Sunday lunch was totally ruined by the slow non existent service at the Live and Let Live in Pegsdon. I arrived with my brother and 89 year old mother at 1.45 pm for Sunday Lunch and were seated in the sparsely populated restaurant and ordered our lunch. When by 2.35pm there was still no sign of the starters I called over the waitress who apologised and gave us a complimentary drink telling us it would be another 15-20mins! We were not happy but decided to stick it out. By 3.15pm we were an hour and half without any sign of food!! Again I had to call over the waitress who promised it would be 5 minutes. At 3.40 pm we could take it no more my family lunch ruined by the total incompetence of the staff. I have never experienced this sort of treatment in all my 30 years of eating out and it amazes me how it can actually stay in business with the type of service it offers! It goes without saying that I will never set foot in the place again and I would advise you to follow my example !

Even after reading the recent reviews we thought we would give it a go as the bad comments were mainly about the restaurant and we were just going to have a drink. We must have been in there about half an hour and we did not come out with a drink. The service was so slow to begin with, it was not overly busy but the one lady behind the bar seemed to have no urgency about serving drinks, not only was she taking bar orders she was also preparing the drink orders from the restaurant. There were two girls stood behind the bar one who did eventually take our order but did not get our drinks the main lady did this, but we still had to wait after giving our order. We ordered a glass of wine and a lager, once they did arrive the lager was flat so my husband mentioned this and the lady said she would change the barrel. Which took some time, once it was changed the lager was no better it was really frothy after the lady trying a couple of times to pour a pint, so my husband said he would have another lager this was also flat. By this time we had been in the bar for about half and hour, so we just asked for our money back and left. The actual bar looked really nice and as it was a nice day we were hoping to sit in the garden which also looked nice, but the service is just so slow and no-one looks like they really care. I will not be going back.

Despite having arranged the booking well in advance and having spoken to the manager regarding the importance of the day, it was absolutely ruined by poor and extremely slow service. It took hours to get through the starters and the main meal. The meals came out sporadically. This meant some of the party had finished their meal before others receiving theirs. No-one came to take drinks orders which meant having to queue at the bar for another lengthy wait . They had run out of some of the meals but failed to tell us when taking the orders. They tried to conceal the fact they ran out of haddock by cutting a portion in half and serving it to two of the party. Disgusting !!They were obviously understaffed and had taken on too much. The owner seemed to lack any idea of how to manage a restaurant and lacked any customer skills. Lots of other customers were leaving. Wouldn't recommend in any circumstances.

My husband took me here last night as a surprise,thinking it would be good. It was a surprise all right. We started with the Camembert to share... dry warm bread, Camembert only just runny, I strongly suspect it had been popped into the microwave to heat through.. ! Ok, not a great start. Mains turned up. I had the minted lamb with mashed potato & veg. Husband had steak & chips. Wow what a disappointment, mashed potato was powder potatoes that had NOT been mixed probably, but hot. The minted lamb....3 tiny cutlets with lots of mint source plonked on top. Ok, not looking appetising I can tell you, but we will try. Lamb stone cold, veg cold, plate cold. Potato hot..!My husband didn't fair to well either, his steak, plate & mushroom cold, chips hot. We complained to the waitress, she apologised took the plates back to the kitchen... food returned after having a blasting time in the microwave...! We left shortly after where we were asked by the staff "did you enjoy your meal", we explaned the issues to the bar staff & she thought we were joking until she looked at my husbands disapproving face. I don't think we will be returning here too soon & I most certainly will not be recommending to eat here.

We booked a table for 3 people at 2.15Arrived and as it was extremely crowded had to stand for ages. No one came to take our booking. I eventually found someone who sat us in a cramped corner. We waited half an hour and no one came to even speak to us. A large table of 14 next to ours had been waiting one hour for their starter!! We decided to leave. This was supposed to be lunch out for my 85 year old mother. Some day it turned out to be. WHY take so many bookings take people's money if you can't cope with the numbers. Greed.

Slow service, the whole establishment reeked of bleach. Not one of the “staff” understood / knew the menu or wine list. Our steaks rare to medium rare were overcooked and as tough as old boots. We have eaten her many times over the years, it would appear that the new proprietors have no idea of what they are doing. Very very sad, such a nice venue – dreadful result!

I went here with my elderly mother for lunch today. The reasonably pleasant dining-room (apart from ghastly red and blue glasses on the tables) was occupied apart from us by a family of 5 and one other couple. Our drinks arrived quickly. Our food was also served fairly fast. It was downhill from then on. My garlic prawns in a chilli dressing arrived as a pile of very ordinary prawns, smothered in chilli sauce (like you get in a bottle), a few bits of drowning rocket and 4 triangles of pre cut brown bread with a pot of margarine on the side. My mother had scampi which looked like it had sat in the oil and been forgotten about. I.e. Dark brown and very crispy. I suppose we were lucky. The family who had arrived before us waited an hour to be served. We forwent our usual pudding and coffees, paid the bill, in cash as the machine didn't work and left. Never to return!

Oh dear! Despite the fact that we were the only diners in the restaurant, (the only other two people having left shortly after our arrival) it took almost two hours for us to be served with a main course and a dessert. The food was average and the apple crumble was so overloaded with cinnamon that it completely ruined the dessert.No atmosphere, which was probably due to a lack of other diners, and inappropriate music.

Despite being virtually empty, we waited an hour and 15 minutes for our food. Had we not been so hungry, we would have left after the two other diners in the pub warned us that we would be waiting a long time. Once our food was ready, we were presented with the worst fish and chips and hamburgers that we ever had. I really can't describe how bad the meal was. I hope the new owners can get it together as the view from the back is pretty.

Attended a wedding reception here last weekend & knew that the Live & Let Live was situated in some of the most beautiful countryside in England. However, I didn't know just how friendly & accommodating the staff were. From the moment we arrived the staff did everything they could to ensure everyone had a great day. Albert in the kitchen did a wonderful job catering for at least 50 hungry people. The food was well cooked, fresh & delicious. I had a perfectly cooked steak & my cheeseboard had some full flavoured cheeses & some very tasty toasted (wood smoked?) bread. It made a pleasant change to get a good selection of quality cheeses on the board. The bar has a good selection of beers & ales & my partner enjoyed the wines on offer too. The service was outstanding & everyone had a great time. The motel style accommodation was well equipped, functional & most importantly, comfortable. It is situated adjacent to the main pub/restaurant area & could be noisy if there was a function taking place. I will definitely return for a dinner & pint on my next visit to beautiful Pegsdon.

This has to be the worst pub I have visited since 1974. In fact, seems to be in a 1970s timewarp and I wondered if I had found myself in one of the sets for the Life on Mars Series.We waited about 40 minutes to be served, and the garlic bread my guest ordered was like a chunk of polystyrene foam slathered with butter. None of the texture and taste of garlic bread but was charged at £5.90. The cook seemed to spend a lot of these 40 minutes barging past my chair on his journey from the kitchen to the bar, perhaps seeking instructions on how to cook from the bar.Even a one star review is excessive praise

A boutique country inn if ever there was one, The Live and Let Live is a fab little pub in a truly beautiful countryside surrounding.I’ve been here a few times now and even considered it for my wedding day. It’s a great place to go and the food and drink is outstanding. They’re currently undergoing a transition in management but it looks as though everything is plodding along happily for the moment. I wish them every success during this time and hope there won’t be too much change to its already impeccable reputation.The wide choices of drinks are very affordable and the food is beautifully cooked with a lot of care and attention. Reserving a few tables is a pleasant experience as the management staff are completely on the ball and treat everyone with great consideration. When you find yourself in the dining area, sitting under those gorgeous low beams, you feel extremely comfortable and relaxed. It’s almost like being in someone else’s home rather than a pub and you get a sense of the friendly rapport from the locals who go about their conversations at the bar.Dining out in the beer garden is a wonderful affair where the rolling Pegsdon Hills wrap their arms around you as if to give you a big, green hug. Other than the odd car driving through the valley there’s almost no noise despite the roaring roads going into Hitchin and Luton on the other side of the landscape. It’s a genuine break from the hustle and bustle of towns and cities.The Live and Let Live is a great choice for ramblers too. If you find yourself on one of the many walks the area has to offer you’ll most likely find time to stop off and have a well-earned drink. Also, the pub caters for those choosing to walk and the staff have great knowledge of the different routes you can take. Maps, information, tips and more can be found inside so it’s almost a must when facing the elements.It’s a magical place. A priceless gem hidden in the heroic Beds/Herts hills.

food, location and hospitality and service exceptional. reccomended!Kev and Ilene are wonderful hosts. the rooms and location are stunning. food is top draw, cooked with passion and served with a smile. try the Jerk chicken!!!

We know this pub of old, as we go walking in Pegsdon. when we got there they had just stopped servicing food, which is understandable. My other half and dad wanted Guinness but there was no gas, you could buy a tin but I could do that at Sainsbury! We bought a bottle of wine and sat outside. We saw the new owners but at no time did they make an effort to say hello.We waited for food as we thought we would try the new dishes, we ordered Chicken but they came out with Mutton!!! Front of house should have stopped that as we were the only ones eating..The 2nd bottle of wine we bought was a different one, as they had none of the other left.disappointing start lets hope it gets better, also they had problems with WIFI which is too be expected.

Popped in for a quick drink with a friend. The pub has just changed owners and the menu is in flux at the moment. But they had a specials board with mutton curry , rice and peas cooked by new chef Albert. It was delicious , clearly cooked on premises and not "bought in ".A real breath of fresh air for the menu. Fresh cooked food takes slightly longer but staff were lovely as always. I will continue to support the pub and I'm sure new owners will iron out issues. But give them a try and go for one of the specials - I've also had the jerk chicken previously ( but it had sold out ) that's what happens when something is so good and fresh ... It runs out

Called in as our local was not serving food on the bank holiday Monday evening so we carried on further up the road. Have to say we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner. Were told it was under new ownership (3 weeks in) and on the specials board they had a number of Caribbean dishes - we tried two starters and two mains (all Caribbean influenced) and they were all delicious. We will be going back if they keep this cuisine on offer!

Have eaten here previously and had found the food very good but not today. Went for lunch and pre drinks to find no Guinness as they had run out of gas.Ordered food to be told no lamb chops. My wife ordered rib eye and got sirloin instead which was inedible. I had liver and bacon on bubble and squeak but got mashed potato instead. No peas either but never told prior, liver over cooked and the entire meal very poor.We eat out three times a week and will always give credit where credit is due but today was unfortunately the worst meal we have experienced for years

Today after a 3hr walk, thus low blood sugar..I paid £12.50 for a sandwich & a coffee! at The Live and Let Live. My 2 friends paid £12.50! each for a sandwich (white bread when brown ordered) and a drink each. I asked for a new sandwich as my bread was v dry but my friend ate hers..We only thought about how expensive it had been just after we'd left & blood sugar had returned to the brain..Too late to do anything.

Thank you Martin and Christine for making our wedding a day everyone will remember for a long time. We would also like to thank the chefs for creating lovely Arabic feast for everyone and the bar, maintenance and waiting staff for the meticulous attention to detail, and the lovely ladies of Pegsdon for helping us decorate . Everyone commented on the location of the venue and said the Chilterns made the perfect back drop for a beautiful English wedding. We would also like to welcome the new owners and wish them every success for the future. See you all soon. frank and Tina xx

My sister got married last week to her beloved Frank and chose to celebrate their union at The live and let live. With a beautiful setting, overlooking the chilterns and the gorgeous garden, you could not find a more perfect place to party in style. Whilst the decor was sophisticated with a rustic feel, this was a really romantic place that delivered on every level. Instead of the usual predictable wedding meal, we were treated to a fantastic, varied mediteranian feast. The tone was chique, cool, relaxed but with a traditional wedding feel, which made the day perfect.With 7 log cabin ensuite rooms for guests to stay over night it was just another element that offered flexibility to allow family sleep there and have breakfast together with the happy couple the next morning.The live and let live has always been a lovely place to eat, but this was a really special place for their special day. Keep it up guys you are onto a cracker.

Decided to give this place another try as we hadn't been in a while and know it has new management. It was not very busy so the service really should have been better and the menu is not extensive which you wouldn't mind if it is done well but unfortunately, it wasn't! We both ordered the burgers only to be informed that they were very busy that afternoon and had sold out - of handmade/homemade burgers! I find that a little strange but as a special they had roast dinners and I just fancied a change from salad so opted for the beef. By the time the food came, we were both very hungry otherwise, I would definitely have complained or at least I would have done had someone came round to check - we never saw anyone again until we left!!! The roast dinner was poor - lumpy gravy, overdone beef and very few vegetables - one desert spoon of cabbage which looked black!!! The Yorkshire pudding was a frozen one. The burger that my husband had was dry and lacked flavour - how can anyone create a dry hamburger?! Literally we ate our meals because we were hungry but would never go back again.We even had to go to the bar to ask for the bill which they charged incorrectly! Appalling service and bad food - not an experience we will repeat which is a shame as they have a nice garden area.

I've used this pub before without a problem but I had a disastrous lunch today. First we had to wait ages to order because the one person serving was taking a room booking on the phone and struggling with the computer. I was asked how I wanted my liver done so I said rare. What arrived was three tiny pieces of mushy liver overcooked by any standard with no trace of pink never mind blood, in a strangely acidic gravy. I took it back and it was replaced with a burger which then took ages to arrive. I thought I was being punished but it did arrive soon after I went to "inquire" so it was probably sitting in the kitchen.The pub has a smart dining room. The garden has a lovely view of the Pegsdon Hills but is on a busy road. I've given two stars because of that and because the food was replaced with no hassle but it's generous.

The location made up for the lack of quality in the food and service. Stop here for a quick lunch on a lovely sunny day. We eat out side and had a drink. The food was a bit greasy we had the fish and chips. The fish was very greasy and the chips where cold and hard not fresh. The outside area could of done with a bit of a clean and sweep. The inside, the bar was a liitle small and messy. The place was decorated very oddly and clutter everywhere. Nice friendly staff.

Hadn't been here to eat for some years but the new owners (of 4 years ) have created a lovely cosy and friendly place to visit . A nice fresh , smart bar and lots of 'odd' pieces around ,,,sourced by the Landlady Chrissy i believe . Six of us had a lovely meal and all priced sensibly . I would definately visit again ,,,, despite and including the two friendly , helpful and slightly mad waitresses Brian and Brian :-)

I/we stayed here for my Birthday day/evening, my wife booked it a few weeks before as visiting close to the area that dayVery friendly staff/owner, very nice pub and surroundings.Room was basic but clean and equipped for an over night stay, TV, fridge, kettle, tea/coffee, milk etcWifi was free which was good as our ee network signal was weak in the room.Breakfast was included and was a very nice start to the day.Traffic noise wasn't to bad in our room as we stayed in room 2 (higher the number the closer to the road (B road) Food and drink was good not to bad prices.We would go back here if in the area again.Would like to thank the owner/staff for helping me celebrate my birthday with my wife, even though they didn't know.Mr & Mrs M (2nd June stay)

Good food, pleasant welcoming staff - nice place to go for lunchHad a nice lunch with my youngest daughter here the other week. Really helpful staff, my daughter being a vegan often gets no choice or is not often offered any alternative food choices, not the case here. We arrived early (12ish) for lunch, I had booked and I'm glad I did, by 12.45 the place was full and potential customers were asked to wait or try another day, so book!

Good quality food, friendly staff and clean loos. The views of the Pegsdon Hills make eating in the garden a pleasant event

Stayed here Saturday night and from the start everything went well. Walked into the pub and were met with a warm welcome & shown straight to our room #2. Lovely clean room, well presented, couldn't ask for a better start.When we went to the restaurant, we again were met with a warm welcome. My fiancée had the soup of the day which was nice & hot, I had the goats cheese & beetroot tart, it was lovely. For mains we had the sea bream off the specials board and the minted lamb chops off the main menu, both came with seasonal vegetables and both tasted good. For dessert I had the cheese board, love my cheese & biscuits and again wasn't disappointed!In the morning we both had the full English & coffee, again not disappointed!Food is locally sourced which is a good thing for local farmers!!Overall experience is that this is a great place for food and views, will be going back again!!