The White Heron

[addicted]

 We had a chat with the manager about the food issue and apparently they have had a chef in place actually living on the premises, for a long time  and all the kitchen fittings are bought and  are at present in storage. The problem is that starting work on the kitchen revealed a large construction issue involving drastic works required on the floor area to prevent future flooding. We were assured they would definitely be open for New Years Eve and sooner if they can manage it.

 

 

Carole

[OldBerkshireBoy]

I did hear about the kitchen floor often flooding. One way is to install an underground sump pump like I believe they did in the outside seating area to stop that from flooding.

[PaulN]

I look forward to trying out The White Heron with my wife. If we get a smile and a welcome from the staff, it will be a vast improvement on The Yare.

[addicted]

 We had a chat with the manager about the food issue and apparently they have had a chef in place actually living on the premises, for a long time  and all the kitchen fittings are bought and  are at present in storage. The problem is that starting work on the kitchen revealed a large construction issue involving drastic works required on the floor area to prevent future flooding. We were assured they would definitely be open for New Years Eve and sooner if they can manage it.

 

The staff are  very welcoming

Carole

[MargeandParge]

1 hour ago, addicted said:

 We had a chat with the manager about the food issue and apparently they have had a chef in place actually living on the premises, for a long time  and all the kitchen fittings are bought and  are at present in storage. The problem is that starting work on the kitchen revealed a large construction issue involving drastic works required on the floor area to prevent future flooding. We were assured they would definitely be open for New Years Eve and sooner if they can manage it.

 

The staff are  very welcoming

Carole

Good job they noticed otherwise you would never finish your soup.

Kindest Regards Marge and Parge 

[OldBerkshireBoy]

On 08/10/2022 at 16:00, NeilB said:

A friend who has a holiday place nearby said there was a rumour about some moorings being made available, only a rumour though.

I see that a line of moored boats besides the pub have been moved so looking likely that there will be visitor moorings. 

[PaulN]

That's good news, if it is the case. Let's hope overnight mooring fees are redeemable against a restaurant meal.

[Chelsea14Ian]

That's nice let's see .

 

 

 

[Mouldy]

I picked up a copy of the latest Broadcaster yesterday evening and Broom have taken out a full page advert on the back page.  Part of it is dedicated to their hire fleet and the other part is about The White Heron on the Yare.  It does mention bookable visitor moorings and no mention of a charge to use them.  It also mentions ‘pub garden with stunning views,’ which may stretch the imagination somewhat, but the availability of moorings should help bring some custom their way.

[Broads01]

I think "On the Marina" would be more accurate than "On the Yare". I'm pleased to see they're dog friendly though and I hope to give it a try. Are the visitor moorings close to the pub or where the hire base is?

[Mouldy]

3 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

I think "On the Marina" would be more accurate than "On the Yare". I'm pleased to see they're dog friendly though and I hope to give it a try. Are the visitor moorings close to the pub or where the hire base is?

If you remember driving past the pub, they’ve cleared a few in the marina immediately past the pub on the right hand side, so just along from what they describe as the ‘garden.’  There was no signage there last time we went past, but I can’t think of another reason why they’d have shifted boats in the marina other that to free up pub moorings.

[Mouldy]

We went up to Norfolk Lady on Friday night.  On our last visit, we’d used the chip shop in Brundall for our meal on Friday night, however found that it had become very expensive, with two large cod and regular chips coming in at around £20.

We decided to give The White Heron a try.  We hadn’t booked and arrived at about 18:45 to find it very busy, but with tables available.  Whilst ordering, I was chatting to someone at the bar who said he worked for Broom in Business Development, so I asked about overnight moorings and costs.  I was told that at present, the charge hadn’t been finalised, but they were thinking around £20 per night, redeemable against food but dependent on spend at the venue.

Again, the level of spend hasn’t been finalised.  The ten moorings they’ve cleared are highlighted on the map below, but I was told that in the season, additional spaces would be available in the hire yard basin as an overspill.  They will also be attended, because of the proximity of the moorings to some very expensive private craft!

As for the food, it was more than acceptable - fairly typical ‘pub grub’ to be honest.  The wife had a lasagne, which was served with coleslaw (?) and garlic bread.  I’d expected a side salad option, but there wasn’t one available even as a side order, but she said it was very tasty anyway and quite a generous portion.  I opted for beer battered cod and chips.  Again, a good size portion of fish, the batter was crispy and the chips chunky, with a choice of garden or mushy peas.  The bill for food alone was £26.90, which we both thought was very fair for what we had.

As others have commented, the inside of the pub is unrecognisable from Yare days.  The character has gone, but not sticking to the carpet is a welcome change.  I think that many of us feared the worst when The Yare closed and that yet another pub on the southern rivers would be lost, but reincarnated, it appears that our fears were unfounded.

[Broads01]

Very informative, Malcom, thank you. I've no problem paying £20 to moor if it's redeemable.

[DAVIDH]

I was there last month. Very busy lunchtime on a Friday. Food good and as you have said Malcolm, not the expensive gastropub feeding the wealthy gin palace owners we perhaps expected it to be. Definitely on my list of regular watering holes.

[Smoggy]

Moorings cost redeemable in pub is fine by me, will have to give it a go sometime.

I assume the moorings are useable now?

[Mouldy]

1 hour ago, Smoggy said:

Moorings cost redeemable in pub is fine by me, will have to give it a go sometime.

I assume the moorings are useable now?

The ad in The Broadcaster says phone to book.  Also, as mentioned, the mooring fee and how much they require you to spend to get it back, aren’t finalised.  I suggest that a phone call to confirm would be the best course until they get it all resolved.

Now they’ve advertised the moorings, they need to get a wriggle on as the season starts in a few days and folk will read The Broadcaster in paper form or online and expect everything to be ready.

[marshman]

Sad to report that £20 is no longer outrageous for 2 large cod and chips - thats about what the Blofield one charges although its a tad under that! I have seen others in the City at a higher level!

As we all get older we fall into the same old trap of forgetting what things cost in the real world - I can show you plenty of eating houses, nice ones I admit, that now charge £35 for a decent steak and its quite easy to ratchet up a bill of say, £150 for two!

Its ok - I have noticed it too and whilst you can still get decent food for less than you might expect, as Ian will confirm, prices have risen steeply. For people who have access to two salaries, perhaps they are happy to pay, and indeed do, but it rather puts into perspective a £10 mooring charge.

In times of inflation we do perhaps need to readjust our base line.

[OldBerkshireBoy]

The guy from Broom that I was chatting with Saturday evening said when you call to book the charge to moor is £20 if you eat in the pub however for those who think that they can moor there then jump on a train and go eating in Norwhich or Yarmouth then the charge is £50. How they intend to monitor this I dont know.

[Mouldy]

2 minutes ago, marshman said:

Sad to report that £20 is no longer outrageous for 2 large cod and chips - thats about what the Blofield one charges although its a tad under that! I have seen others in the City at a higher level!

As we all get older we fall into the same old trap of forgetting what things cost in the real world - I can show you plenty of eating houses, nice ones I admit, that now charge £35 for a decent steak and its quite easy to ratchet up a bill of say, £150 for two!

Its ok - I have noticed it too and whilst you can still get decent food for less than you might expect, as Ian will confirm, prices have risen steeply. For people who have access to two salaries, perhaps they are happy to pay, and indeed do, but it rather puts into perspective a £10 mooring charge.

In times of inflation we do perhaps need to readjust our base line.

I get all that MM, but our favoured chippy in nearby Watton charge £17 for the same meal for the two of us.  Aside from the cost difference, the fish is larger and to us, better cooked.  I’ve used the chip shop in Brundall regularly since we bought into Moonlight Shadow and still do now, as we moor our own boat there, too.  I’ve also been to Blofield chippy in the past, but not recently, so I’m not aware of their current prices.

My late mum still used to refer to the cost of things in the shops, back in the days of pounds, shillings and pence, when we used to take her shopping before dementia took hold.  Unlike her, I recognise that costs have increased, for gas, electricity and for ingredients and businesses have to cover those and still make a profit.  I merely included the prices as a comparison between a take away meal and one in a pub, where it’s served to you and you don’t have to do the washing up afterwards.

I think for the extra few pounds, eating in the pub is good value against one from the chip shop.  My opinion and one to which I’m entitled.

 

[Smoggy]

Was anything mentioned mooring charge wise about an afternoon visit for drinks only?

[Mouldy]

11 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

Was anything mentioned mooring charge wise about an afternoon visit for drinks only?

No.  Didn’t ask - it didn’t occur to me to be honest.  I’m fairly certain that it will depend on spend, but give them a ring.  Probably easiest.

The main reason for asking about moorings was to pass onto the members of the Moonlight Shadow syndicate, should they venture back down to the darkside, but thought the info would be useful to anyone reading on here.

[Graham47]

57 minutes ago, Mouldy said:

I get all that MM, but our favoured chippy in nearby Watton charge £17 for the same meal for the two of us.  Aside from the cost difference, the fish is larger and to us, better cooked.  I’ve used the chip shop in Brundall regularly since we bought into Moonlight Shadow and still do now, as we moor our own boat there, too.  I’ve also been to Blofield chippy in the past, but not recently, so I’m not aware of their current prices.

My late mum still used to refer to the cost of things in the shops, back in the days of pounds, shillings and pence, when we used to take her shopping before dementia took hold.  Unlike her, I recognise that costs have increased, for gas, electricity and for ingredients and businesses have to cover those and still make a profit.  I merely included the prices as a comparison between a take away meal and one in a pub, where it’s served to you and you don’t have to do the washing up afterwards.

I think for the extra few pounds, eating in the pub is good value against one from the chip shop.  My opinion and one to which I’m entitled.

 

What you have to remember when comparing eat in to take away prices is that eat in prices are subject to VAT at 20% so a take way price of £20.00 becomes £24.00 when eaten in.

[Smoggy]

Didn't that change on anything hot?

[YnysMon]

1 hour ago, Mouldy said:

The main reason for asking about moorings was to pass onto the members of the Moonlight Shadow syndicate, should they venture back down to the darkside.

The darkside…? Here be dragons and all that? Lol.  I’m so glad we are now at HPC, but I do miss being located on the southern boards. 

[Meantime]

27 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

Didn't that change on anything hot?

The famous pasty tax of 2012. Yes anything sold hot for the purpose of being consumed hot is liable to VAT even from takeaways. It all gets very blurred where food is cooked and allowed to cool or sold whilst it's cooling where the intention is not for it to be eaten immediately. 

So a baker bakes some pasties and allows them to cool naturally and sells one while it's still hot, it is zero rated for VAT, but if he stores them in a heated counter to slow down the cooling process and then sells one whilst it is still hot they have to charge VAT. 

There are a number of tests around intent to sell hot for immediate consumption, advertise as being sold hot, or selling in packaging designed to keep it hot.