Pub Is So Popular It Has Four-Year Waiting List For Sunday Roasts

A pub’s roast dinners are so popular it’s got a whopping four-year-long waiting list. 

The Bank Tavern in Bristol has gained a reputation for its delicious Sunday roasts, so much so, landlord Sam Gregory says he has to switch off the online booking service to allow the pub to deal with the backlog of bookings. 

Sam said: “It had got to a four-year waiting list until the pandemic but because we had a huge backlog of bookings for people who couldn’t eat here due to Covid or lockdowns, we made the decision to honour every booking.

“We’ve actually closed off the booking system so you can’t book online and if we get any cancellations, we are simply back-filling with people in the diary from two years ago. We are up to January 2020 now so it’s going to take a while to get through all the bookings.

"A lot of the tables of two have been easy to rebook but it’s the larger tables of eight or ten which are taking a bit harder to fit in.”

In an attempt to tackle the backlog of eager diners, Sam has introduced an additional sitting on Sundays - from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. 

Despite the literal years-long wait for a table, Sam says the boozer still falls victim to the odd no-show, despite customers receiving reminder emails and calls. 

It’s because of these no-shows that Sam recommends people still check with the pub on Sundays just in case a table becomes available at the last minute. He says you won’t be able to book but it’s still worth turning up and asking on the day.

He added: “We always say to people if you are in town, stick your head around the door because sometimes tables come up if we get no-shows. It’s always worth checking just in case.”

Commenting on what makes his Sunday dinners so popular, Sam said he thinks consistency is key. 

He explained: “We stick to the same meats all year round but add seasonal alternatives like lamb and venison, but our starters and desserts change every week. 

“A lot of places doing Sunday roasts only release bookings for three-month slots and if we knew we were going to be this popular, we would have done that but it’s a nice problem to have!”