Dorset
Coverage highlights hospitality and foodservice developments across this South West coastal county, with reporting focused on key destinations including Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth, and Bridport. Topics include restaurant and pub openings, tourism-driven seasonal trade, independent operator growth, and local sourcing trends. Insight is tailored for businesses navigating summer footfall peaks, rural staffing pressures, and the balance between year-round trade and visitor-dependent revenues.
-
Sep- 2024 -10 SeptemberPubs and Bars
Admiral Taverns acquires 18 pubs from Marston’s
Admiral Taverns has announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire a portfolio of 18 freehold pubs from Marston’s PLC. The portfolio of 18 wet-led establishments spans the UK, located in counties including Dorset, Derbyshire and Yorkshire. The acquisition brings Admiral’s total estate to over 1,420, further strengthening its…
Read More » -
4 SeptemberNews
Today’s news in brief – 04/09/24
Wolseley Hospitality CEO, Baton Berisha, will be stepping down. In a post on LinkedIn, Berisha stated that “after much reflection” he had decided to leave for a “new adventure”. He also confirmed that he would stay on board at the company until his successor had “settled in”. Rick Stein has…
Read More » -
4 SeptemberPeople
Rick Stein Restaurants appoints head of food
Seafood restaurant chain, Rick Stein, has announced the appointment of Jason Wass as its new head of food, working alongside chef director Jack Stein to align with the brand’s ethos of “simple food, cooked well”. In his new role, Wass will oversee all aspects of menu development in all 10…
Read More » -
Nov- 2023 -6 NovemberCafes and Coffee Shops
Finca to open sixth site in Glastonbury
Coffee shop company Finca will be opening its sixth location in Glastonbury on Market Street, in the New Year. The new Finca opening will sit in the original location of “fashionable” artisan coffee shop Mocha Berry, which first opened in 1959. Finca established the first specialty coffee shop and roaster…
Read More » -
Oct- 2023 -12 OctoberRestaurants
Ashley Palmer-Watts to launch new restaurant with rooms in Cobham
Dorset-born chef Ashley Palmer-Watts is set to launch his new restaurant with rooms in Cobham, Surrey, at the former site of The Garden Cobham. The new site will incorporate a 35-seat “high-end” restaurant with additional seating on a garden terrace, a 52-seat wine bar, a café, and a bakery, all…
Read More » -
Aug- 2023 -18 AugustFeatures
In conversation with the founder of the Cornish Bakery
Can you tell us a little bit about your career leading up to the Cornish Bakery? I really didn’t have a big career, because from my early 20s I backpacked all over the world. I funded that travelling by buying and selling pub properties. I would do between two and…
Read More » -
Jul- 2023 -18 JulyRestaurants
Salt waterfront bar and kitchen opening in Portland Marina
Boatfolk has announced the launch of its latest venture, Salt, opening in the Portland Marina (Dorset) this summer. Set to open in July, Salt is an all-day dining destination that combines its waterside location with a seasonal menu. The restaurant will cater to guests looking to refuel between activities or…
Read More » -
Dec- 2022 -13 DecemberRestaurants
Dorset restaurant Robin Wylde unveils bakery offering
Lyme Regis restaurant, Robin Wylde, will be getting a ‘wild food’ bakery this winter. The new offering aims to provide bread and pastries for the local community, while also supplying its sister restaurant Lilac. The bakery will be open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays, with an online shop…
Read More » -
Oct- 2022 -6 OctoberPubs and Bars
Yummy Pubs offloads The Wiremill to Hall & Woodhouse
Yummy Pubs has sold The Wiremill, near Lingfield in Surrey, to independent family brewer Hall and Woodhouse for an undisclosed sum. Business partners Anthony Pender, Tim Foster and Jason Rowlands will now be pursuing separate projects, following their 15-year partnership at Yummy Pubs. Following the move, Yummy Pubs will rebrand…
Read More » -
Sep- 2022 -14 SeptemberRestaurants
Hub Box to open its first Dorset site
Hub Box, the Cornish bar and restaurant group, has announced it will be opening its first Dorset establishment in early October in Dorchester. This will be the twelfth opening for the burger and beer restaurant group, located in Brewery Square, its new 120-seat Dorchester restaurant will serve gourmet burgers, hand-cut…
Read More »
