Villagers urged to pour funds into pub

By Miranda Robertson miranda@westdorsetmag.co.uk

Villagers who pledged hundreds of thousands of pounds within a month to rescue their pub are now being asked to put their money where their mouth is after an offer was accepted to buy the building.

The historic village of Tolpuddle, which each year welcomes tens of thousands of guests to celebrate the Tolpuddle Martyrs in the form of a march of union members and supporters and a festival, has been without a pub for a few years. Covid and other factors affected plans to reopen the pub, which has been very successful in the past and benefits from the tourist trade, with people coming from all over the world to see where six men met to discuss unfair wages all those years ago.

Now the village is excited to reopen their pub, The Martyrs Inn, after campaigner Barrie Lovelock spearheaded a campaign to raise the necessary funds to buy it, a share. An offer for £390,000 has now been accepted and the sale will soon be completed – in April work will begin on refurbishing the inn, making it the kind of traditional venue Barrie, now managing director of the pub’s owners TMI (Tolpuddle) Ltd, and his co-directors feel the community needs. The price paid is for the freehold, with no restrictive covenants, giving the team the best chance to return some profits for those investors.

Heritage volunteers appeal

Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre (CHCC) is calling out for new volunteers with bright ideas and skills to help the centre grow. The centre aims to help people learn about geology, fossils, landforms, tides, marine life and safety on the beach.

A centre spokesperson said: “To keep the centre thriving and updated we have a small team of volunteers who work on the information and sales desk, meet and greet visitors, assist on fossil and seashore safari walks for schools and the public. They also assist with backroom tasks, such as digital features, art work and photography, to help the managers keep the centre welcoming. For more information email info@charmouth.org visit charmouth.org or call 01279 560772.

Directors have been appointed – the landlord, Rob Heathcote and Matt Swift (both major pledgers without whose contributions none of this would be going ahead, and with business experience), Margaret Clark (Walton) (ex chairman of the Plunkett Foundation and Hastoe Housing Association and Bev Clayton, who used to own and run Morton’s Hotel in Corfe Castle.

Barrie said: “Our overall aim will be to create a welcoming country inn in looks and atmosphere, serving good ales and wines and honest, quality pub food, all at reasonable cost.”

A grand opening is planned for late May or early June at the latest.