The Rivers Arms, Dorchester

The Rivers Arms is situated in the quite large village of Cheselbourne, but is the only pub in the village. We arrived to another pub that looked shut. A sign outside said that they didn't open until 5:30 on a Saturday, but everything we'd looked at online had said midday. We tried the door, to find that locked too. Although a young girl was playing in the front conservatory. A quick call didn't help, as it went to voicemail. So we headed off towards Dorchester hoping to return much later in the day. As it happened, my wife also sent them a message and received a quick reply before we'd got too far down the lane. They were indeed open and had somehow forgotten to unlock the door. The landlord was most apologetic and welcomed us in. We proceeded to the cosy bar with a roaring fire. The real ale on was Fine Tuned Langport Bitter and was enjoyable. Real cider is no longer served. Chatting to the landlord, it turned out that he was originally from North London and had taken on the pub fairly recently. He was very friendly and chatty. We didn't get chance to explore the lounge bar, but I wish the present owners every success. Hopefully you will find the door unlocked when you visit!

This unusual village pub was closed for 10 years while previous owners tried repeatedly – and thankfully failed – to get planning permission to turn it into housing. The site is on a slope which provides excellent views over the neighbouring countryside. At the top of the slope are some chalet-style huts for B&B as well as limited parking. There is more parking on the road level at the front. You enter the pub through a convservatory, then into the ground floor bar which is cosy and has a rustic feel. There is a lounge area upstairs which has a woodburner and leads to a timber covered terrace. It’s all new, the current owners having taken the opportunity completely to reorganise the interior which had been gutted in preparation for conversion. The food is freshly cooked, interesting and ranges from baguettes to Sunday roasts and curries. Two ales on, Yeovil Stargazer and Old Golden Hen, in very good condition. An excellent base for a break in rural Dorset which is off the beaten track and largely grockle-free.

Official site of The Rivers Arms - theriversarms.co.uk

Official site of The Rivers Arms - theriversarms.co.uk