Article for Spark Magazine Nov 2024
The Queen’s Arms has been a well-loved local pub for many years, with its warm honey stone Georgian façade, it is the picture-perfect English country village pub. Set on the border between Dorset and Somerset with far reaching views over the Somerset levels the area is well known for the beautiful walks nearby, including Corton ridge, Cadbury Castle and the Monarchs way, making The Queen’s Arms a perfect stop off for a refreshing drink and bite to eat.
When The Queen’s Arms came up for sale in 2020 it was an opportunity too good to miss for local couple Simon and Doune Mackenzie-Francis who had always loved it as their village local, spending many a sunny afternoon on the terrace, dreaming of what they would do were they ever to own it one day.
Being a Georgian building it need a fair amount of attention when the couple bought it, but with care and attention to detail it has become a warm welcoming space with some beautiful touches such as dried flower wreaths hanging from the ceiling. The downstairs was opened up to allow for a bigger bar and better flow, the terrace was changed to allow more seating, including covered seating as it is wonderful sun trap in the summer, a pub-hub was added with a coffee bar for take away coffee and food items. With ten bedrooms and bathrooms to redecorate it was a big project, each room has been carefully thought through and decorated in fabrics such as Colefax and Fowler and Christopher Farr. There are now five dog friendly rooms, a two bedroom cottage where guests can enjoy their own space and privacy, along-side five bedrooms in the main part of the pub.
It was the couple’s first foray into the world of pub management and opening just after covid had its challenges. It was an uncertain time for everyone, with many people leaving the hospitality industry, therefore making it hard to hire a team, but particularly challenging when it was a business under new management and therefore an unknown quantity. It took time for the team to be built up and trained and to deal with teething issues in the kitchen. Now, however, it is in its third year of operating and the pub has gone from strength to strength, winning multiple awards including ‘Pub of the Year’ from Food and Lifestyle magazine, being awarded five stars by the AA and winning Gold with Taste of the West, there are also regular mentions in the national papers and even a podcast on the pub by the boutique website ‘Curated Spaces’. The pub now as a regular local crowd as well as those from further afield looking for a few nights away in the country.
Head chef, Rich Townsend (who joined a year after the pub opened), has worked tirelessly with his team to build a delicious, seasonally changing menu that incorporates dishes such rabbit and pistachio terrine with carrot relish, pickled girolles, tarragon emulsion; or honey mustard pork loin with poached pear, confit shallot, spring cabbage and nduja emulsion to vegetarian dishes such as mushroom and spelt risotto with a slow cooked egg and Barbers vintage cheddar. Rich gives as much care and attention to the classic pub dishes too such as the signature Queen’s Arms burger, or Somerset cider and tarragon battered cod and chip he has made the pub a destination for food lovers. With a team of five chefs Rich ensures that there are freshly baked milk rolls used for the burgers, through to the fermented chili sauce used to finish his steak tartare, there is no aspect that has not been thought through, tasted and tested before it appears on the menu. His team get to flex their creativity with regular ‘pub menu’ take overs which are huge hits; from Mexican food for day of the dead, curry night, lobster night, game night, fish and fire and much more. It means the kitchen has a chance to be creative and the whole team get to put forward their ideas as a collaboration.
Doune is as passionate about food, having worked at Leiths School of Food and Wine and trained at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, she collaborates with Rich about the new dishes and enjoys being involved in events. Her next step is to teach cookery from her home next year with classes ranging from knife skills to mid-week supper inspiration, and much more.
Meanwhile you can meet the team at Sherborne’s monthly market, where you can buy our freshly baked focaccia, baguettes, flavoured butters, preserves, cheese and crackers as well enjoying the drinks offering of freshly squeezed ginger cordial used to make the fiery home-made ginger beer and the signature celery salt made in house for The Queen’s Arms bloody Mary.
The Queen’s Arms is open seven days a week serving food 12.00 and 3pm and 6pm – 9.00pm; breakfast reservations can also be made from 8.30-9.30 and the pub hub is open for take away coffee and bacon rolls from 8am. To make an advanced booking please go to www.thequeensarms.com and do check out ‘What’s Happening’ page to see what events we have lined up such as Burns Night, curry night and much more. Tel: 01963220 317