The Shave Cross Inn is a quintessential Grade II Listed two storey thatched public house with origins reputedly dating back to 1300s. The Shave Cross Inn is a detached freehouse which was trading under a lease, but which closed in November 2025. This attractive country pub is renowned for its ambience, retaining much of the original charm and character. With open fireplaces, flagstone flooring, and beamed ceilings, this quality destination pub represents an ideal opportunity for new owners to develop their own trading style and vision. The property briefly comprises:- character Main Bar, Snug Bar, Restaurant, Skittle Alley/Function Room with its own bar servery and Customer WC’s, Catering Kitchen with ancillary backup facilities, family sized 3 Bedroom Owner’s Accommodation with Sitting Room, Kitchen and Bathroom. Externally, and a real feature of this property, are the impressive Beer Gardens offering al fresco customer seating with a substantial decked area, lawned areas, raised flowerbed borders, feature raised fishpond and a Barbecue Area. There is also a Customer Car Park with spaces for around 30 vehicles. Interested parties should note that works to the thatch are required.
SITUATION
The Shave Cross Inn is situated in the hamlet of Shave Cross in the centre of the beautiful Marshwood Vale in an unspoilt rural part of West Dorset. The inn is surrounded by picturesque countryside and is around 4 miles, as the crow flies, from the Devon and Dorset Jurassic Coast which has been awarded World Heritage Status by UNESCO for its beautiful and unspoilt surroundings. The lively market town of Bridport is just 4 miles south east, Charmouth beach is around 4 miles south west and the picturesque coastal town of Lyme Regis is just 6 miles away.
INTERNAL DETAILS
GROUND FLOOR – Customer entrance door from the car park into Snug Bar an attractive and traditional character bar area with flagstone flooring, feature fireplace with open fire, feature lighting. Main Bar again an attractive character room with original flagstone flooring, feature inglenook fireplace with inset log burner, feature lighting, beamed ceilings and exposed wall timbers. Door to the front and the Beer Garden. Timber fronted and topped return Bar Servery with range of associated back bar fittings, display shelving, non-slip flooring, electronic cash register and glass fronted bottle fridge. Restaurant an attractive character dining room with Karndean flooring, exposed ceiling and wall timbers, door leading to the garden. Ladies & Gents WCs. Skittle Alley/Function Room a versatile multi-purpose room with a sunken skittle alley. Timber fronted and polished timber top Bar Servery with associated back bar fittings. Ladies & Gents WCs. Door to garden. Commercial Kitchen with part non-slip and part tiled flooring, and fully tiled walls, fitted with some commercial catering equipment to include:- 6-burner range, floor standing twin deep fat fryer, extractor system with stainless steel canopy over, range of stainless steel workbenches with shelving below, wall shelving, stainless steel hand basin, twin deep bowl stainless steel washup sink unit. Prep Room/Wash Up with part non-slip and part tiled flooring, stainless steel sink unit, glasswasher, ice machine, stainless steel workbenches with shelving below, range of wall shelving, Walk-in Fridge. Utility Room. Beer Cellar temperature controlled on the ground floor with a 6-barrel tilt and access from car park.
Please note: The fittings, equipment and services listed have not been tested by the agents.
EXTERNAL DETAILS
To the front of the pub and a real feature is an enclosed and pretty Beer Garden with cobbled patio terrace leading to a substantial timber Decked Seating Area, further Lawned Areas, feature raised flowerbeds, raised fishpond, Barbecue Area with pizza oven, and a screened area which houses a sewage treatment plant. Interspersed throughout the garden are a number of picnic benches and tables providing al fresco seating for around 80 customers. To the rear of the pub is a Customer Car Park with marked spaces for around 30 vehicles. Please note there is a vehicular and pedestrian right of way across the car park for the cottages to the south-east side. The cottages have no right to park on the car park.
OWNER’S ACCOMMODATION
Arranged on the first floor is the family sized 3-bedroom owner’s accommodation which briefly comprising:- Sitting Room with dual aspect to the side. Bedroom 1 a double room with built in wardrobes and an aspect to the front. Kitchen/Breakfast Room with an aspect to front. Bedroom 2 a small double room with an aspect to front.
Bedroom 3 a single room with an aspect to side. Family Bathroom with shower over bath.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Shave Cross Inn has traded as a character destination country pub and restaurant, located in the popular and sought-after area of Dorset. The pub unexpectedly closed in November 2025. The Shave Cross Inn represents an excellent opportunity to re-establish this successful and well-regarded business and the pub has previously received numerous excellent reviews and accolades. This is a blank canvas opportunity which offers tremendous potential for hands on owner operators, or for commercial investors alike. The sale represents an excellent opportunity to purchase a country pub and restaurant with spacious owner’s accommodation in an extremely desriable part of Dorset. The Shave Cross Inn is undoubtedly a very special place to live and work, and a formal viewing is essential in order to appreciate all that it has to offer.
TRADING INFORMATION
The property has been let to a third party by our clients, as a tenancy/lease agreement and consequently there are no accounts or trading information available.
FLOORPLANS
Floorplans for this property are available on request.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Please note some of the photographs used in this brochure were taken prior to the pubs closure in November 2025.
SERVICES
Mains electricity and water. LPG gas heating. Private drainage to a sewage treatment plant (replaced in 2022).
EPC
C – 68.
RATING
We understand that the Rateable Value from April 2026 is £9,700, which would qualify for 100% relief depending on the purchaser’s circumstances. Interested parties should contact Dorset Council.
VAT
All figures quoted are exclusive of VAT if applicable.
