The Forester Pub in Donhead St. Andrew Acquires New Owners

BASINGSTOKE, U.K. - April 29, 2022 - PRLog -- The Forester pub in the quintessential village of Donhead St. Andrew, in the 'Area of Outstanding Beauty' known as Cranbourne Chase on the edge of Shaftesbury, has been bought by Duane and Debbie Lewis; the pub is the eighth in the privately owned Country Inns collection.

Comments Debbie: "We are different from other so-called pub 'groups' in that we do not operate as one.  Each of our pubs retains a unique personality of its own and they are all quite different in style and décor.

"What they have in common is an exceedingly high standard of cuisine, using fresh, and local ingredients and personal service.   We acquired the pub from Lizzie and Chris Matthews who owned it for 17 years..

"It's been well looked after and there's little for us to do.  We plan to close for just four days in mid-June, for a partial redecoration.  We also plan to put in two family-sized rooms for letting, which will also be idea for hunting, shooting, and fishing groups."

The village of Donhead St. Andrew has been the setting for The Forester since the 1700's.  Originally called The New Inn the beautiful old, thatched sandstone building still retains that olde world splendour with large inglenook fireplaces, thick stone walls and original low beamed ceilings.

Usually, a full refurbishment would be on the cards for a new pub under the Country Inns collection, but this period building only needs some gentle TLC to preserve its country pub appeal.

The Forester has commanded an excellent reputation for fresh homecooked food for over 15 years and the new Managers, Jonathan and Ronnie Mason, along with their Head Chef Lazlo, are planning to maintain the quality and offer some pub classics alongside their special menu.

The inn already has a definite pub vibe about it, as the bar area now has soft background music, additional bar seating, and the introduction of more real ales, lagers, and ciders. It has now become a place to pop in for a relaxing drink, a light bite and a catch up or a more substantial and leisurely meal.

The peaceful garden has been opened to offer more seating areas and as a bold statement the pub is staying open all day, every day, for both food and drink.

Recently married, Jonathan and Ronnie are looking forward to embracing village life and becoming a part of the friendly community.

They have welcomed many of the regulars and locals and are looking forward to fun times ahead with the various bank holidays, local fetes, and food fayres as well as The  June Jubilee celebrations with customers old and new.

For further information or reservations call 01747 828 038 or visit

www.theforesterdonheadstandrew.co.uk.