A town centre pub which closed last year, leading to speculation it would be turned into flats, has been saved – to the great relief of the community.
The Swan Inn in Sturminster Newton has been serving customers for nearly 300 years.
Its central location, near the old cattle market, has seen it bustling with customers for centuries.
However last year it closed, with the tenants citing the cost of living crisis and a change in people’s drinking habits. The former Hall & Woodhouse inn, which has five rooms upstairs, was feared lost forever.
But Stur’s regular philanthropist John Romans again stepped up – not only buying the place but ensuring a safe pair of hands to pilot the business forward, ready for 21st century customers.
John, who owns John Romans Park Homes, has already bought three of the old bank buildings in the town, and handed them over to raise money for the community – whether that’s Christmas lights, or flower boxes, or anything that brings life to Stur.
He was horrified that if the three large banks – and then the large coaching inn – were snapped up by developers it would devastate the town centre.
It would simply die.
He said: “It’s the biggest building in the town centre – if it had been made into flats it would have ripped the heart out of the town.”
The Swan Inn will open in February after a revamp, in the capable hands of Barrie Jones, who has successfully run the Fiddleford Inn just outside Stur for seven years.

The place will be lighter, and brighter, with the dart board and pool tables removed to make way for dining space – Barrie is bringing his longtime chefs and bar staff with him to provide good food and great service, from 8am each day.
John said: “Barrie has run a very good pub at the Fiddleford for years and he is bringing the same to the Swan – it will be a good local pub with good food.
“It will enhance the town and bring it together.
“People were desperate to have a good country pub – nearly a thousand people liked and commented on a Facebook post saying the Swan Inn was saved.”
This is John’s third pub, but he is very much hands off when it comes to the running of them: “Don’t worry, I’m not turning into Wetherspoons!”
Crucially, the Swan will be a freehouse, allowing Barrie freedom to choose good ales and wines and give the business a decent chance of success without being tied.
The Swan Inn was built in the mid-18th century after a fire in 1729, which destroyed many of the buildings in the town centre.
It was flanked by another two pubs: The Carpenters Arms closed about 1930, and The Crown closed in 1880.
The original landlords for over 200 years were the Pitt Rivers family.
Matthew Rowland is the first known landlord of The Swan. He died without a will in 1743. His widow Susannah held an alehouse licence in 1747 and 1753 and their son John Rowland in 1758.
John Baynard held the licence in 1761 and 1769 and his surviving will of 1775 provides for his son-in-law William Colborne following the death of his beloved wife Mary.
The Colborne family were prominent members of Sturminster Newton involved in producing swanskin – a cloth used by Newfoundland fishermen which is unique to Stur and Salisbury.
According to a 1992 issue of a now defunct local magazine called The Bridge, ‘a carriageway arch led from the marketplace into a quarter-acre garden, a haven for pigs and chickens.’
The magazine says the magistrates’ court presided in the long room above the stables before moving to the police station premises in the mid-19th century.
It added: “The assembly rooms to the right of the arch on the first floor of the plain stone fronted adjoining building circa 1800 was an integral part of The Swan Inn from about 1875 to 1980.”

The article says the inn catered for various functions such as concerts – some of which were attended by Thomas Hardy in 1876 and 1878. Masonic meetings were held there, as were property auctions, political meetings, commercial displays and the inn was used by American personnel during the Second World War for dances and sports activities.
“With the coming of the railway to Sturminster Newton in 1863 the Swan Inn functioned as a commercial hotel, but with the onset of war this dwindled.
“From the 1930 to the 1950s it was a popular hostelry for fishermen and working men who could relax by playing cards, darts and table skittles.
“In those days full board was £2 a week and beer 6d (2 1/2 pence!) a pint.”
The lease from the Pitt Rivers estate expired when Hall and Woodhouse bought the freehold in 1949. The interior hardly changed until it was refurbished in the 1960s by licensee Fred Harvey and again in 1989 to 90 when its name was changed from the Swan Hotel to the Swan Inn.

Sturminster Newton’s historic cattle market, once a major southern England hub with more than 700 years of tradition, closed in 1997-1998 due to declining viability and was replaced by a supermarket and community centre.
It was formerly known for having the largest calf market in the area.
Trade at the pub was hit hard by this, and has certainly fluctuated in the intervening 27 years. However, under Barrie’s leadership it is hoped to bring the pub into line with modern day requirements and turn its fortunes around.
Properly supported by the community, there’s no reason The West Dorset Magazine shouldn’t be reporting on this pub in another 300 years!