Raise your pint glasses and prepare your wallets, folks. The Walter De Cantelupe Inn in Kempsey is officially on the market for the first time in 33 years. That’s right, this charming Georgian-style pub on Main Road (yes, it’s really called that) can now be yours for the tidy sum of £410,000. That’s less than the price of a shoebox flat in London – plus, this one comes with a beer garden.
Listed by estate agents Sidney Phillips, this isn’t just any old building with four walls and a bar – it’s a piece of local history, booze-soaked and brimming with charm. The pub has been lovingly run by Martin Lloyd Morris since the 1990s, who despite local belief has decided not to run the place for eternity.
“It’s the right time for me,” said Mr. Morris, gently closing the chapter on a decades-long era. “A number of people are very sad they thought I’d go on forever.” (Frankly, we did too. Immortal landlord energy, for sure.)
During his tenure, Martin welcomed guests from all over the world. We can only assume this means both global travelers and the occasional tipsy bloke from Worcester who wandered too far after last call.
The pub itself is full of character. The bar area is split-level (for the cardio), wrapped around an L-shaped bar (for the geometry), and opens out onto a beer garden (for the sunshine and dogs). There’s a basement beer cellar with its own barrel entrance – because what’s a pub without a dramatic entrance for beer?
In terms of accommodation, this place is basically a boutique hotel with better drink options. There are five bedrooms, most with en suites, double beds, and enough charm to make Airbnb jealous. One of the rooms is currently used as a laundry room, but with a little imagination (and plumbing), it could be your fourth bedroom. There’s also a landlord’s suite on the ground floor, because let’s be honest—if you’re buying a pub, you are the landlord now.
And the licence? You’re good to serve up the good stuff from 11am to 11pm Monday to Saturday, and 12pm to 10:30pm on Sundays. Long enough to fall in love, make a few questionable decisions, and still have time to order a cab home.
As for the future, Martin hopes someone with a heart for hospitality and maybe a knack for pulling a proper pint will take the reins.
“It would be lovely to have someone of a similar mindset take over,” he said, probably while polishing a barstool and looking wistfully into the distance.
So there you have it. One legendary pub, a whole lot of history, and your chance to become the most beloved person in Kempsey (assuming you don’t run out of crisps). Cheers to the next chapter – who’s in?
