Community hub plans for Chalk and Cheese at Maiden Newton

The Chalk and Cheese at Maiden Newton is the only pub remaining in a village that once had six inns.

It is now under the management of business partners Jack Talmage and brothers Jamie and Luke Brain, who oversaw a refurbishment of the pub not long after taking it over.

Over five days the pub received a refit of the main pub area, giving it a cosy new look.

Jack said: “The day we reopened there was a queue outside.

“The locals really wanted their pub back, they’ve fully supported it since we took over.

“Everyone is loving it, saying ‘we’ve got our pub back’.”

This isn’t the first business venture for the Weymouth triumvirate – they have been running events company Perfect Day Wedding Services for 11 years.

Jack and Luke are friends from their school days and formed the business partnership, with Luke bringing his brother Jamie on board. They refer to themselves as ‘the three musketeers’.

“We saw the opportunity when the pub became available and thought we should go for it,” Jack said.

Another major change the pub will unveil will be a new secret beer garden out the back – the pub’s outdoor space is currently derelict but renovations to the outside area began on March 27.

Live music is also being lined up at the Chalk and Cheese, with recent gigs from local acts Milk and Two and Nina Garcia proving particularly popular.

Food offerings have been re-started at the pub for lunchtimes and the hostelry has an ‘exciting’ feel to it, Jack says.

“The atmosphere is really good. Every pub is the same, you have to be able to engage with people and make them laugh, people keep coming back so they are obviously enjoying it.

“I’ve worked at a few pubs and we’ve been doing mobile bars with our business which has given us quite a lot of experience with bars. But this is easier than having to carry fridges everywhere.”

Being at the heart of the community is vital for the pub, Jack says, and a recent collaboration with Dorchester personal trainer Blast Off to give away passes to help people engage with exercise and improve their mental health is typical of the charity work they want to be involved in.

“Our message is that we’re here to support the local community and we want to become a community hub and support local charities doing the exercise passes was a big thing for us because it can mean the difference between someone going home and not going home,” Jack said.

The Chalk and Cheese serves Punch drinks and offers all the brewery’s staples along with guest ales.

It is believed the pub was named by a local man because there used to be a cheese factory and a chalk mine in the village.