Echo's Pub of the Week: Trumpet Major in Dorchester

Nathan Wray has a deep connection with the Trumpet Major.

He was previously its deputy manager four years ago, but stepped back and became the manager of the Wagtail in Wincanton before returning to the county town hostelry.

He said: “I really love the pub - it’s got such a great atmosphere.

“I’ve been here since October last year.”

He said that the refurbishments from the summer of 2023 has seen the pub get positive feedback.

This has led staff to work harder on building up their community ties.

The Trumpet Major is just a stone’s throw away from the former residence of Thomas Hardy and shares its name with a novel by the famed Dorset writer.

Its Edwardian building is sited close to Max Gate, where Hardy spent his final years.

The pub was originally a private residence before being acquired by the Eldridge Pope and Co. Brewery.

Opened in the 1960s as the Trumpet Major, the pub was named after the only historical novel by Hardy, in which the heroine is pursued by three suitors, with one a trumpet major in the British Regiment.

After changing its name to the Original Thomas Hardy in 1990, the pub reverted to its former title in 2012 after being acquired by its current owners, Marston's.

Today the pub has strengthened its links with charity for the elderly, Age UK, and has started offering meals and events such as community lunches, which sees a group get driven up to the pub for a bit of respite.

Nathan said: “Those that are by themselves or have lost a partner recently can engage and interact with each other and come together – this is what we’re all about here.”

On top of the community lunches, the Trumpet Major has held bingo events. There are also plans for a summer party in the garden for elderly members of the community.

Nathan has been extending that community reach to its younger members, running events for children such as Train Masters, which sees a replica train set out in the pub’s garden - they even had Thomas the Tank Engine pop in.

He said: “We love to welcome big families with our space for tables and it’s perfect.”

The pub’s local hero, Len, was an Eldridge Pope Brewery driver for 36 years and can often be found by the bar on Wednesdays and Fridays imparting his wisdom on past ales and beers brought through the door.

He also, on occasion, brings his old delivery van out, along with other local enthusiasts, to show off the surrounding community a little bit of special local history.

The Trumpet Major has honoured him with a space on the pub's wall near the bar. 

Marston's invested in more than 200 of its pubs to be renovated last year, with the chain also changing its menu more frequently.  

Customers can enjoy delights such as Pedigree and Ringwood on tap, as well as Old Thumper.

Nathan added that the pub has been experimenting with cocktails since Christmas, as one of his staff members was a keen enthusiast in mixology. 

Nathan says there is one dish that stands out among the rest.

“Hunter’s Chicken is one hundred per cent one of our most popular items, so much so that we had to include it onto the lunch menu."

Hot dogs with tabasco are also proving popular pub grub among the locals. The pub also has a carvery where vegetables change with the seasons.

It’s not just the guests that get to eat well, as the Trumpet Major also offers a dog menu. Nathan said: “We like to see ourselves as dog friendly, as we are beside a public footpath often used for dog walkers.

“Inside the pub, we have bar treats behind the bar, and we offer dog meals. It can be quite funny getting a call hearing a table for five and one dog. One dog comes in and even has a bit of his owner’s pint every now and then,” he joked.

If you’re a keen lover of trivia, the Trumpet Major could be for you- with a monthly pub quiz on the last Friday of each month. There are plans for a ‘crack the safe’ type rollover for a weekly cash build up.