The Rock and the Duke of Cornwall thriving after re-opening

The Rock on Abbotsbury Road re-opened as a pub around three months ago, whilst The Duke of Cornwall on St Edmund Street re-opened under new management last month.

Lisa and Mark Stanley alongside pub local Alan Stobart (Image: Hollie Carr)

Both have been met with heaps of positivity from punters and appear to be ‘thriving.’

The Rock is the first pub that husband and wife team, Mark and Lisa Stanley have ever owned, and the duo have really managed to embed themselves within the local community.

Mark said: “We didn’t think it would take off so quickly. We have got a good group of customers in. Everybody is happy and there’s lots of laughs and smiles and they all talk to each other. It’s definitely a community pub.”

Lisa added: “We are so lucky as local people seem to love it – they are happy it’s back and keep saying how great it is – A lot of our customers are people who live in the area. They are happy that it’s just a local and traditional pub.

“We have been quite busy and obviously the football has been very good for us and our quiz night is also very busy.

“It’s definitely been different, but we are loving it and loving getting to know everybody and we all enjoy working together.”

With regard to the current economic climate, Lisa explained that ‘people seem to be coming out and socialising and they are also meeting up with people that they haven’t seen in years.’

She went on to mention the utility bills which weren’t as bad as they were expecting when they came through.’

The pub now has a darts team and a pool team, and are currently refurbing their skittles alley so we will be looking for teams for that too.

Michelle Tempest has owned the Duke of Cornwall since 2017 but leased it out to a different landlord in recent years who were involved in a 'nightmare' court battle over complaints about live music.

She has since taken it back alongside Jason Osborne and the pair have hired Geoff Mann and Vicky Cordell to manage it.

Michelle Tempest and Jason Osborne (Image: Michelle Tempest)

Michelle said: “It’s been going really well at the pub. It’s a bit more fun and a bit more party,” adding, “but controlled fun.

“In 2017 it was a massively fun gin bar with music. We loved it and we still love it. At one time we even lived over the Duke.

“Vicky has worked for us forever and she has relished with the new change. We care about Weymouth and the Duke and we are not going to let the Duke go, it’s got a long term future. It’s fun, lively and upbeat.”

Speaking of the current economic climate, Michelle added: “It is very challenging indeed, we own a few venues across the country and at one of our hotels, staff costs have gone up, food costs have gone up and at other venues, electricity bills are absolutely outrageous. It is challenging. “

However, fortunately the Duke of Cornwall is not in the same boat and is doing exceptionally well.

Michelle said: “It is little and local and lots of people love it and they all have their own stories from there. Hopefully it will get back to its old ways.”