Turks Head, Chickerell is Dorset Echo pub of the week

The Turks Head can be found nestled down East Street, Chickerell. It is run by husband and wife Mark and Debbie Pollard, who took it over around 13 years ago.

Mrs Pollard described the Turks Head as ‘one of those pubs that everybody comes to and by the end, a lot of them don’t want to go home.’

Turks Head Inn (Image: Hollie Carr)

Mr Pollard added: “It’s the people that make you want to do the job, when you see the smiles on people’s faces.

“You come to the pub to smile, it’s a great place, it’s part of the community.”

Before its incarnation as a pub, the East Street building was a bakery with a stable out the back where flour would be made for the bakery's bread.

(Image: Hollie Carr)

During the Second World War lots of Australian soldiers who were being treated at a nearby hospital would drink at the venue.

Coming back to more recent history however, Mrs Pollard has lived in Weymouth since she was seven-years-old and whilst growing would visit the Turks Head.

(Image: Hollie Carr)

She said: “I would never have dreamed that I would have become the land lady. I have seen all the changes throughout the years.”

The husband-and-wife duo agreed that having a ‘good team’ is essential.

(Image: Hollie Carr)

Mrs Pollard said: “It helps when you have a good team behind you and I have a really good team, most of which have been here for about 10 years – of course the pub would not run without them.

“A few of our staff members we have also put through college. Some have started off as pot washers and worked their way up - We would not be here without them.”

Before working in hospitality, Mrs Pollard had a career in nursing, whilst Mr Pollard has worked in the pub trade ‘all his life,’ running a total of eight pubs, four of which he has run with his wife.

(Image: Hollie Carr)

The pair previously ran the Rock Hotel on Abbotsbury Road for about three years as well as the Clifton on Portland.

At present, Mr Pollard works behind the scenes as a chef in the kitchen, whilst Mrs Pollard works out front.

The pair also run the Spice Ship on Preston Road.

(Image: Hollie Carr)

The Turks Head is ‘very much food orientated,’ and ‘it is not uncommon to sell between 300 and 400 carveries on a Sunday.’

Pub favourites, alongside the carvery, include the steak and ale pie and fish and chips.

Mrs Pollard revealed that ‘everything is locally sourced and nicely presented.’

The pub also offers a home delivery service for food.

(Image: Hollie Carr)

A rather quirky addition to the venue is the Fire Engine Pizza Company vehicle parked at the end of the car park which serves wood fired pizzas.

The publicans also praised their locals who ‘support them all throughout the year.’

Turks Head Inn pizza (Image: Hollie Carr)

Mrs Pollard added: “We have got a very good local trade and we have made a lot of lovely friends being in the village. We love living here. You go to the shops and it’s like ‘hi, how are you.’”

The pub saw a major refurbishment around two years ago and there are additional plans for further works to potentially take place in the spring.

(Image: Hollie Carr)

The venue is often used as a location for weddings, christenings, wakes and other events, more recently hosting the Chickerell Mayor’s coronation, whilst Mrs Pollard also explained that ‘Christmas is always a special time of year.’

She said: “We decorate and it’s all nice and warm and cosy and everyone is happy. We also put on a bit of entertainment.”