The Coach and Horses, Winterbourne Abbas

Image: © John Stephen Taken: 16 Jun 2015

The Coach and Horses has been a coaching inn since the 1800s if not before. It has become a victim of the lifestyle changes of the 20th and 21st centuries and closed two or three times over the last few years, as the local village trade, as in so many areas, is clearly no longer viable. In 2012 it was changed to a "Gastro Pub" but doesn't appear to have had much success as the car park never seems used. It is now plagued by the major resurfacing work on the A35 between Honiton and Dorchester, which is closed in sections between 8pm and 6am every night from June 1st to the 23rd, thus reducing passing evening trade. A notice on the door states it is temporarily closed and will reopen on the 24th June when the road works are finished. The yellow "Open All Day Food" and "All Day Breakfast" sign no longer faces the road. We shall see. One comment on Tripadvisor accuses them of having done a runner "to London" without informing the staff. Update: Just passed by again on 2nd July and still no signs of life, even though roadworks finished on 23rd as planned. Perhaps the Tripadvisor correspondent was right. 3rd September still no signs of life. 15 Dec 2015, Passed twice today and after having been on sale for a couple of months this pub has just (this evening) re-opened. Dec 2016: Passed by twice on 1st Dec 2016 and noticed no sign of life. Passed again on 9th, a Friday and well into evening opening hours. Still no signs of life. Once home looked on web and on market for £495K. Unfortunately looks like it has failed again. Development as flats/houses imminent? A pity as the garage and shop opposite shut earlier in the year, so village now without facilities and now has a reduced bus service. So much for passing trade and local community.

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