Chickpea secures site number seven

The team behind a Wiltshire-based pub company have acquired The Market Inn in Salisbury’s historic market square.

In what will be the Chickpea Group's seventh pub, The Market Inn will be a departure from its typical rural pub with rooms formula.

The new venture is set to launch a new line in 'boozers' focusing on food and drink. Dating back to 1904, the pub will have 60 covers inside and a further 80 outside.

As with the groups’ existing sites, the food offering will be of great importance, with the menu overseen by executive chef Harry Russell, with the aim of providing a pared back menu of ‘classic pub bangers’. 

Ready after renovation

The pub is currently under renovation and will be stripped back to reveal some of the building’s historic character. 

The Market Inn also sits next to the group’s pizza restaurant Nole on the Square. Guests will be able to order a pizza from next door to takeaway and enjoy inside the pub. 

"I've always loved The Market Inn," says Ethan Davids, co-founder of Chickpea Group. "It's been on our hit list since we opened Nole on the Square, so when the opportunity presented itself, it was a no brainer. This is a slightly different model to the pub we are used to opening because most of our boozers are destination food spots in the countryside. We love taking a punt on opportunities - getting our hands on places that would otherwise be closed - and we hope a pared-back approach to our normal pub food offer will be well received."

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