Somerset debut marks milestone for Chickpea

The Manor House Inn in the village of Ditcheat, Somerset, is set to open its doors in February, taking owners Chickpea Group to 10 venues.

In what will be Chickpea's seventh pub with rooms and its first in the county of Somerset, the opening of The Manor House Inn follows a lengthy renovation of the historic pub, which dates back to the 1600s. 

As previously reported by Pub & Bar, The Manor House Inn joins recent opening The Kings Arms in Shaftesbury.

"We are so excited to head west and get stuck into the Somerset food and drink scene," says Ethan Davids, co-founder of Chickpea Group. "The Manor House Inn is a truly beautiful pub with cosy nooks and plenty of outside space. It offers everything we look for in a Chickpea country boozer. The pub has always been incredibly well supported by the local area, so we hope people are as excited about opening as we are."

Restoring and reopening

Chickpea has restored the building and redesigned the upstairs to add four bedrooms above the pub and a further five in a courtyard outbuilding.

The inside will have around 80 covers for drinks and dining, with a further 100 covers outside in the garden, which wraps around the pub on three sides.

The main bar features flagstone floors, exposed beams, an open fire and banquette seating, while an old skittle alley has been opened up to hold more covers. 

When it comes to the food, the kitchen will be led by head chef Jamie McDougall, who joined the Chickpea Group in 2022 and has been head chef of the award-winning Bell & Crown in Zeals since then.

Joining as general manager is Ed Boylan, who previously managed The Old Pharmacy in Bruton and has been running The King’s Arms in Shaftesbury in Dorset until now. 

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