Rare opportunity to run one of only 11 pubs in the UK owned by a parish council

A Dartmoor Parish Council are offering a unique opportunity to run an acclaimed community-owned historic pub, the Royal Oak. One of only 11 pubs in the UK owned by its Parish Council, the Royal Oak is at the centre of one of the most beautiful Dartmoor villages and exudes hundreds of years and success as a public house. 

“The Royal Oak is a vital part of the community in Meavy and indeed is popular with walkers and hashers from all over Devon. The Inn is a former Church House dating back to the 12th century and was originally kept by the Church Wardens of nearby St Peter’s. Ale was once brewed at the old Parsonage next door and the Inn has been the heart of village life and festivity for centuries.

“We’re really keen to help keep that history going as we work with the Parish Council to find an enthusiastic new tenant for this wonderful old pub,” explains Michael Easton, who heads up the hotels and hospitality team at property agents Vickery Holman. “The pub was rebuilt in the 16th century with extensions and alterations; the building boasts character and antiquity with many features today still giving evidence to its proud heritage as a Grade II Listed Building.”

Meavy is home to one of the oldest and most important trees in the UK, making it to the Times’s short list of the ten most important tress in the UK in 2017. In fact, that’s where the name of the pub comes from, with the oak opposite the pub believed to date back almost a thousand years.

Burrator Parish are now looking for applicants to submit their business plan and indicate how they will maintain its traditional character as a typical Dartmoor non-tied public house and preserve its value as a local amenity for the inhabitants of Meavy and surrounding community.

Vickery Holman are the agents handling the process and are inviting all proposals by the end of September. Easton comments: “The Royal Oak is an attractive property situated overlooking the village green with lots of charm and appeal. A new tenancy is available from November, creating an excellent opportunity to operate a non-tied traditional Dartmoor inn with live-in accommodation in a manner which serves both the local community and visitors to the area. We have undertaken similar processes this year and there is still activity in the public house and restaurant sector, with good levels of demand for the right sites. We feel that the Royal Oak will appeal to those with experience in the food and drink sector, who recognise the idyllic setting, strong local community and travelling trade from Tavistock, Yelverton and Plymouth.”

Interested parties are invited to contact the agents.