IT may be hidden away but managers of a Hampshire pub say its location and its historicTV fame have made it a hotspot for tourists and locals alike.
The Jolly Sailor at Bursledon sits on the banks of the River Hamble looking out over Swanwick Marina.
Set down below a dead end road by around 30 steps, the only indication of a pub is the traditional roadside sign.
General manager John Pilcher admits they cannot rely on passing trade along the aptly named Lands End Road, but says the pub makes up for this with its unique appeal beingon the riverside.
John and wife Amanda, who have been in the pub industry since 1995, manage the pub on behalf of Dorset-based family brewery Hall and Woodhouse.
They took overthe pub, which offers an English and Mediterranean menu, nine years ago.
John, a father-of-four, said the pub relied on trade particularly in the summer from the sailing community who can moor up on the river bank.
In the winter it benefits from more local customers who tend to stay away in high season.
Despite their busy periods, John said the pub always strived to welcome all its customers.
While other pubs fell by the wayside in the recession, business at the Jolly Sailor continues to be strong with John reporting a four to five per cent growth each year.
“It’s unique. I don’t think there’s any other place with this location in terms of just being on the river,” said John, 44.
Part of the pub’s success is down to its fame in the 1980s after it was frequently used as a filming location for the drama series set on the River Hamble, Howards’ Way.
A picture of the cast is on the wall.
Even today this has proved an endurable link and the pub still sees many visitors who have come down to pay homage to the programme.
The pub can boast its fair share of history too.
A Jolly Sailor pub is known to have existed on the site in at least 1751.
The Elephant Boatyard next door, John says, is thought to have built vessels for Henry VII.
It is this sense of history combined with the location John thinks that attracts people from all over the country to return to the pub each year, but also customers from all over the world who have come over on business.
The pub’s cheapest beer is £3.35 a pint and the cheapest wine is £5.25 for a 250ml glass.
The Jolly Sailor, Lands End Road, Bursledon, SO31 8DN. 01489 405557.
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