The Bankes Arms Country Inn in Purbeck

We visited 10/11/24. Yes it is expensive due to the beautiful location, & as we have visited many times before it is of no surprise. However, we were surprised to see so many tables available inside & out considering it was a Sunday. I ordered drinks, & the order was accepted by unenthusiastic staff. Having not experienced that before, i was surprised. In addition to that, their own brewed ale was not available. Pumps of their own ale turned round, offering not so local ale which was really concerning, considering they are a brewery. Next concern was a staff member coming out trying to hide her tears. She was clearly upset, & a few minutes later, she was seen to leave the pub. Food was ok...clearly microwaved, but tasty. Easy to do a Yorkshire pudding but not so it appeared as minus the air. Desert was Pecan tart & I am guessing this was not homemade as it was good. Would I recommend here...yes at this moment for drinks. Would I return yes...but if only management take a good hard look of what they offered before, & what is offered now. I do hope they look at the reviews & take stock of what needs to be done. It really is a reality check, as each time we have visited, the service & food standards are clearly in decline. Management..please take stock & listen to those who want to return.

Absolutely in shock that this place is now no cash whatsoever and that you need to order drink before you even get it on an app. Also the beer which apparently is brewed in the back off the pub is overpriced to £6 a pint and to be honest is awful. I really used to like going to this pub and recommend to so many people. I certainly won't be doing this anymore. I get a feeling they are only accommodating the tourist and are happy to turn local business away.

Just returned home very disappointed, there was about 60 of us for a party and at least half of them who I spoke to said they wouldn't go back because they don't take cash, if it wasn't a party for my granddaughter I would have walked out straight away, we won't be back....

The pub appears to be managed by young people, friendly but unenthusiastic and uncaring. Food was microwaved and the local bitter tasted like very weak washing up water. The pub, which has a 1 star hygiene rating, is trading on its position and taking advantage of tourists and passing trade. We have used the Bankes Arms over many years and it is now on it's last legs; the owners do not seem to care. A rip off.

We stayed at the Bankes Arms and also had breakfast there as part of the deal. It’s a great location. Rooms are OK, the corridors to it a bit smelly with old cooking smell. But once in your room you don’t notice that.

Nice exterior location for a drink but very expensive food, £17:50 for a small bowl of so called Spanish stew & chips, the garlic cloves were bigger than the chicken pieces! We didn’t bother staying for pudding.

Great traditional pub with an extensive choice of home-cooked food. The beer is great - slightly overpriced but it's hard to quibble about this too much as it is always nice to see an old-school pub thriving. The staff at the Bankes clearly care about keeping their ale in good order and it really shows. Both the Purbeck and Penine ales are terrific. Given that Studland is something of a hot-spot for walkers and beach-lovers alike it is inevitable that the Bankes will be a popular destination for families. Not a problem in itself, of course, but it's a shame that during our visit young children were allowed at and around the bar. I am not sure if this technically permitted but as there are plenty of other seating areas available (both inside and out) I found this a little unnecessary.

£8 for 3 scoops of vanilla ice cream! Shocking! One of our favorite spots, such a shame to rip off customers like this. Surely this was a pricing error?

We called in after walking back from old Harry’s rocks. It was bank holiday weekend and the place was heaving. We called into the bar area and promptly left as there were so many people waiting to be served and we could only see 1 person serving. On the way out though, we noticed there was an outside bar with no queue so we were lucky to be served quickly. We sat in the garden area with lovely views however only stayed for one drink. There was a constant flow of people although staff were wandering around trying to find whose food orders they had! After reading the review here for food, I’m glad we didn’t stay to eat.

After being rejected from the greyhound and told they were full even though they were empty we were kindly and openly greeted by the lovely staff at this pub, with 5 wet doggies looking for shelter and water and 7 adults looking for a nice pint to help us recover from our rainy walk!

Cashless. No thank you. No choice, no business. Again not impressed with being told no cash, only thung thatbwas good was the view.

Amazing part of England this pub is in an unrivalled position. Stayed for bed and breakfast for a few days. Breakfast is first class - real eggy eggs! Nice choice and produce and an excellent start to the day. During the day lots of people visit for food and drinks so it gets pretty busy, prices quite high for pub grub, served by a team of friendly staff … the view of the sea from the beer garden is lovely. Nice clean reasonably priced basic bedrooms, fluffy towels and bathroom supplies provided. Will definitely return.

Fantastic view and a beautiful building. Big selection of real ale, but limited/no craft beer. Food was a big disappointment - I had the ploughmans which was well overpriced and not particularly good.

Although The Bankes Arms has lovely views from the garden, and convenient for after a trip to the beach, it has become overpriced with mediocre bar service....£15.10 for two pints of cider???? Really.

The food for our party of 9 ranged without except from almost inedible to very mediocre - Yet was priced like a top restaurant. Do not come here for a meal.

Ordered fish and chips, the fish was about the size of a kids meal, pretty much a tail end with a small amount of fish. Definitely not value for money

Our meals were well cooked and arrived very speedily. Chicken pie and vegetables were piping hot, and the batter on the fish was beautifully light and crisp. The pint of Full Steam Ahead beer was very a pleasant accompaniment. We’d definitely visit again if in the area. My only negative comment ( and it’s a pet hate ) would be that the cutlery provided was sadly very basic quality.

Love the location, eating in the garden is the best Food very nice pub food- pricey for small portions but good selection and tasty

As if Studland beach and the walk to Old Harry Rocks was not enough - this cheerful pub is right next to South Beach car park (for those not wishing to walk!) and is a highlight of any excursion in this area. The food was delicious, quick to arrive and the staff were friendly and helpful. I had ham, egg and plenty of chips - most welcome on a day that had turned cold. I arrived just after two big family groups had ordered but was pleasantly surprised by the short wait for my food and it was hot. There is an abundance of seating - including a covered outside area and a beautiful beer garden overlooking Studland and beyond. It's an area with golden sands, clear seas great history, walks and views - with this pub at the centre of it all - enjoy.🙂

Super Steph was Amazing for our 5 Night Stay - A National Trust Gem - We've been going for over 30 years & this was our Best Stay - We highly Recommend this B&B - Mike & Sue D

Stay in stunning Studland regularly and this is really THE only place to eat. A beautiful Country Inn which serves home made dishes to die for. Also so very dog friendly and boasts an amazing ambience. The staff are simply amazing. Special mention to Steph.

I first visited this pub over forty years ago , the outside is very much the same other than the smokers area , the food is good with a good choice , sadly they only take cards and no cash which is a pain , the staff are friendly and on out visit this time there was a good choice of ales .

We had a super dinner. The staff were very friendly and we had a lovely table in a cosy corner. The kids menu sausage, beans and chips was as expected, the burger my older boy had was a little bit dry but the chorizo and seafood skewer was one of the best things I've eaten out recently, it was delicious. We even played on the unusual carved chess board for patrons to play on between courses. Not cheap but a very enjoyable evening.

Stopped in for drinks on our way for an evening walk to Old Harry’s and was very welcoming and charming. Fire on, not too busy, barmaid was very friendly and knowledgeable about the beers - always great to have a relaxed chat whilst being served. Great selection of 5 cask ales on, all from the brewery out the back! Was very charming and would definitely return - for drinks. We didn’t eat (didn’t plan to) but the prices did seem very high which I assume is because of the location of the pub and they can charge it - so fair enough - but wouldn’t go there to eat personally.

We had a lovely lunch today ordering the roast beef and roast lamb. The food was good, the staff very helpful and we were here on a sunny February day where we could sit outside. Couldn’t be better!

My wife and I have just returned from a hugely disappointing experience at this pub. We arrived shortly after 7pm on a cold winters evening.It is a nice homely pub with a lovely fireplace and we found a table next to the fire.However there were a few large logs which were dying out and I did my best to resurrect the fire.I then heard a very rude voice(on more than one occasion) shouting at me to leave the fire. The fire then died completely and thereafter the atmosphere was cold and cheerless.We were aware of other patrons complaining that the fire had gone out. Against our better judgement we then stayed for supper.The food was a complete rip off and totally overpriced! My Hunters chicken was a mess - a few pieces of chicken floating around in some thin gravy - and my wife's chicken tikka masala dominated by a large dry poppadom. So dont believe all the blurb on the website - we will not be returning!

Fantastic pub in beautiful hamlet with its own brewery. Lovely log fires and real unspoilt rustic charm. My idea of a perfect country pub and I’ve ran several. Car Park is National Trust right next to pub. The food whilst pricey is great quality and impressive serving size. Lovely staff and the locals like a chat.

We received a friendly and welcoming arrival on a fairly quiet Sunday evening. We enjoyed a lovely evening in the bar with an excellent meal, and a comfortable overnight stay in a clean and pleasant room. In the morning, we were presented with a good selection of breakfast choices. I chose a hearty 'full English' while my wife chose a house special, everything was perfect. I cannot understand the poor reviews. We will go again and can honestly recommend the venue.

On Sunday 31st December at the busiest time of the day, 12.30 -1pm, 4 adults, 2 children and our dog and went into the Bankes Arms. With no booking as its first come first serve for a table, we ordered our drinks with no trouble at all and got a table. The staff were excellent and very polite. The Sunday roasts we ordered were delicious including the best vegan homemade nut roast. It was to die for. And the kids meals were excellent So we would like to say a huge thank you to all the staff. And inter acted so well with our grandchildren. This made our day.

Rude staff who choose to deal with issues in an unkind manner. It doesn’t cost anything to be nice! I have seen a few bad reviews mentioning a female member of staff, the perpetrator here was also female. Not sure if it’s just one bad egg!

This is a lovely pub in a great setting & we had visited a few years ago. The staff were friendly, the pub was warm & inviting & there was a comprehensive lunchtime menu. My wife is a coeliac & has to have gluten-free meals, but the choice was very poor. She could not have a single snack other than a plain salad, as the pub had no gluten-free bread to offer. Most pubs will provide a jacket potato as a safe GF option, but that was supposedly not available. This must be the only pub we we have visited in the UK not offering gluten free bread & this is 2023! Gluten free bread, rolls & baguettes are readily available & can be stored frozen. She eventually had just one option, to eat a curry main meal. Vegetarians & Vegans make a choice to eat their diet but Coeliacs have no choice. This was an extremely disappointing experience, especially as we were told that the chef was a coeliac!!

This is lovely pub and the staff were friendly. However, the food is hugely over priced and poor quality. Simple dishes eg baguettes and ploughmans were £11 and £14 respectively! Food delivered was not as described and had to be sent back. The outside garden and tented area were filthy at midday (tables unclean, rubbish and cutlery strewn around etc). This pub should be amazing but it’s knocking out very average food for high prices and trading on its location-very disappointing!

Pub extreemly understaffed. We waited over 10 minutes for anyone's attention. One barmaid, dirty glasses piling up on the bar. Once seated another long wait for food. Asked the waiter for water which didn't come. When the young runner brought out our roasts he didn't bring and condiments. Managed to catch the waiter and asked again for the water, mustard, and extra gravy. He looked exasperated and asked if we'd asked "the runner" for mustard. I told him the young lad had disappeared without checking if we had everything. He snapped and asked if we knew how busy they were! To add insult to injury, we were then charged £1.50 for the extra gravy!!! Luckily the roast was pretty good and the coffee was excellent. Corfe Castle is a beautiful tourist spot and being one of three main places to eat in the village, The Bankes Arms really need to up their game!

Went for Sunday lunch on a beautiful day. Sunday roast was at best mediocre and certainly for the £18 price tag. The cheese ploughman’s was awful, stale bread and 2 ends of cheese was not pleasant at all. Great view, good ales but poor food. I’ll have a bag of crisps next visit

Really good pub grub not over priced so ignore the negative reviews . The fish is straight from Swanage harbour every morning and tastes like it . Lots of local brews love it !

Another lovely visit to this great pub. Always a friendly welcome and our two dog's are made to feel at home. Food excellent. Thanks to Steph who once again served a great tasting breakfast to us. We'd like to wish Tom all the very best, we will miss him and I'm sure so will many others.

Unable to reserve a table & would seem, understandably, hotel guest get priority so pot luck on getting a table. Garden seating overlooking sea not lit so only small dining area & courtyard. Limited menu & geared more for lunch. Bar staff, unhelpful & unwelcoming, especially with regards to us using a locals glass?!!? It was just a large wine glass however made to feel uncomfortable & our fault we had it!! Only positive was delightful waiter who apologised had run out of rice, not that we had ordered anyway! Won’t be going back & not recommending.

Fabulous pub with a huge selection of beers on tap. Food choices very varied. We had baguettes which were top notch and ate in the garden overlooking the sea. Just lovely.

We arrived for a late Sunday lunch and with the nice weather it was busy. Fortunately, there is plenty of parking in the adjacent National Trust car park. The garden was busy so we tried inside the pub and found several tables were free. They...

Went late afternoon early evening a few days ago making the most of the good weather, drinks were ordered although my partners Shandy was a bit flat and after that we ordered Fish and Chips supposedly Haddock and it was pretty tasteless and the best...

I rarely leave reviews, but had to on this occasion, so you can avoid! We arrived early evening, which was possibly a mistake on our part as nearly all the food had gone! After ordering food, ordered drinks and was given a wine and soda...

There's not a lot to do in the beautiful location of Studland so food and a drink at the Bankes Arms looked to be a win win and early on it was. It was well out of peak time when I was there but the...

Positives: fantastic location, large garden with views of Studland Bay. We had an enjoyable lunch, generous portions and little waiting time. Local ales brewed by the adjacent microbrewery. Are as for improvement: bar service could be better (staff a tad lethargic). Main brand cider favoured...

Absolutely lovely beer garden, a huge green space overlooking fields of sheep with the sea beyond. The pictures of the view don’t do it justice. Worth a visit just to enjoy the view. We found the food to be nice enough. Staff were pleasant.

Decent local pint. Good garden. Nice pub. However Mediocre food. Wiltshire ham and mustard baguette appeared to be a slice of formed ham and the mildest mustard known to man. Ploughman’s was tired. Brie & cranberry decent though. But for the price not good enough...

Should have checked the reviews first! Mediocre and overpriced, smallest fish and chips we’ve seen for £18 and my drink was watery. The only good thing was the view. Would never return.

Great pub fantastic location and wonderful views. All in all a great pub!!! Shame about the management of the place. Bar staff rude. Till systems archaic, unable to split a bill, card only, so cash is going to be history if places like this keep...

Read some of the previous reviews and was a bit concerned although shouldn't have been. Found staff friendly and attentive. Both ordered a ploughmans (i had meat,my wife cheese) which were very good. Would have been nice to have more than one pickled onion though!...

Although this looks like a quaint English pub the whole experience (getting a table ordering food etc) is more like a fast food drive through. We paid premium prices for food and service that was distinctly sub standard.

The location, view, setting etc is amazing - second to none and thats the only reason we come here. Food is expensive and into very tasty/not very nice food. Drinks okay etc and service was fine - it seems lots of new young people were...

Lunch out with friends. The pub looks lovely and traditional from both outside and inside and perfectly situated for local and holiday trade. Very odd not to be able to book a table, but we took our chances. The internet signal is not great in...

From the outside the pub looks lovely and inside equally BUT it all goes wrong when you are given three 'NO's ' in the first sentence, (1] do you serve Non - Alcolhol beer?....No, (2) do you accept cash as payment....No.....(3) can i open up...

We stopped here for lunch after walking from Swanage via Old Harry Rocks - must admit we had planned to go to the pig but upon seeing their drink prices we decided to try this place instead. The bar staff were very knowledgeable and more...

Local.to the area but rarely visit as always busy with tourists. Fine, no issue but that's why! Fancied a pint on a dog walk at the weekend so popped in. Beer was fine , atmosphere fine but wow nearly £9 for a pint and bag...

The staff were great but the food was ghastly. Lovely looking salmon drowned in a bowl of sickly seafood soup. Smoked salmon risotto with no discernable smoked salmon.

The food was decent, but £5 for chips and £14 for a thin 12-inch pizza is a lot when you consider its more upmarket rival is charging £16 for a flatbread and £4.75 for triple-cooked chips. It used to be more reasonably priced, now you...

The location is fantastic with the view of the sea from the garden. However, a bowl of chips is £5.10. I doubt if we will eat there again!

FAWLTY TOWERS !! Chris W literally wrote word for word my thoughts and experience. My brother and I were treating my parents who are both 80 to a lovely family meal, when we greeted by a very abrupt BASIL FAWLTY and his staff who really...

We had been here a few years ago for a drink on our way home we thought we would stop for a meal Well it was awful !!! Got charged for an item l did not order Was looking forward to a ploughman’s it was...

Wowwwww! This place is in a splendid location with the most wonderful views and boy don’t they know it! The service is simply appalling! No pleasantries when ordering and general distain towards customers. I literally felt as though my family and I were an inconvenience...

Terrible service and awful attitude. We came here for lunch and were amazed by how rude the staff were. We raised an issue with our order and were told we “had to deal with it”. Such a shame as the garden is beautiful and such...

Service was not great at all especially when your paying anything from £11.50 to £15 for a sandwich and a bit salad - server came to table didn’t even speak no hello or what food he was putting on table he just placed the plates...

Lovely fresh foods with beautiful scenery of sea, kind staffs, food was so delicious, definitely recommended for those who are in Dorset

We drove specifically to enjoy dinner and a beautiful view but got there and were ignored by the staff whilst we waited to be served- serving another family who walked in after and then stating that “the server was nearly finished” even though another family...

Gosh this place has gone downhill since our last visit. Ordered the Scampi, a smoked salmon and cream cheese baguette, and vintage cheddar and ale pickle in a baguette. Scampi good but not worth the £££, no cream cheese on the smoked salmon baguette. Grated...

Lovely setting, a little busy but service was acceptable. Barmaid could have been a little more friendly. Waiting staff good. Food reasonable. Didn't take cash. Explanation was "because covid". Poor score is "because didn't take cash".

Very disappointed by the argumentative bar maid who misheard my order and then blamed me for it. It you can’t be nice to customers you shouldn’t be in hospitality. What ever the view or the quality of food, hasn’t arrived yet so can’t objectively comment,...

Stopped in here for impromptu lunch. The menus are on the wall and on first glance seemed quite expensive for pub food with a few oddities thrown in - but the reason being is the portion size is very generous... ham egg and chips and...

Perfect pub by the sea. Fabulous garden with sea view and cosy fire inside. Cosy and welcoming. Would recommend.

Nice pub with good beer garden. With great views, it's ideal to sit on the benches when it's sunny. Dog friendly. They have an outside covered area for when it rains. Only had a drink,didn't order food.

I chose the mixed bean chilli. It consisted of a good mix of beans and was very tasty, but it was too hot (in spices) for general tastes. This should have been stated on the menu. The bean mixture was too dry , it needed...

We popped in to the pub around 4pm for food and drinks. The sign outside said food served between 11-3 and 6-9 but we thought we’d ask anyway if there was anything we could order. We also had other questions about kids meals etc. The...

Bread from expensive ploughman’s stale, even when changed. We went to local shop for biscuits! As suggested, exploiting their market position

Lovely looking pub, great location. After our walk we only wanted a drink especially as the lunch menu prices were a little steep and the food average looking. We ordered 3 bags of Burts crisps (40 gm) for which we were charged £2.25 each bag,...

The owners/managers here are totally running off the stunning location to pull in custom; overcharging guests and overworking staff in the process. If prices were lowered by 20-30% across the board then I would have given 3, maybe 4 stars. We stayed in the B&B...

This pub has a lovely setting but what has happened with the food - has it changed hands recently ? £11.30 for a ham baguette with processed ham and £2.25 for a 40g bag of crisps Yes that's right £2.25 for a small bag of...

The barman was friendly. The Jamaican Pork was excellent. Wish the weather had been warmer so that we could have enjoyed the view from the garden.

Avoid food here! Great location but incredibly expensive & poor quality. Ordered Brie& cranberry baguette £11.. got half warmed Brie, cold bread & cranberry on side. Ploughman’s was slice of cheese, pickle; bread & a whole apple. Stop for a drink but don’t pay the...

Lovely pub with roaring fire. Wide choice of good quality food. Pleasant staff. The only negative was the dreadful fake Coca Cola which I found to be overly sweet and, in my opinion, undrinkable. The entrance to this beautiful old pub is rather ruined by...

What a lovely find, a quaint pub with excellent food and wonderful friendly staff. We had a great evening and will return when next in the area

This place used to be awesome, the views and beer garden are still great, but £18.90 for a dry burger in a roll with some chips?! It didn’t even come with a relish. The service was ok, but they don’t clear tables quick enough and...

Over priced very poor food, £18.50 for a burger, 3 onion rings, 14 chips. The burger was classed as gourmet but was in fact a cheap burger van burger with a slice of cheddar, no salad, nothing. Terrible menu, two other tables also complained along...

Having gone to this venue a number of times over the past 10 years it was always a welcomed stop off to enjoy the views, food and drink. However on this occasion it was an eye opener in that the prices for food and drink...

We read the reviews on here before visiting, because of them we nearly didn’t bother. Well we did and we must say there’s nothing wrong with the food, plentiful and nicely cooked, the staff , friendly, or the service, efficient, Yes it’s pricey. And we...

Ordered one ham and mustard baguette ( couldn't taste the mustard) £11.30.For the price you pay you really ought to get a few chips on the side. Two packets of crisps £2.25 each pack!

WAS CHARGED £65 for three bar meals & three drinks .Over priced & not even any pickle with the ploughmans .Staff gave the opinion they would rather be sat on the nearby beach than serve us dreadfull

This is the 2nd visit in a 3 week period as I am a local. I enjoy the cycling in the area and it’s always pleasant to reward yourself with refreshments at a pub. Last week I was shocked that I was charged £2 for...

Conveniently located. Bought two coffees at a whopping £6.60 - it is cheaper per cup at The Ritz in London (True!) The coffee was undrinkable so my partner and I left the coffee. This was just a rip-off. We won't be going back. In a...

Nice location, expensive and not great service. We went here on a busy day - gorgeous location, lovely bar and large garden. Unfortunately bar staff not overly helpful, all a bit rushed and asked for ice creams for our young girls. In the end they...

I visited The Bankes Arms for the first time during the August Bank Holiday weekend, and overall I would say I have a mixed review. The location and outdoor seating area are the positives of this pub. It is located in Studland, slightly away from...

Very friendly, excellent service, delicious food, rounded off with fabulous views & easy access to sandy beaches - highly recommend (Summer & Winter).

We had a ploughman's.. £14-80. 1 celery stick cut into 4 . Hand full of grapes an apple. Whole! 2 slices of bread . 3 small pieces of different cheese. Robbery.

£14.85 for the worst Ploughman's lunch I have ever had. Curled up celery, grapes that were going off, no pickle, dried up bread, a centimetre thick slice of 'gala pie' with no egg. I was charged 77p extra for a small splash of lemonade in...

We know the area well and have been here many times, each time I give it another fair chance but it always disappoints so it thought it was finally time to review. We visited on a beautiful day - yes the view is amazing but...

There is no doubt that this pub has an absolutely prime location over looking the sea and looks beautiful from the outside; this belies the experience of actually eating or drinking there. We’ve been visiting for years and the quality of food and service have...

Drinks were okay, food was barely edible. £5 for a bowl of partially cooked chips. Nice place for a drink on the way home from the beach, don’t waste your money on the disgusting food.

Waited 1 hour 10 minutes. The bar was stressed and it’s clear they can’t cope with their honey pot location. Short staffed, average menu and really poor. Stay away unless you like long waits.

Went here for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Had to que for ages to get 2 drinks to be told no cash only credit card payments why are they doing this. Carling was £5.45 a pint very dear , same as the food very dear...

It looks lovely from the outside on a sunny summer day. How disappointing...unfriendly, food not great. As a solo...stood for a long time to order at the bar, to be told I can't order without a table number. I said I am on my own,...

The pub was close to where we were staying so decided to give it a try despite the poor reviews and we were glad we did. Yes the food did come quite quickly but that was a bonus with two hungry children. Childrens menu a...