The Trooper Inn in North Dorset

We have been very fortunate to enjoy this delightful country pub for the last couple of years. John and Debbie provide a warm welcome, good food and a great atmosphere. Always happy to enjoy a traditional cooked meal here, especially a great Sunday roast. During the bank holiday weekend they hosted a brilliant Beer and Gin festival with a special festival snack menu and plenty of live music. Great fun and entertainment.

I was celebrating a big birthday and had 22 friends visit the village over the weekend, we all had a great time and enjoyed the music, beer and festival food. John Debbie and their small team of workers put on a wonderful show with lots of warm welcome creating a lovely atmosphere right through the 4 days. There was a good variety of music and beer, thanks for all your hard work

Myself and my family went a long to the Trooper Beer, Cider & Gin festival on the 24th May, it was a chilly evening but that wasn't the pubs fault, they had a great selection of beers and ciders, we didn't sample the gin. The band Microlight was the band playing that night and they were great. It now comes to the not so good part of my review, before we went to the pub we read they were serving food that night, BBQ style, I wish now we had eaten before we got there, the Chilli was tasteless, the buns used for the burgers and hot dogs were cheap and dry, but the worst thing was the burgers, as I said cheap bun, small thin frozen mass produced burger, no salad or garnish for £4.50. I would pay a £5+ for a decent burger, but what you were serving was not worth half that. I'm sorry to say if that is the standard of food being served at the Trooper it's very disappointing.

Lovely village pub with friendly owners. Sunday lunch roast rib of beef with all the trimmings (5 veg) =5* Even muddy walkers welcome. Good cellar and even had ginger wine for a brandymac. Was quite popular so booking may be appropriate.

Great Sunday Lunch, very nicely cooked, friendly owners, nice atmosphere, well kept beers, dog friendly.

Perfect place for a celebration . I got in touch with The Trooper Inn to enquire about holding a surprise party for a friend. Debbie was in contact with me several times to help with arrangements and they offered a great buffet spread for a very reasonable price. On the night we cane in to decorate our party area and Debbie came to check how we wanted to do things. The whole night was perfect and the guest of honour was thrilled. Thank you so much to your team and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

Popped in today for coffee and it didn’t take long to decided we’d stop for a Sunday Roast. Landlady made us feel very welcome. Roast was lovely. Great pub at the heart of the village. Even the local vicar (or canon) popped in. We walked the village after and EVERYONE we saw took time to say hello!!!! This village is a gem and the pub is clearly a great part of the village. I can’t wait to return on a chilly winters day. Thank you.

Driving round the area in the summer and saw The Trooper which looked lovely and booked on our next visit. Such a friendly pub and food just perfect for a Sunday lunch and we will definitely return. The service was friendly and very quick as we like it.

Stayed at the Trooper in for a weekend camping. Campsite good with or without EHU. Loos and showers are immaculate. Very welcoming and remembered the names of their guests. Food was excellent too but not open every day.

I hesitate to recommend this peaceful little campsite as I want to keep it to myself! There are a few well maintained pitches, some with EHU, for tents and camper vans, with countryside views. There are loos and shower rooms, which are kept spotlessly clean, down a short grassy path. Go a little further down the path and the Trooper Inn provides good beer and wine! Check opening times as they are not open every day. I enjoyed hearing about the antics of Trooper the pub dog! Thank you, Debbie, for making us welcome. We will be back.

Having recently moved to the area and read the reviews we had been looking forward to our inaugural visit to The Trooper. We had booked a table for dinner and whilst the food was ok the service was very poor. No effort was made to ask if "everything was ok", or when we came to pay to ask "if we enjoyed our meal".... it seemed that the owners were only interested in looking after the 'locals' or maybe our faces didn't fit. We will not be returning.

We were made very welcome from the time we made our booking. Our table was ready for us and we had drinks whilst we chose our Sunday lunch. Choice of turkey or beef or a ‘bit of both’ plus other options but we all chose roasts and enjoyed them. Meat cooked as we like it, perfect sprouts and the cheesy leeks were fantastic. Good range of desserts. The pub was beautifully decorated too and with the fire lit, we felt really Christmassy. Will definitely return when we visit the area again.

We had a fabulous last minute stay at Starlight Glamping. Due to our original accommodation being double booked, Starlight Glamping was suggested as a solution for our large extended family group, who had travelled some distance to Dorset. In just a couple of hours, Debbie and John pulled out all the stops to set us up with several beautiful bell tents with comfortable beds, as well as sorting us out an area to cook in. The washing facilities are lovely and clean, and there is plenty of outdoor space to relax in. The site was also a good base to explore Dorset further. Furthermore, we had a lovely meal in the pub one evening. Thank you again for rescuing our holiday!

Debbie went out of her way to help my two fellow motorcyclists and me feel welcome. We camped in the field behind the pub which was easily accessible from the pub. The toilet and shower facilities (they're not using the old shed that you can still find on a Google search) are very clean and well maintained - one warm shower and three loos. Food in the pub was great but make sure you don't miss the kitchen closing - we did on our second night but Debbie made us some anyway as she's a saint. The village is lovely and a really good base for the area. Highly recommended - and I hate camping!

What a super place, made to feel very welcome, even the pub dog came for a hug. The new owners have transformed the outside into a fantastic area and sun trap. Great choice of beers and food. Recommend highly.

Our camping & riding weekend was made all the better by the Trooper Team of John & Debbie, with their evening cooking & excellent well kept ales. We look forward to another helping! Paul & Mounted Company.

Once we had decided where we'd hold my father's wake, I was able to completely relax...Debbie, John, Yas, Ella and Joe organised a calm, covid-secure, yet highly personal occasion. My family and friends were well cared for, with good food, professional and well organised service and respectful kindness. Thank you so much to all of you. You made a difficult day really rather lovely. Dad would have loved it!

A traditional pub run by one family. I've had the pleasure of many visits, around lock down and quarantine. The atmosphere is welcoming and unobtrusive. I've only eaten fish and chips on a Friday, which are always delicious (though I would love a few more chips!). There serve at least two guest ales on tap, as well as an array of lagers. The gins selection is extensive and you're always offered a selection of frozen fruits with it. As a family, we love the pub and can't wait to come back.

The Trooper has seen quite a few changes in recent months, and all have been designed to make customers feel welcome, safe and at ease. Debbie, John and the rest of the team are always cheerful, welcoming and keen to make your visit as pleasant as possible. Food is available on Weds, Thurs and Friday evenings ( possibly Sat/Sun too, but do check). The courtyard behind the pub has been beautifully refurbished to accommodate people safely, and this space is a welcome addition to the area out front and the interior. Since the change of ownership in December, we have got our pub back...and some! Wonderful. A unique place which deserves a visit if you're in the area. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays at present ( except Bank Holidays).

First time visit a day after it's reopening. A great, cosy pub with caring staff. I will be back for sure, especially for the ales. Looking forward when live music (jazz and folk) are backAnd our first meal too!

A lovely pub with great character and friendly new owners with some great ales. Lucky to find this place!

The hosts went out of there way to open up for us on a Saturday lunchtime. Great buffet put on, and friendly service.

Firstly, the positives ,stunning Dorset countryside, and very quiet and peaceful. But ! This site was a bit of a shock to be honest ,small, yes, good for an overnight stay, but that's about it really, the toilet block ( use this term loosely,) it was a wooden hut on legs, 2 very steep stairs at emtrance, and no handrail. no door on front, no privacy, men and women share 2 sinks, 2 toilets, and 1 shower which has a gap at the top of one wall which allows the wind, rain, and anything else in while you try to shower. This is when they remember to change the calor has bottles, if they dont, you can start off with a warm shower then it turns freezing cold half way through. The pub has the potential to be brilliant, and seems well supported by the locals, but the owner went away at the end of our stay, closed the pub, and left those of us who were left to fend for ourselves. It seems they do this quite often. The food in the pub was really nice but only served on Wednesday.and friday. This is a shame. There were some others who were staying that were unhappy with this site, we will not stay there again.

On a personal level, we like the quirky-ness of this establishment. I have read most of the comments & there are two distinctive camps for sure.The thing here is that it does not fit into what one would deem as a "Normal" however one sees that? Indeed, while out cycling a little while back, we too were disappointed to find it closed on a Monday, but this particular Friday, we were here for a bit of a Beer & Gin Fest & of course, their 'famous' fish & chips.Was it worth it? Yes, it was. We had to wait an hour for the meal, but we didn't care... it just added to the whole village experience for us & we just drank more cider while we waited.Management overworked, staff exhausted, but they delivered the goods & the fish was plump, juicy & with a crispy batter & lovely chips, well frankly, it doesn't get much more fabulously bucolic than this.Very different, very agrestic!

Pre-booked at Trooper Inn camp site for 3 nights so we could visit Dorset Steam fair on the Friday and the Stock Gaylard Oak fair on the Saturday. Very pleasant camp site with nice new toilet/shower facilities.We had a very nice evening meal at the Trooper Inn on Saturday evening, after the Oak Fair, but due to the weather forecast predicting rain all day on the Sunday we decided to return home early (Saturday evening) instead of Sunday morning in order to keep the Awning dry.All in all we had a very nice stay/eat at the Trooper Inn and would recommend both the camp site and the bar/restaurant for some where good to stay and eat.

Hi this was the meeting place for a motorcyclist annual meet for a long weekend. Some camped within the Trooper Inns campsite whilst others stayed in nearby bed and breakfast and met up during the day and evening at the trooper inn to meet up and socialise. On examination campsite was basic, Washing facilities very small and would only accommodate a small amount of people. Basic. The Inn closed at night times very early and meals limited, there was a list written out on a piece of paper and although they knew that there would be several bikers eating and drinking for the weekend they ran out of several of the items on the menu. We where lucky that we placed an order in early and the fish and chips came all wrapped in paper, The fish and chips where lovely and hot and very tasty but some of the bikers where disappointed that most of the items on the menu had ran out. Landlady sat at a table talking with her friends the regulars and not taking any interest in the people in the pub. I think that the owners could have been a bit more accommodating in opening longer hours and perhaps more staff behind the bar when they know that there is going to be a larger amount of people in for the weekend. It took along time to be served.

I stayed on the campsite for around 9 days. Great peaceful site with recently added but basic (clean) facilities. Shower (1), sinks (2), toilets (2). Not sure how they would stand up to bad weather though. No problems with the camping.I drank in the pub every night I was there except Monday (closed) & one other, the beer was pretty good (some nights only one draught beer, others two). I found the licencees to be pretty poor. They were very awkward to converse with & very unfriendly (completely at odds with their regulars who I got on very well with). They showed no interest in enquiring where I had visited or gave any suggestions on places to visit. The pub opens at 7pm in the evenings & closes at 10pm (sharp). One night I was served a pint at 9.58 (I wasn't aware closure was at 10) & asked to drink up & leave at 10.00. Taking 3.80 off me & not saying closure was imminent was cheap to say the least. I bit my lip & took my drink outside to finish.The following night (Friday), I was drinking with a group of regulars outside & came in to get my round only to be completely ignored by the landlady who was sitting at a table with a group (including her father who I was talking to at the time - nice bloke) and only when another group of people came in & asked for a drink did she turn round & say the pub was closed, it was just after 10pm. Friday night for goodness sake !!There must have been 20 people in & outside the pub who I am pretty sure would have liked to carry on drinking - who turns this sort of business away ??? As it happens I was invited back to one of the regulars homes where we continued to enjoy our evening & where I was urged to put down my thoughts in this review.As I did not eat in the pub I do not feel I can comment on the quality of the food, or comment on lunchtime openings as I was away exploring during the day - beautiful part of the world.This could be a great little pub & be the main hub of the village. I suggest if the licencees do not want to put the hours in & be good hosts they move to other work more suited to their characters.

I would certainly avoid this accommodation. Our experience with the owner was extremely poor. And it started so well. We booked up 2 tents as the accommodation for a wedding. One week before, due to some really unfortunate personal circumstances it looked like we wouldn’t be able to make the wedding (a lot of guilt for the bride and groom, obviously). Anyway, we had missed the cancellation deadline for the tents but on the off-chance I called up Trooper Bell Tents and spoke with the owner, Zena. I explained that we were having a few problems and asked if there anything she could do in terms of a refund. My actual words were ‘I do understand you are running a business so I have no expectations but thought I would give you a call’. At this point Zena was quite friendly. She said she would try and re-sell the accommodation. If she resold, she would return our money. Great, couldn’t ask for more than that. The next day I got a text from Zena saying I needed to cancel the book on the website so she could re-list it. I thought OK this would allow Zena to try and re-sell and if we got our money back great. If she didn’t sell the tents we would pay and have the tents on the off-chance we could go to the wedding. Seemed fair enough.We didn’t hear anything back from Zena during the week. Thankfully for us, a few things changed which meant we could actually go to the wedding. So on the day before our original reservation at Trooper Bell Tents, I called to see if Zena had managed to re-sell our booking (if sold we would drive back after the wedding; if unsold, we would use the reservation). Zena didn’t answers my calls. I sent her a text. No reply. On the day of the wedding, having still not heard back from Zena after calls in the morning, we started our drive. On the way, we tried to call. Still no answer. Eventually Zena did answer. This time she was not so friendly. She said she hadn’t been able to sell the tents and we are not able to stay either as her housekeeper had gone home. We explained that we called her mobile the day before and numerous times early that morning but she did not answer and now we have paid our money and we are not able to use the accommodation. Zena didn’t care and was rude and aggressive about it all. So that is how it was left - Zena taking our money, saying the housekeeper couldn’t set up the tents for us even though we had repeatedly tried to contact her beforehand.It all feels very suspicious and does leave a bad taste. On Zena’s request, we cancelled our booking on the website but when we searched for availability it said there were no tents available on the night of our original booking. Did Zena resell the tents but also kept our money. I do understand that by the rule of contract she is able to do that but that was different to what we had discussed and agreed during the week.All of this could have so easily been avoid but I do not believe Zena ever really wanted to resolved it – the prospect of additional money was more important. I stay in a lot of accommodation for business as well as leisure and this is unfortunately the first time I have had to write a negative review. It seems that Zena and Trooper Bell Tents has put the opportunity to get double money in front of customer service, brand reputation and our agreement/discussion. She has certainly increased her revenue that week but I doubt it is a sustainable business model. I hope you do not have the misfortune to have to deal with Zena and Trooper Bell Tents. As I said - avoid, find somewhere better to spend your money.

What a great little find. The licensees of the Trooper Inn, Kevin & Zena who are friendly and accommodating have created a great camp site with electric hook ups and shower/toilet facilities just behind the pub.Dinner on a Wednesday evening is a one pot affair, which on this occasion was a delicious vegetable curry based on Moroccan cuisine.This location is ideal for exploring the historic towns of Sherborne and Shaftesbury.Highly recommended.

Happened to be in the village to see a friend. Saw the lights on so popped down to this lovely pub. A warm greeting and a chat with the landlord and we felt at home. Had a few pints and then a Folk Group turned up to play their instruments / rehearsal. Have to say, this was one of the best pub experiences ever. The folk band, medieval type music was amazing. I’d pay to watch this so to have it for free was amazing. The folk band play once a month. If you can make it, it’s an amazing treat.

Tapas era en el menú. Probamos una selección de la comida. Estaba bien, pero no era tan sabroso como me esperaba de tapas.

Camping rural tranquila en un campo trasero pegado a un pequeño pub del pueblo. Sólo utilizamos un pitch con servicio y ninguno de los inodoros provisto/duchas. Creo que £16 por noche, lo cual era más razonable y la más barata de nuestro lugares de camping salvaje. Sitio muy tranquilo y silencioso con la naturaleza, pero nada alrededor. Pub contiguo también era tranquila, pero la comida era buena, como la sidra y la cerveza. No creo que hacer comidas regulares pero poner algo de si te alojas allí. Había una opción de 4 o 5 entradas y 4 o 5 platos principales que como estaban cocinando para nosotros, me pareció muy servicial. Los dueños de pub eran amables, como la gente

Decidimos hacer un almuerzo en un pub y luego ir para un paseo de este bonito pueblo. Desgraciadamente, no primero y la comida era sólo sirve en la noche. Sin embargo, tuvimos un sabroso y patatas fritas de ale (para ahorrar siendo demasiada hambre) en este sencillo y agradable pub, con una muy amable y servicial casera. Nos dieron algunas guías útiles desde el pub paseos y fueron lindos lugares para pasear. Hubiera sido bonito tener platos sencillos, pero los visitantes para sostenerla.

Seguido de un enorme cartel prometedor ale y excelente comida. Encontramos un pub oscuro poco que no tenía real ale, sólo dos cervezas, ninguno de los cuales el personal del bar sabía nada sobre, y no hay comida disponible. Lástima floreciendo, ya que sus habitantes eran preciosas, así que nos quedamos y tomamos unas copas de todos modos sólo porque nos gustó la compañía.

No puedo expresar lo increíble que es este lugar, si lo que quieres es un verdadero un pub del pueblo, con un gran ambiente este es el lugar.

Ubicado en un hermoso pueblo con un arroyo en el medio, patos-cuá en la distancia, y la casa de Enid Blyton directamente enfrente del pub, El Trooper Inn tiene mucho de lo que disfrutar. Una selección regularmente cambiante de cervezas, una tabla de gin tonic, con el árbol de fiebre, y el pescado y patatas fritas en un viernes que son las mejores que he probado. Hay eventos sobre una base semanal, Jazz los domingos, festival de la cerveza, noches de comedia y bolera propias. No sirven comida otra que los viernes por la noche, pero eso no es un drama como es la cerveza y la compañía que vas por. La reseña negativa helada mirada gruñona no podría ser más cierto y tal vez no hayan estado en muchos pequeños bares de país? También tienen su propia empresa de taxis así que puedes conseguir una casa de ascensor, si tienes tenía beber mucho.

Cuando visitamos este Pub hace un año, tuvimos un almuerzo y una bebida relajante y disfrutamos de nuestra experiencia!

This pub is in the lovely village of Stourton Caundle. We were told about The Trooper by a nice lady in our nearest pub, The Antelope, at Hazlebury Bryan, so we set topgallants and spankers (guess whose novels I've been re-reading) and set a course to Stourton Caundle.

Agradable pub y buena cerveza, pero la comida es atroz. Un tazón de hojas de lechuga y 2 tomates reducido de bebé, un puñado de queso azul y un nogal derrumbó no garantiza un cargo de £9.95 . Realmente se necesita alguien en la cocina...

Encontramos el Trooper Inn en camino a casa de visita a la madre. Realmente agradable pub tradicional con buena cerveza y comida agradable en la demanda. No habíamos reservado pero nos dieron la bienvenida como viejos amigos especialmente por la clientela. El menú no era enorme, pero suficiente variedad para la mayoría. había pescado y patatas fritas y los guisantes parecía blanda pero sabía hermosa. Mi esposa tenía pinchos mexicanos fueron muy diferente y agradable. Ambos tuvimos dulces, que a su vez eran de buena calidad. El costo de comidas con dulces y bebidas 3 era menos de 20 libras por cabeza. experiencia muy agradable que nos repetiremos

We recently visited The Trooper inn for a meal and a drink. We were greated with a very friendly warm welcome. There is a lovely atmosphere and the decor is very smart and of high quality.The meal was extremely good and would most definately visit again.A real Dorset gem, not to be missed.