New owners are preparing to reopen a pub that has been closed for nine months.

The much loved Clockhouse Inn, in Chideock, closed its doors in December 2023 and is now set to once again thrive under new ownership.

Alex and Matt Mawhood say they are 'hungry to get the doors open' with the married couple set to officially reopen as the Clock Inn at 5pm on Friday, August 16. 

Speaking to the News, Alex, 31, said: "We both started in hospitality and it has always been our dream to run a pub of our own.

"We both went travelling in our 20s and then fell into the corporate world, then the Clock came up for sale and we thought this opportunity would not come up for another 20 years."

READ: Closure of Clockhouse Inn - 'The Clock' pub - at Chideock

The chance to take on the pub was something the couple could not pass up and they relocated to the area to follow their dream.

However, the Jurassic Coast is no stranger to Alex, who has been coming to the area since childhood.

She said: "I have been coming to the Golden Cap for holidays since I was eight-years-old.

"It came up and we thought 'why not'.

"We love the Clock, we have been coming here for years."

Both Alex and Matt are keen to make the pub a 'pillar of the community' and are looking to support local businesses along the way.

Alex added: "Community is the pillar of the pub and the village and everything we do will have community at the forefront."

"We as much as possible want to support local businesses and get our produce locally, Dorset is a natural larder, it is all here.

"Another important aspect we are focused on is minimising the impact of our business on the environment.

"For example we won't have any single use items, like ketchup sachets.

"It's about knowing our effects on the environment and reducing that."

Whilst the pub is set to open its doors on Friday, punters will have to wait for the food as the couple get settled into their new surroundings .

However, Alex was really passionate about the food they will be offering, potentially by mid September, as she joked that her only hobby is going out for food and drink.

She added: "The focus on the food is yummy home cooked pub grub. 

"There will be some nostalgia about it, like liver and bacon and suet pies, nothing fancy but doing the simple things well. If you come for a lasagne I want it to be the best you've ever had.

"Matt is going to be the chef to start out with and he does lovely roast potatoes and he has his scotch eggs down to a fine art."