Bridport pub The Ropemakers chosen for Pub of the Week

The pub dates back to the 1770s when it was opened as The Sun Hotel.

In 1989, the name was changed to honour the town's rope making tradition, which continues to this day.

John and Geraldine Baker have been running the pub for just over 16 years.

While initially describing the business venture as a 'moment of madness', they are both immensely proud of the thriving atmosphere they have created for locals in the area.

Geraldine said: “We’ve been here just over 16 years. We haven’t ever run a pub before. We’ve worked in the manufacturing industry for most of our lives and suddenly decided to do the random thing and run a pub.

“We built the business up and it’s been quite successful, we like to be at the heart of the community, so we do lots of things like live music, a quiz every week, we do cheese club, open mic nights all sorts of things.”

The pub offers a vast range of clubs and activities to cater to a wide range of tastes such as cheese club, live music, weekly quizzes, charity fundraisers and University of the Third Age (U3A) social gatherings such as book clubs and language classes.

There are also various quirky features to its name including a playful spoof on the Tate Gallery’s Turner Prize called The Turnip Prize – honouring the artistic bare minimum. Funds made from submission entries go towards The Living Tree cancer support charity in Bridport.

If that wasn’t unique enough, throughout the pub the walls are decorated with bric-a-brac including Tilley lamps, jugs, fishing knots and crabbing pots.

The building has seen very few renovations as the couple are committed to maintaining the original unique interior charm.

Geraldine added: “We quite like the quirky stuff everywhere so we haven’t really changed anything apart from the atmosphere really. I just like the fact that it’s a bit different.

“I’m not a fan of the modern trend of hardly any soft furnishings which makes the place look very echoey so I like the fact that although it can get a bit noisy in here at the weekends, it’s not echoey and loud. It’s a traditional old-fashioned pub.”

Both local and international acts perform at the Ropemakers such as Kid Hyena and urban folk group from Barcelona, who performed at Glastonbury Festival last year.

By providing a valuable platform for fledgling bands, the couple have built lasting relationships with many acts to sustain a thriving music scene in the pub.

“We like to promote local musicians as well as international musicians. Quite a few bands have been gone on to be signed but they will still play for us because we supported them when they were a lot smaller,” Geraldine said. 

A diverse selection of dishes is on offer in addition to your traditional pub grub. One of the most popular is the North African vegetarian dish - aubergine chermoula.

It also boasts many accolades, being named West Dorset CAMRA’S Pub of the Year in 2022, as well as being chosen for Bridport and Lyme Regis News' Pub of the Year in the same year.

READ MORE: The Ropemakers win Bridport News' Pub of the Year Award

The pub ensures there is “something for everyone” no matter what time of day. Even in the mornings, the atmosphere can be bustling with a selection of teas and coffees on offer, provided by the Dorset Coffee company based in Maiden Newton.

John and Geraldine both agree these coffee mornings have helped the business continue to thrive during Dry January and the cost-of-living crisis.

“In the morning, sometimes you’d think we were a café rather than a pub because yesterday morning the whole place was completely full, and everyone was drinking teas and coffees.

“Some people come in every single day and maybe have a coffee and a cup of tea. Sometimes they may just come in every single morning for that. It’s just the Ropemakers and there’s nowhere else like the Ropies.”

The couple say they’re delighted to be featured as the paper’s Pub of the Week and above all else, are proud for what they have achieved in providing a friendly pub for the local community.

“Bridport seems a little bit down as a couple of local businesses have closed recently. So, it’s nice to have something a bit positive. Bridport’s a great place, it’s a good community and the pub is a designated safe space.

“There was an elderly lady who used to come in for lunch and she used to say to me: “I feel safe coming here on my own” and I thought that’s exactly what I wanted to achieve. There is just a warm friendly atmosphere.”