Historic Barnstaple pub the Rolle Quay Inn is put up for sale
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Red Oak Taverns has put the well-known Barnstaple venue on the market after owning it for three years
A well-known and historic Barnstaple pub with ‘lots of potential’ has gone on the market for £340,000.
The Rolle Quay Inn has been put up for sale by pub company Red Oak Taverns, which says despite investment and a series of tenants it had not proved as successful as the company hoped.
The premises are being marketed by specialist agent Christie & Co and being sold as freehold with vacant possession, though a tenant is currently keeping the pub open.
The previous tenants closed the pub’s doors in early July of this year, citing ‘personal family circumstances’ in an emotional Facebook announcement.
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The sales listing says the venue is a traditional two room public house with an inside main bar and dining area with capacity for 50 covers, a commercial kitchen and a secondary informal bar with pool table, darts and live sports viewing.
There is also two-bedroom owner’s accommodation.
Red Oak Taverns acquired the 19th century pub overlooking the River Yeo in the town centre in October 2023.
In a statement provided to the North Devon Gazette, the company said: “Red Oak consistently reviews the trading performance of each of our pubs. Despite investing in the pub and providing multiple tenant partners with a variety of support the pub has not achieved the success we hoped.
“We have therefore placed the pub on the market for sale. It is a well invested pub with lots of potential so we hope a new owner can be found to ensure the Rolle Quay Inn stays a pub for the local Barnstaple community for years to come.”
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The Rolle Quay Inn takes its name from the quay it overlooks, one of several engineering projects promoted by John, Lord Rolle, the great North Devon landowner of the early 19th century.
The pub first appears in the records in 1850, when White’s Directory lists ‘Rolle’s Quay Inn’ with Samuel Rawle as landlord.
That same year a shipbroker called Samuel Rawle went into partnership with builder William Gammon to set up a timber importing and sawmilling business on the banks of the Yeo that became Rawle, Gammon & Baker, now known as RGB, which stayed on Rolle Quay for 155 years until 2005 before moving to Pottington.