Retirement Option

[814man]

I apologise to the Mods if this is classed as advertising. I can assure you that I have no business interest but was just shown this by a mate who is looking for a pub to run and thought it may be of interest to some on here.
http://uk.businessesforsale.com/uk/Dambusters-Themed-Free-of-Tie-Pub-For-Sale.aspx
Having lived at Scampton in 80s I can’t say that I can remember this pub in the village, but then as those who have been there will know although they are adjacent it is actually not that easy to get from the base to the village (certainly not on foot anyway).
Does anyone know if the pub actually has a Dambusters heritage or is it just based on a theme to take advantage of its location? Where did the original Dambusters crews from Scampton call their local?
Perhaps it could be taken on by a Prruner and renamed the Vulcan, or some such, to take advantage of the nostalgia shown by many for the slightly later generation of aircraft that graced the skies above it. A retirement option for BEagle perhaps?

[SirToppamHat]

The pub itself is in the village of Scampton, but as 814man suggests, it's not that easy to get to as it's on the southwest side of the base (the main gate is on the east side on the A15). For thos with Google Earth, I will update its precise location in a couple of minutes. Here it is:

53d18m05.34sN 0d34m21.03sW. The pub is south-facing.

I believe Scampton was originally RAF Brattleby anyway, but can't say whether that was the preferred option for Guy Gibson and the Black Dog - the villages are both on the west side of the Base.

I haven't been in the Dambusters Inn myself, but one of my colleagues has and says they don't let children in - I know it's a moot point, but it seems to me that the young are precisely those who should have access to our heritage.

£99K doesn't seem that expensive to me.

STH

[ZH875]

The pub has nothing to do with the Dam Busters, it just has a display of Dambuster and Lancaster memorabilia and such.

The Fish & Chips are great, and it is a nice sort of 'Local'.

As has already been said, it is a fair distance from the base, but it does have a small amount of parking.

Last time I was in, there were about 4 yokels and about another 4 couples, so business must have boomed since then looking at the projected turnover of over a quarter of a million pounds, either that, or the beer has got expensive:)

[NRU74]

No children eh ?
I'm warming to the place already.

[shandyman]

I may be wrong, I often am, but I think The Dambusters spent some time in The Petwood House Hotel, Woodhall Spa.
Held my first wedding bash there and if I recall there was lots of memorabilia in the 'Aircrew Bar'. Still shouldn't have done it, the wedding that is!!

[PTC REMF]

I remember reading somewhere that The Petwood Hotel was the Officers' Mess for 617. I also believe a lot of the Scampton crews drank in the "Black Bull" in Welton.

[BEagle]

The closest pubs to Sunny Scampton which most aircrew would use in my day were probably the Black Horse at Ingham (scene of many a 'Dobbin Ranger') - or the Red Lion in Sturton b' Stow. We also used the Black Bull in Welton....amongst many others.

It seemed to be that, in those days, the closest pubs to a flying station were considered to be 'Airmen's territory' - officers would maintain a discreet distance and leave the lads to it.

[Overtorque]

Hmm. Held my first wedding bash there too. Shouldn't have done it either.
I'm assuming that the place is hexed - either that or shandyman and I know each other!!

[Megaton]

Dambusters used to have good beer and decent food if a little pricey. Very drole 1940s soundtrack playing in the background with a Spitfire making a loud low-level pass in the gap between tracks - used to scare the old ladies drinking their half of lager and lime 5hitless.

[The Swinging Monkey]

Been there a couple of times and can't stand the place and didn't like the owner (ex pongo, sorry)

It's basically just a tacky, (below) average village pub, done out to attract ex RAF guys. Lots of so-called Lancaster and 617 Sqn stuff, photos etc etc. on the wall and dotted around the place.

If you haven't got a car - forget it! There is one bus a month to Scampton village, and thats usually canx! You could bike it from the base, but it's a ba$tard getting back up that hill after a few wets. Walking is probably not an option, unless you're a jockstrapper type.

As ZH875 points out, I can't believe the turnover for this year! Either the prices have gone through the roof or maybe he's got some 'entertainment' on every night, and is bussing folks in.

£99k does seem cheap however, maybe its because of the short lease eh?

Not very good to be honest.

[ZH875]

TSM - I don't think you could have described it with any more accuracy.:ok:

[daze_gone_buy]

The other biggie is how much is the rent, interesting projection of a 40%+ rise in profits; everybody else in the industry is cautious, due to the July 1st no smoking in public places law coming into force.

No net profit %age listed either

dgb

[Winco]

I was at Scampton in the 70's and I don't ever recall ever going to the place either. Certainly the Black horse at Ingham was a good place for a sqn bash, as was the Bull in Welton, but this 'Dambusters' ? It just isn't a place I recall at all.

Has it always been called the Dambusters Inn?
Is the Bull and the Black Horse still going? and are they still good?

Next time I'm down in Lincoln, I shall ahve to pay the place a visit and cast my eye over the place.

The Winco

[BEagle]

From their website http://www.dambustersinn.co.uk/index.html :

"The Dambusters Inn did not exist before 1999. Before this date, there had never been a pub in the village of Scampton. The building, however, did exist as, '23, High Street' and had been built as a private dwelling during the 18th.Century."

Which, I guess, is why I don't remember it from Vulcan days 1977-80 or CFS course days in 1989. TFFT - I thought I might have been having a 'senior moment'!

They also state:

"To avoid disappointment, it is important to note that, by law, we are not permitted to have children on any part of the premises of the Dambusters Inn. Our licence expressly forbids it."

Sounds as though it has much to recommend it!

[MostlyModerate]

The sales particulars must have been written by an accountant. I quote :-

" The owners' accommodation has four bedrooms ( two double and one single ).

[Wader2]

The Petwood is indeed a former Officers' Mess to the Dambusters. There is a Dambuster Bar with lots of harware etc. BEagle would have heard of some of it and some of us trained in it :}

There is part of a bouncing bomb in the carpark. The hotel flies an RAF Ensign.

Did anyone see Foyle's War last night? It would have had both Barnes Wallis and Michael Redgrave spinning in their graves. It featured an ultra secret laboratory developing a bouncing bomb with a WOMAN as the cheief designer. The 'professor' simply fronted the operation as the air staff would never have given a blonde femaile the credibility for its design and performance.

The Lancaster footage dropping the trials shapes was superb.

The RN Captain, wheeled on to put Foyle in his place, would have had all naval types spinning too. He sported a fine moustache (USN style) on hisupper lip. Anything less like a Captain RN I have yet to see.

[Fluffy Bunny]

Winco, BEagle

You'll both be glad to know that the Black Horse in Ingham is still alive, well and still occasionally gets a visit from some of the boys at scampton. I have this on very good authority (my grandfather!) who can occasionally be found taking a "swift half" in said establishment.

[Yellow Sun]

Is the Bull and the Black Horse still going? and are they still good?


The Bull in Welton is also fine. Last in there about 3 months ago.

YS