Burrator Parish Council is appealing for a new tenant to a historic, community-owned Dartmoor pub.

The Royal Oak in Meavy is one of eleven pubs owned by its local parish council in the UK, with the pub’s history dating back hundreds of years. The parish council is now appealing to interested applicants to submit a business plan to indicate how they would maintain the traditional character of the pub as a typical Dartmoor non-tied public house and preserve its value as a local amenity for the residents of Meavy and the surrounding areas. 

Agents Vickery Holman are handling the process and are welcoming all proposals by the end of September. Michael Easton, who leads the hotels and hospitality team, said: “The Royal Oak is a vital part of the community in Meavy and indeed is popular with walkers and hashers from all over Devon. The pub is an attractive property overlooking the village green with lots of charm and appeal. A new tenancy is available from November creating an excellent opportunity to operate a non-tied traditional Dartmoor inn with live in accommodation in a manner which serves both the local community and visitors to the area. 

“We have undertaken similar processes this year and there is still an activity in the public house and restaurant sector, with good levels of demand for the right sites. We feel that the Royal Oak will appeal to those with experience in the food and drink sector, who recognise the idyllic setting, strong local community and travelling trade from Tavistock, Yelverton and Plymouth.

“The Inn is a former church house dating back to the 12th Century and was originally kept by the Church Wardens of nearby St Peter’s. Ale was once brewed at the old Parsonage next door and the Inn has been the heart of village life and festivity for centuries. We’re really keen to help keep that history going as we work with the parish council to find an enthusiastic new tenant for this wonderful old pub.” 

The pub was rebuilt in the 16th century with extensions and alterations, with the building retaining antiquity; many of its features today give evidence to its heritage as a Grade II Listed building.

In addition, Meavy is home to one of the oldest trees in the UK, which has also made it to the Times’s shortlist of the ten most important trees in the UK in 2017. It is widely believed that this the inspiration for the pub’s name, with the oak tree opposite the pub thought to date back almost one thousand years. 

If you are interested in taking over the pub or know someone who would be, the agents advise to contact them as soon as possible. They can be contacted on 07527 388045.