A TRADITIONAL village pub with ‘bags of personality’- the Ship In Distress is our Pub of the Week.

Located in the historic village of Stanpit and just a short walk from Mudeford Quay, the Ship In Distress has become a popular destination for both residents and visitors to the area.

The pub is owned by Punch Taverns Limited, but it is landlords Gary and Deana Voysey who manage the everyday success of the Ship In Distress.

Gary said: “I’d like to think that me and my wife make the pub special.

“Our staff make it special too. We are all very friendly. We always welcome people and make sure we remember them.

“Our motto is come in as customers, leave as friends.”

The Ship In Distress offers an extensive menu of both pub classics and innovative specials, and an impressive drinks list of ale, beer, lager, cider, wine, spirits and soft drinks.

Dishes are served between 12pm and 9pm and visitors have the option to eat inside or in the spacious beer garden, which is particularly special in the summer.

Bournemouth Echo:

Gary said: “We do old favourites like steak and ale pie, hunters’ chicken and steaks, but then we also have a specials menu that changes every couple of months.

“Our burgers are very popular. We do a stilton and mushroom burger that people love.

“Theres a lot of options and we get a lot of repeat customers because of that.”

The pub offers a Sunday roast set menu, with options of beef, pork, turkey and chicken, and will also introduce pizzas over the summer months.

It is not just the food and drink that makes the Ship In Distress so great; it also boasts an exciting events calendar, with a full programme of entertainment including bingo and quiz nights, live music and film screenings in the beer garden.

Gary said: “We do ‘Rock n Roll Bingo’ on a Thursday night which is bingo with music instead of numbers. It’s a lot more fun than normal bingo.

“We have a large projector screen in the garden that we use for film shows in the summer. Last summer we were showing films like Dirty Dancing, The Greatest Showman and Top Gun.”

Bournemouth Echo:

Dogs are also welcome, making the Ship In Distress the perfect dining experience for the whole family.

You can find the Ship In Distress at 66 Stanpit, Christchurch, BH23 3NA.