Bridport’s iconic Cafe Royal sold for £260,000

Bridport's Cafe Royal building has been sold to Nicholas de Savary as part of a series of privatisations by West Dorset District Council.

BRIDPORT’s iconic Café Royal has been sold at auction for £260,000 to Nicholas de Savary, brother of the famous property developer Peter.

Mr de Savary bought the Cafe as part of a block of buildings in Tannery Road.

After his successful bid, Mr de Savary told the Bridport artist Kit Glaisyer that he wanted to keep the café open.

Mr Glaisyer – who painted a series of pictures of the café – had been campaigning for its preservation.

He feared that the block of buildings in Tannery Road could be demolished and the site of “the most interesting building” in Bridport might then be used for housing.

As it turned out, Mr Glaisyer thought Mr De Savary’s purchase was “fingers crossed, great result, de Savary seems to genuinely want to keep the Café Royal going.”

de Savary family connections with Bridport

The de Savary family have connections with Bridport going back more than 50 years.

As Richard Sims points out in his outstandingly informative book Rope, Net & Twine: The Bridport Textile Industry (Dovecote Press, £25), part of Pymore Mill was sold in March 1959 to the General Woodworkers of London.

“Part of the De Savary portfolio and trading as Duncan Tucker, it opened in 1960 making windows for property developers Laing and Wimpey.

“George Heaver was the manager and he later set up his own business, which still makes windows today [as Heavers of Bridport].”

Nicholas de Savary is understood to enjoy visiting Bridport, because it reminds him of visits he made here when he was a child, with his father.

The Tannery Road buildings were sold by West Dorset District Council, as the first part of a series of privatisations that the council hopes will bring in £1.5 million pounds.

The guide price was £150,000, but initial documents indicated that the council always hoped to make £270,000. (Click to see this valuation on the link in the line above).

As first revealed on Real West Dorset, West Dorset District Council has also decided to sell Eype Beach, as part of the same process.

History of the Cafe Royal

The Bridport Council built a refreshment room at the Tannery Car Park in 1954; it was smaller than it is now. The property was leased to Harold and Annie Hopgood of Chideock.

In 1961 the building was extended to the form seen now, with the Hopgoods trading as the Cafe Royal (Bridport) Ltd.

In 1977 the lease was transferred to Coach Catering (Southern) Ltd.

In 1986 the lease was again transferred this time to Mrs Heather J Patten.

Thanks to Richard Sims for all the information above about the Cafe’s history. These days it’s run by TJ, as she is known.

Thanks also to Mr Glaisyer for the video, shot on his phone. Mr de Savary is standing on the right; see after 2.15. Most bidders dropped out at around the £200,000 mark.