Visited The Mitre on 8th October 2025 and had a wonderful experience. The staff were incredibly helpful and friendly, constantly ensuring tables were cleared and cleaned quickly while keeping the place looking spotless. The atmosphere was lovely with a beautiful open fire burning throughout our visit. Ordering was easy either at the bar or through the app, and our drinks arrived quickly. The food was outstanding - we had a salad and the Honey & Mustard Sausage Swirl, which I absolutely loved. But the real star of the show was dessert. We both had the Apple and Fig Oat Crumble, and it was genuinely amazing - I've never tasted anything quite like it. The custard was like silk. Honestly, this pudding alone is worth making the trip for! Highly recommend The Mitre for great food, excellent service, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

Stopped by The Mitre for lunch and was pleasantly surprised. It’s a classic pub with a relaxed, welcoming vibe and friendly staff. I ordered the beer-battered cod and chips, and it was excellent – crispy batter, flaky fish, and perfectly cooked chips. The tartar sauce was homemade and full of flavor, and the portion was generous without being over the top. The view was immense too A great spot for a casual meal and a pint. I’ll definitely come back.

This was such a surprise! The terrace is beautiful and the view lovely even on a cloudy day. The food was absolutely amazing, the ham, egg and chips scotch egg was something we’ve never seen before and the steak on our open sandwiches was perfectly cooked. The prices reflect the food quality so it’s not a cheap lunch, but we were more than happy to pay it for such delicious food. Lovely friendly staff too.

The cups for our tea were heated. That sums up this place - they are on the ball in areas that other places often neglect. Lovely batter on my fish & chips, and the lamb was delicious.

Last Sunday, 28th September, 2025 myself and a family group of eleven were here for lunch. Before we left, I asked to see the manager(ess). He/she was not around, unfortunately. I had had to reassure the young waitress that I wished to give only encouraging, positive feedback. We had such a great time, with excellent Sunday roasts impressing us all. The doors that were marked “Team Only” rather than the usual “Staff Only”, I at first viewed as rather cheesy. But we really were served by a charming team of young girls who had clearly been trained to give their very best in terms of customer service and satisfaction. They dealt with us so well and worked together seamlessly to give us a truly memorable experience. I have lived and worked in several countries over the last forty years, but this was truly an outstanding customer service experience. Please make sure that the relevant staff see this review. Thank you so much! If I am ever in a position to return or recommend, be sure that I will!

Enjoyed Friday lunch here with friends this week. The staff were friendly, proactive and attentive. The menu was varied with wide choice for all tastes. Our meal was exceptional and the chef should be congratulated. One of the best meals we have enjoyed for a long time. The atmosphere and ambience is unique and the view from the terrace is classic English countryside at its best. This was our first visit but will not be our last.

A picturesque country pub with great views on the tiered out door terrace to the rear. A Young’s pub with the standard array (however no Asahi!) and great bar snacks, nibbles and full meals. With a wood burning fire when appropriate, there’s always a nice vibe going on, getting busier when the weather is on the sunny and the cold side. Worth a stop.

Love the feeling of the tower entrance, with bare stone reminiscent of castles. Had an old smell to match.

Music stars among mourners at Jonnie Walker D.J. ( 1945 - 2024 ) funeral . ROBERT PLANT LED ZEPPLAIN SINGER , PLUS D.J.S BOB HARRIS, SIMON MAYO , JERMY VINE AND TONY BLACKBURN.

The Historical & Religious Feel & look of this church is breath taking. Silent & Bold it stands waiting for you to visit

We were made to feel very welcome when we popped in to have a look at this beautiful historic church. We were invited to stay for the service but unfortunately time was against us and we could not stay. We got the impression that this would be a lovely church to worship in and have fellowship with

A lovely friendly church and service. It was good to get back after ages away with poor health and shielding.

Beautiful, historic chuch with brilliant interaction with people of all ages

A pretty little Church situated next to Gold hill.

Interesting town museum which has objects and documents of the town and its industries. It’s larger than it looks and you can spend some time rambling around the rooms. The building was the priest’s house and then a pub. There’s a small shop and a garden with good views over the valley

If you are fit enough you really need to walk Gold Hill which was made famous by the Hovis adverts. The museum is at the top of the hill, it is small, free to enter and full of interesting stuff. Is one of those places where you can breeze through and see a few things that interest you or spend ages looking at everything. Sadly we've got to the age where we recognised some of the exhibits from grandparents homes. The staff were friendly and helpful and we enjoyed the visit.

Picturesque views:) Small little village. It was very windy and rainy day when I visited so couldn’t explore much but managed to take a few nice shots, I think? 😉

Wonderful little gem. It's free to enter, with option to donate at the start/finish. Two floors of themed rooms with reference to Shaftesbury and the area. Very interesting, learnt loads. Well laid out with lots of information and very friendly and helpful guides on hand. Excellent Unfortunately we didn't see outside due to the torrential rain, but the inside displays were a dry, great distraction.

Fantastic little bit of history with plenty for the kids to do. Beautifully presented with a sprinkle of humour 👌 All for a donation. So please do sa it's run by volunteers.

Gold Hill, Shaftesbury. We visited here on the way back from a week in Dorset. It is simply Stunning! So picturesque and pretty. There was also a Christmas Market with plenty of stalls and shops to browse around. A truly beautiful place and well worth a visit.

A very interesting and well layed out museum, walking through the different rooms in the building you get a learn about the history of shaftesbury and see aftifacts dating back. Also told here is the story of the peach family who made a difference in their shop here. It's free to enter here and certainly adds a nice touch to gold hill. Please note the manaquin next to the fire truck was very life like 😂

Quite a bit smaller than we expected. Only 4 stalls selling fish, meat, ready meals & cakes. All good quality.

Great market

A wonderful place to visit. I grew up at the bottom of Gold Hill. It has been many years since I visited my home town of Shaftesbury and it was a pleasure to return. The locals are still friendly, the area is beautiful and there are some fabulous local shops to visit.

Went to see the hill that the Hovis advert was filmed on, and discovered a lovely museum and the rich history of Shaftesbury. Well worth a visit.

Gold Hill in Shaftesbury is one of the most picturesque streets in England! The steep cobbled hill lined with charming cottages offers breathtaking views over the Dorset countryside. It’s a perfect spot for photos, especially with its famous “Hovis Hill” view that captures classic English beauty. The atmosphere is peaceful and timeless, with lovely cafés and shops nearby. A must-visit landmark that perfectly showcases the charm of Shaftesbury and rural Dorset!

Amazing and very pretty place, definitely recommend it but be prepared to climb, is very steep. We had my mother in law with us and she is 91 and managed to climb up there, incredible. There is a lovely cafe restaurant right on the top and they serve lovely food as well. The town is just behind that cafe restaurant after a few more steps and is worth a visit. 👍

Nice street, not too busy usually, good view. For free, which is always a plus.

Best view ever!!!

Nice place to visit from the memory of the hovis advert.

We’ve visited this town twice, and both times we made sure to come back to this café – and it never disappoints! The staff are so lovely and welcoming, always making you feel at home. The food is absolutely amazing, and the prices are really good too. Such a gem – can’t wait to come back again

I was told that the Salt Cellar was an absolute must place to visit, especially after walking up Gold Hill. It very much reminded me of a typical Italian eatery under the porticoes of town Halls in Italy. I met Tim the owner, what a lovely man and all his staff were so friendly and Holly went out of her way to make Eddie (my dog for the week) comfortable. Anyway, I had the best steak ciabatta sandwich with a side salad, followed by Dorset sponge cake with clotted cream. Over the week I also stopped in for a coffee milkshake which was nice and thick, topped off with panna (fresh cream) and a few coffee beans. I also had an ice-cream Sundae. The prices are very fair and I definitely would return there. I also liked that they have a nice selection of Shaftesbury momentoes. Lastly all the staff say #SconeasinGone!

Staff lovely, dog friendly, iconic views and food was fantastic at a reasonable price. Mediterranean steak ciabatta from the specials was delish! Food was only 10 mins to be served and they were quite busy too. Will be back to try the pies!!!

We recommend this place as we had a great experience here. It is situated in the most populated street in the village, it has beautiful views and the service is very good the same as the food they serve. The menu is very good and the prices reasonable. We will be back.

Best view you can ever have! I also got nice Shaftesbury souvenirs there. The service is really good. A must-do if you are looking for an iconic view while having a nice coffee/meal.

The best breakfasts in Shaftesbury (and we've tried a few competitors in the town). We've eaten a full English breakfast here three times in the last six months and every time it has been absolutely delicious. Every component nicely cooked, crispy toast and good coffee. The foil-wrapped butter straight from the fridge needs to be hand warmed before spreading but that's me being picky. We'll be returning for breakfast again and again. Yum. I dropped just one star for service because the staff are always so busy that sometimes I've had to stand at the till for 5 or 10 minutes before someone comes over to take my money.

Such a lovely place with the direct view on the Gold Hill. We had marinated chicken ciabattas which were so delicious. Highly recommended to visit.

We popped in for a coffee while we were visiting this lovely town. We would normally visit a local coffee shop rather than a big chain but we had some gift vouchers to use so visited this Costa. Surprisingly it felt like a little local cafe rather than the major chain that it is and the coffee was lovely. It was quite busy and the people all seemed local and to know each other so it had a really nice cosy feel to it. The member of staff in the shop was a really friendly guy and was on his own while we were there but he managed everything really well, serving and clearing tables very efficiently. It was clean and tidy, and very friendly x

I am giving this five stars as the Store has been here from the early days of the chain. It has kept the Mission statement of the Company loyally since it opened. The Owners keep it well maintained & fitting to Shaftesbury. The HR seem to have a talent for selecting the right staff for the area. Inviting food greets you as you enter & keeps going until you reach the counter. Free news papers to read while enjoying your favourite beverage. The bathroom are well kept & there is seating outside. All together a nice coffee break from exploring this historic town.

The 2 guys working on Saturday at 4.50pm were extremely patient and helpful when we ordered 3 drinks just before them closing. Nothing was too much trouble, great people, 10/10.

Just came in with my family,, served by a lovely barista managing to keep up his great customer service whilst being the only person working !! Thank you for putting us all in a lovely mood 🤗👍

Thank you to the young men working today in Shaftesbury Costa today. I went in to buy two hot drinks for myself and my partner. It was my first day out since having COVID for the second time. While trying to order I completely got my wording wrong ordering the wrong drink! The gentleman taking my order was so kind as I got all my words wrong and forgetting the name of what I wanted. The kindness shown in the end by both of them was amazing. I hope you pass on my thanks. Claire

Beware of ingredients in iced strawberry 'milkshake' drink; synthetic, hydrogenated and fake and it tasted altogether yuk! First and last visit.

Great coffee, very friendly and helpful staff, lovely relaxed atmosphere.

Lovely meal last night at Ye Olde Two Brewers pub! Wandered in after arriving to our cozy cottage on Gold Hill a bit later than planned and after being told the kitchen was already closed, Daniel, the new owner, told us they’d be happy to accommodate our food requests as late as it was🙏🏼 We’d been here before a few yrs ago and had such a lovely time wanted to try again The new management is doing wonderfully with sprucing up the joint and the cozy welcoming feel we had being there again last night♥️ Quiz night was happening while we enjoyed a pint and a spritz while waiting for our delicious meals-what a treat! A cozy happy inviting place not to be missed when you come to Gold Hill Fantastic food menu, helpful lovely staff, dog friendly and just an overall worth your time experience⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you for starting our visit back here off on the best foot! We will back, probably for lunch today😉 Thank you for your kindness and delicious food Daniel and staff, much appreciated and enjoyed!!! Best chocolate chip cookie ever😎

Had lunch here whilst visiting the famous Gold Hill. Had a lovely lunch with large portions. The condiments were in huge portions too although we didn't partake. The ploughman's was especially large and extremely good value. Apparently the beer selection was good too. I stuck to cider which was standard keg stuff.

Good beer, nice well cooked food and friendly staff. Well worth a visit 😊

Lovely pub and great stuff, poor girl on her own on Sunday running bar and sevice did a excellent job, nice pub cat, good pint of Guinness.

We had a wonderful meal here last night! The pie night was a hit, gluten free Brie and cranberry was one of the best pieces of food I’ve tasted! Really cosy atmosphere and all round great pub! The steak and Guinness was also great! Lovely and friendly staff. Clearly marked gluten free food so felt safe to eat here.

We went to the charity bingo on Wednesday what an enjoyable evening not only did we come away with money for our church with the charity for this month. People were coming away with armfulls of prizes. Well done every one. See you next month. On Thursday went back to try their food. We will definitely return another day.

Came for the carvery. Absolutely stonking value. £11, really solid, vegan option was great. A proper decent pub, being a British pub as it should.

A really beautiful spot with a museum where the famous Hovis advert was filmed. Probably not worth going out of your way for but definitely worth a visit if you're nearby.

Walk down through the park, then back up the hill to the town. Steep climb but gives an insight to olden days. Probably not worth a visit by itself but a must if visiting Shaftesbury.

Wow, amazing view. Super quiet location, the town was beautiful and we stopped and had lunch here. Lovely town.

What a great place! Made my children watch the Hovis advert from back in the day before we went!! It is incredibly steep, not for the less mobile, I stood at the top and looked down. There is disabled car parking at Bell St car park, which is nearby, at the top of Gold Hill.

Famous steep and picturesque cobbled street in Dorset where they filled the Hovis Bread commercial/advert.

Remembering the Hovis adverts and the very funny Ronnie Barker mickey take it was nice to walk the hill. Having one of our party riding a mobility scooter and only seeing steps down to the top of the hill, we walked through the town and started at the bottom of the hill. On reaching the top having pushed the mobility scooter up as it wouldn’t take the gradient we noticed that there was an alternative slope to reach the town centre although exceptionally steep. There was a welcome break at the cafe at the top.

Beautiful place to take photos.

The Abbey ruins and small museum are well worth a visit on a day out in Shaftesbury. Entry is free but there is the opportunity to make a donation. The ruins are well presented and there is plenty of information available plus places to sit on a nice day. There is a gift shop that sells ice cream, books etc. The museum is small but interesting. All in all its pleasant if not spectacular. Makes a part of a good day out in the town.

Shaftesbury Abbey was a lovely addition to our family afternoon outing (We have a toddler and baby). The museum provided a really helpful insight into the Abbey, it’s long history, and what it would have been like to live and work there. What’s left of the Abbey after it was destroyed has been really thoughtfully displayed with information about each section of the original buildings. The gardens are beautiful, well kept with areas cordoned off for safety and to preserve Abbey remnants. There were activities for children in the museum including a wooden Abbey puzzle, dress up basket and interactive screen. There was a peaceful and respectful atmosphere and we enjoyed our visit.

Great reception and employees! Beautiful visit and very interesting history. Well explained, concise and dynamic. Beautiful garden and overall very interesting!

Free entry. Interesting, tranquil spot close to the historic town centre. Great views from the entrance and close to Gold Hill (Hovis ad)

It’s a very old museum, there is a free Gide and free entrance it’s full of history about nuns and religion, the stuff are very friendly and happy to talk with you about the all long history about Abbey and Gardens.

We were greeted by a very friendly and knowledgeable volunteer, who gave us an intro to the history of the Abbey, and asked if our kids would like to do the scavenger hunt/quiz which lead us nicely around the grounds and kept the kids engaged. It was short and sweet, and a lovely stop on our walk around Shaftesbury!

Absolutely stunning location, perched high on a hill overlooking the medieval town of Shaftesbury. The museum will be open again in April 2024 as its only open April to October each year. Whilst standing at the locked gates I saw the ghost of a nun wearing a white habit. I looked this up later and found that style of dress was worn there in the 1500’s! This validates my sighting. I will return when it opens in April. Went in August and it was a beautiful, not too hot day. Lovely volunteers and relaxing garden. Highly recommended!

Great view of the countryside, photo opportunities, shady trees walk and I think better than Gold Hill. Didn’t look inside the abbey but it’s a nice backdrop. If you’re passing through the town, have a walk. Had a nice chat to a couple who’d moved here from London way

Great views to the south with a pleasant loop to walk down stoney hill past the two brewers pub and back up gold hill

Centre of town. Not really for dog walking. No parking nearby at all

This is the place to be. Rain or shine, mist or cloud you can hear the birds sing. Benches dotted around for you to sit down and reflect and admire. You have the Abbey behind you, stooped in History. A garden to sit in and many pathways that take you to interesting places. There are farmers markets & various other days when stalls will set up. Another great feature is even when the wind is blowing it still feels calm. Could walk this all day admiring and musing over all that is good in the world.

Great views, many benches, well worth a visit.

Absolutely lovely quiet walk with fantastic views.

Beautiful place with seating and lovely birws

Alas the charm of Shaftesbury has not made it here. As a Theatre Professional myself was shocked the staff were rude & had no time for questions or even make the Theatre inviting. The three stars are for the building & the fact it is in Shaftesbury. Art is for all & this seems to have been forgotten here

Lovely and welcoming place. Me, my mum and my nana all went to watch Cinderella by the Australian Ballet Company. Was amazing and beautiful sound quality and had a glass of wine each. was a lovely night and during the interval we looked at the art in the gallery side. Please always be here. hoping to book Othello for my birthday. x

Great venue with lots of variety from theatre shows that are more fun and interactive than West End shows to a wonderful vegan gourmet tasting event where the entertainers were also the wait staff. This place offers films, music and dance events, art exhibits and various classes as well. And the fairly recent seat upgrades made it a comfortable place to go. Thumbs up every time!

Back from seeing an absolutely brilliant production of The Three Musketeers - superbly acted, with fabulous music and look. The fights were high octane and slick, the whole show came together beautifully, especially for a fast paced show like this. Would absolutely come back to see it again before the run is over!

Shaftesbury Arts Centre was welcoming Shaftesbury Refugee Group and Ukrainian community. Many thanks for showing the Ukrainian film "Carol of the Bells". That's a masterpiece which shows how ordinary peaceful people suffer from the war, how much tragedy war brings to everyone.

Shaftesbury Flower Arranging Group had our annual Open Demonstration last night which was brilliant! Lovely small theatre, very well organised by front of house and background people.

Fabulous night 🌙 out watching the Unravelling Wilburys, superb music, and humour. Great venue with racked seating

This is great 👍 great fry up served all day. The courgette & Avocado cake was fantastic. The staff were lovely & did so well as it was busy when we arrived.

Just popped in and had an amazing gluten free breakfast. Friendly service and a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Would highly recommend.

The venue tends to be very busy, and they operate a reservation system. As a result, tables are often fully booked, and without a prior reservation, patrons may need to seek alternatives elsewhere...its a shame but understandable

Excellent little cafe, very good quality food items, lovely friendly staff.

A great place for breakfast, tucked away in a quiet corner off Shaftesbury High Street. Check out the amazing mural of old Shaftesbury on the wall at the back of the covered terrace. It seems to be a popular meeting spot for locals and the staff are very welcoming to visitors too.

What a gem!! Me and my friend had just climbed Gold hill on our bikes to be rewarded with delicious chocolate and orange cake and delicious coffee. The staff were so lovely, very friendly and chatty ☺️. I will definitely be stopped here again on my next ride to Shaftesbury,! ☺️

I visited this place with my elderly parents. The atmosphere was fantastic, smiley happy staff with fantastic flat whites ! Dorset apple cake was great too Definitely recommend

We had an excellent stay for the one night at the hotel. We appreciated the upgrade, the food was good as was the service. Location is perfect. Bed comfy. All in all a very lovely stay.

Stayed here last weekend and it was fantastic. Was seen to straight away at reception when checking in, room was very spacious and had a great view out to the high street. Dinner was excellent and service at both dinner and breakfast was faultless. Will try to come back again soon.

Love coming to Shaftesbury and always stay here! Very dog friendly. Rooms are absolutely lovely and all so different. Always used to have your local rump steak for dinner but you have taken it off and put flat iron on instead. Please bring back the rump as it was delicious!!

Cocktail night at The Grosvenor Arms was such a treat. The atmosphere was lively but still relaxed, with just the right balance of buzz and comfort. The cocktails were beautifully made — creative, balanced, and presented with flair (the espresso martini was a standout). The staff really know their craft and made the evening feel special from start to finish. A perfect spot in Shaftesbury for a stylish night out.

The Grovesnor Arms recently hosted our wedding rehearsal dinner for 40 people in their upstairs Assembly Room. The room itself is beautiful and made a lovely setting. Danielle was super helpful throughout the booking and the "feasting menu" we had went down really well with the guests. Guests dietary requirements were catered for easily and the whole evening was perfect!

We took our visitors from New Zealand to the Grosvenor restaurant last Saturday, having chosen the Grosvenor because I expected a high standard. I was embarrassed by the quality of the meal on our plates. We ordered the Welsh rarebit with Coastal cheese and salad. My top piece of salad was limp and discoloured. There was very little salad. The rarebit was so drowned with caramelised chutney the cheese could not be tasted. Apart from that there looked to be so little food on the plate, especially for £12.

Lovely one-night stay at this historic hotel. All staff were very welcoming and friendly, and on becoming aware it was a post-wedding break upgraded us to a lovely large room, so we were perhaps spoilt in that regard. Nevertheless, the dinner was excellent in all respects and reasonably priced, the sea bream a standout, plus a quality cheeseboard, and a breakfast full of choice. There's a welcome emphasis throughout on sourcing local produce. Limited range of wines, but fully sufficient, it isn't aiming to be top-end. More widely, Shaftesbury is a characterful historic town with an imposing hilltop position. The Grosvenor doesn't offer those Blackmore Vale views and is perhaps better placed for quiet as a result, but is just a minute's walk from seeing all you need on a lovely stroll of the town. Highly recommended.