Smith's of Bourne

The latest public house for the town opened in May 2002 in a converted shop on the west side of North Street. A grocery business founded by John Smith in 1857 operated from this three-storey listed building until it closed in December 1998 because of competition from the supermarkets.

Planning permission was subsequently granted for it to be turned into a public house but the new owners have incorporated several of the original features in the refurbished premises, including the Victorian window and the old enamelled trade plates on the front, and they have also retained the original business name, Smith's of Bourne, by which the new public house is now known.

The old stables and other outbuildings at the back have been well restored as a backdrop for a paved patio area for outside drinking (below) and the entire restoration has been tastefully completed for modern use without losing its period charm. There are claims from the new owners that the premises had been used as a public house before they became a grocery shop but there is no evidence for this.

Smith's has slowly grown in popularity and is now one of the main bars in Bourne with a high reputation for food. It also has a thriving lunchtime trade and has probably become the most frequently used meeting place in the town centre during the evenings while its outside amenities are also a great attraction during the summer months.

See also      John Smith of Bourne     A little cornucopia