It’s a hat trick for owners of The Cliffhouse and The Lighthouse as they open The Townhouse in Lymington

WHAT do you do when you have two thriving beachside restaurants? Open a town centre venue using the same recipe for success, of course.

The family team behind two hugely popular eateries – The Cliff House, in Barton, and The Lighthouse, in Milford – have worked their magic on one of Lymington’s most iconic pubs.

What used to be the Thomas Tripp, and more recently The Saltern – is now The Townhouse Pub and Kitchen.

Part of that team is Hayley Darbishire, who told the A&T the family had been waiting to open a spot in Lymington for a while.

“We love Lymington and when the pub came up, we didn’t hesitate,” she said. “It was the right venue in the right place.”

The interior of the pub has been given a new “lease of life” with “deep coloured” walls, “very comfy” chesterfields and a “modern look with a traditional twist” introduced throughout.

It is a “proper pub for all generations”, said Hayley, who added: “We want it be a place evreyone can come and feel comfortable – from youngsters to grandparents.”

Six days a week, the Townhouse will be offering lunch and dinner, along with a great roast on a Sunday.

Both the Cliffhouse and the Lighthouse have reputations for providing excellent quality food and the Townhouse, says Hayley, will be no different.

“We use locally sourced food as much as possible and like to keep our menus seasonal,” she said. “There is a full range of food on offer, from a full three-course meal to bar snacks and sharing boards.

“The Townhouse is somewhere you can pop into for a pint and a snack or come to its restaurant for a special occasion meal.”

The bar menu features simple dishes like fish finger sandwiches, or for something a little different there is a “Vegan Bits” sharing board of spiced lentil croquettes, tempura veg, Padron peppers, hummus, olives and harissa mayo.

The board comes with bread from Jenning’s bakers, just across the road from the pub.

On the al la carte menu, starters include Tempura prawns and sweet chilli sauce, and smoked salmon and prawn cocktail with Flip Flop gin cured cucumber and toasted rye.

Mains feature dishes like pulled lamb shoulder shepherds pie with honey-glazed carrots and seasonal greens, and Townhouse summer salad of mango, coconut, mixed leaf, pomegranate, maple & sriracha dressing served with a choice of chicken, smoked salmon, feta or vegan feta.

For more casual dining, guests can pick from a range of gourmet burgers.

Vegetarians and vegans are also well catered for, and there are gluten-free options on all menus. Dogs and kids are also very welcome.

The dessert menu is full of delicious-sounding treats like sticky toffee pudding with clotted cream ice cream, and lemon tart with raspberry sorbet.

Drinks include the bespoke brewed The Cliffhouse Flip Flop gin, which makes up one of the ingredients of the Townhouse Gin Cooler cocktail with elderflower, blackberries, shredded cucumber, and Fever Tree lemonade.

Service at the pub is just as top-notch as it is at the Townhouse’s sister establishments, Hayley continued.

“We have the same ethos here,” she said. “Service is as good as people have come to expect from The Lighthouse and The Cliffhouse.

“We want people to come in and have an absolutely fantastic experience. The response so far from customers has been great. They really love the way the pub looks, and we have a lot of regulars already.”

The pub offers live music at weekends and also a quiz night on Wednesdays. It is open Tuesday-Thursday 12noon-11pm; Friday and Saturday 12noon-midnight; and Sunday 12noon-10pm.

The bar menu is served Tuesday to Saturday 12noon-9pm and Sunday 12noon-5pm. The restaurant menu is available from 12-2.30pm and 5.30pm-8.30pm.

It is usually closed on a Monday.

For more information or to book, visit https://www.thetownhouselymington.co.uk/ or call 01590 718384