Famous golf course and pub put up for sale by wealthy New Forest family
A NEW FOREST golf course said to be the oldest in Hampshire is up for sale for more than £4.5m.
Bramshaw Golf Club has been put on the market jointly with the next door Bell Inn by Robert Crosthwaite-Eyre, brother of former Official Verderer and current national park authority chair Oliver.
The Crosthwaite-Eyres are one of the richest families in Hampshire and have owned the landmark pub, in Brook, for more than 230 years. Robert is selling up having recently moved to France.
He said: “After taking the business over from my family 10 years ago, I have thoroughly enjoyed running the Bell Inn and Bramshaw Golf Club.
“I am so proud to see how it has grown as a business, and how much we have achieved. I very much hope the new owner will enjoy building the company as much as we have.”
The 289-acre golf club comprises two 18-hole courses: the Forest which dates back to 1865, and the Manor which was opened more recently in 1972 by the Crosthwaite-Eyres who bought the sports attraction in 1957.
The club, which has more than 1,000 members, and inn achieve a combined annual turnover approaching £2.4m, excluding franchised clubhouse food and beverage revenue.
The Grade II listed Bell Inn contains 28 bedrooms and has been in the Crosthwaite-Eyre family for 230 years which, according to a pub spokesperson, makes it one of the oldest family-owned hostelries in Hampshire.
The particulars, which offered the two premises together or separately, described the golf club as having “scope for commercialisation”.
The sale is being handled by golf property specialists HMH Golf and regional hotel specialist IHCA.
Ben Allen of HMH said: “Bramshaw Golf Club is a unique facility. The two golf courses offer totally contrasting playing experiences, and each is rather special in its own way.”
Bramshaw Golf Club was Prestige Golf’s Southern England Golf Club of the Year in 2016. The Bell Inn was a founding member of the New Forest Trust Marque, helping to promote the reputation of New Forest produce.
Andrew Theobold of IHCA added: “The character and charm of this highly reputable Inn will offer the purchaser an unrivalled opportunity to build on a highly successful year round business set in the heart of the New Forest National Park.”
