Farmhouse Inn, Southwick

The Farmhouse Inn was originally a dairy farm house known as Southwick Farm described in 1951 as a “highly desirable freehold dairy farm of some 148 acres of rich dairying, pasture and arable land with a very attractive farm residence. Among the well-arranged accommodation included a drawing room, Dining room, Breakfast room and Kitchen with a separate staircase leading to a store room and a maids room. Five bedrooms on the first floor and a well-equipped bathroom.” The Property remained a Dairy farm until the 1980's when Leslie and Denise Setch bought the farm residence with the idea of turning it into a pub, but were refused a license. After a long legal wrangle and a petition with 400 names supporting the new public house an appeal judge at Swindon County Court granted them a license. On Friday 6t Aug 1982 the building was first opened as the Farmhouse Inn. The opening of a new restaurant at the Farmhouse 1990 has as guest of honour the Famous racehorse Red Rum at the official opening; the restaurant was aptly named ‘Racecourse’. Licensees at the time were Jean and Ian Leadbetter. Jean used to be a jockey and was the first woman to ride in the Ledger. The Restaurant, then upstairs, was decorated with racing memorabilia, many from Jean's own days as a jockey. Listed Status: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1021845