The Rose and Thistle

What The Rose and Thistle does

The Rose and Thistle is a privately-held, for-profit British village pub and restaurant operating from a single 16th-century building in the heart of Rockbourne, Hampshire, within the New Forest National Park. The current incarnation of the business reopened with a full restaurant service on 11 October 2024 under founder/owner Chris Chester Sterne, and it is colloquially known as 'The RAT' by the local community. The venue serves seasonal British cuisine prepared in-house from locally-sourced ingredients, alongside ales, lagers, wines, spirits and soft drinks, with structured drink promotions (Friday Happy Hour, National Drink Beer Day) and a rotating calendar of community events including weekly/monthly quiz nights (£10–£12.50 per person including supper, with £100 RAT voucher prizes), live music, sports viewings and seasonal celebrations (Oktoberfest with Hofmeister and The Bratman, Christmas menu, Hog the Jazz anniversary event).

Revenue is generated through four core streams: in-house restaurant food service, beverage sales, ticketed events and private bookings, and the loyalty-driven RAT voucher programme. Distribution is purely direct-to-consumer via the single Rockbourne site, with reservations and enquiries handled by phone (01725 518236 / 07876 435492), WhatsApp, email ([email protected]) and walk-in trade; the pub operates Thursday–Sunday only. Marketing is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth, village volunteers serving behind the bar, the website (roseandthistle.co.uk) and a Facebook page, with no online ordering, delivery, app or loyalty technology stack disclosed.

Name

The Rose and Thistle

Legal name

The Rose and Thistle

Website

https://roseandthistle.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Rose and Thistle is a privately-held British village pub and restaurant in a 16th-century Rockbourne, Hampshire building, serving seasonal locally-sourced cuisine, beverages, and ticketed community events to local residents and New Forest visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pub and Restaurant Services

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (72241), Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Pubs & Gastropubs (CRANACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA), Wedding & Social Event Catering (THAHAKAE)

Keywords

• Pub and restaurant services
• British casual dining
• Community pub events
• Food and beverage service
• Private event hire

Headquarters

HQ city

Fordingbridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Food Service: In-house prepared seasonal food using local suppliers. Menu features meat, produce, and made-from-scratch dishes. Includes daily specials, Sunday roasts, and event-specific menus.
2. Beverage Sales: Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks including ales, lagers, wines, spirits, and soft drinks. Special promotions such as Happy Hour (Fridays 5-6pm) and National Drink Beer Day discounts.
3. Events and Private Bookings: Revenue from ticketed events including quiz nights (£10-£12.50 per person including supper), live music evenings, seasonal celebrations, and private event hire for parties and functions.
4. Voucher Sales: The RAT voucher program where quiz winners receive £100 RAT vouchers for future dining. Promotes repeat visits and customer loyalty.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Rose and Thistle operates a traditional British pub and restaurant in a 16th-century building in Rockbourne, Hampshire. It serves seasonal, in-house prepared food using local suppliers alongside alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and hosts a regular programme of community events including quiz nights, live music, sports viewings, and seasonal celebrations. Private event hire and a quiz-winner voucher loyalty programme supplement core food and drink revenue.

Product overview

The Rose and Thistle is a traditional British pub and restaurant offering seasonal dining, bar services, and community events. Located in Rockbourne, Hampshire, the 16th-century establishment provides food service (seasonal British cuisine), beverage service, and hosts regular events including quiz nights, live music, and special dining occasions. The venue also accommodates private event bookings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Restaurant Food Service In-house prepared seasonal British cuisine using local suppliers, featuring meat dishes, daily specials, Sunday roasts, and event-specific menus. Available Thursday to Sunday to walk-in diners and those booking via phone, WhatsApp, or email.
• Beverage Service Sales of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks including ales, lagers, wines, spirits, and soft drinks, with periodic promotions such as Friday Happy Hour (5-6pm) and National Drink Beer Day discounts.
• Quiz Nights Ticketed weekly/monthly quiz evenings priced at £10-£12.50 per person, including supper (such as homemade stew, curry, pizza, or sausage casserole). Teams of up to six people; winners receive a £100 RAT voucher for future dining.
• Live Music and Sports Viewings Regular live music evenings and scheduled sports screenings (notably Six Nations Rugby) hosted as part of the pub's community programming, available to walk-in customers during opening hours.
• Private Event Hire Hire of the pub venue for private parties, functions, and group events, booked through the standard reservation channels.
• Seasonal Celebration Events Themed dining and drinking events tied to seasonal holidays including Oktoberfest (featuring Bavarian beer and bratwurst), Christmas menu launches, Easter, and Valentine's Day, with event-specific menus.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Hofmeister BeerminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 October 2024Collaboration for Oktoberfest @ The RAT event. Hofmeister Beer supplied Bavarian Helles beer for the event featuring 2-pint steins, bringing authentic German Oktoberfest experience to Rockbourne.
• The BratmanminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 4 October 2024Food vendor partnership for Oktoberfest @ The RAT event. The Bratman provided authentic bratwurst food service, complementing the Hofmeister beer selection for the German-themed evening.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Royal Oak: Long-standing independent UK village pub with traditional British food and community focus. Comparable as a single-site, food-and-drink-led rural pub with local loyalty.
• The Bell Inn: Independent historic village pub and dining rooms in a similar English countryside setting. Closely comparable because it is a heritage building with food-led operations, local sourcing, and a community-anchored brand.
• The Star Inn: Independent UK village pub known for seasonal British cooking and local ingredients. Comparable product offering (food-led village pub) and similar target customer (locals and visitors).
• The Crown Inn: Traditional English country pub offering seasonal menus and locally sourced produce. Directly comparable as an independently operated heritage pub with full-service dining in a rural village setting.
• The Rockingham Arms: Independent New Forest-area country pub with seasonal menus and strong food-led identity. Directly comparable as a New Forest/Hampshire village pub in the same catchment and operating model.

Regional players

• The Greyhound on the Test: Hampshire countryside pub serving seasonal British food with a local-supplier story. Regionally comparable as a southern-English heritage pub targeting similar tourist and local trade.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/roseandthistlepub
• Xx.com/RATrockbourne
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-rose-and-thistle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Rose and Thistle