The Cranleigh sits on Clingan Road, just off Iford Lane in the Iford pocket of Southbourne, a short drive or walk from the seafront. It occupies the site of a former Hungry Horse pub, which closed for a six-figure refit before reopening under the Greene King banner in October 2023. The result is a pub that looks and feels considerably bigger than before, with an open-plan interior and one of the more generous beer gardens in this part of Bournemouth.
The pub
Knocking through internal walls during the refit created a single, more flexible open-plan space that can still be zoned off for different groups, with room for roughly 45 more covers than the pub held before. A new, larger bar with a barrel-shaped centrepiece anchors the room, and the overall style leans toward soft furnishings and warmer lighting rather than the more functional look of its previous incarnation. Outside, the garden was the biggest single change: two separate outdoor areas were added, both fitted with heaters and mood lighting, taking total garden capacity from around 73 covers up to roughly 156. That makes it one of the better bets locally for a group booking or an evening drink outdoors deep into the year.
Drinks and food
On the food side, the menu mixes sharing small plates such as salt and pepper squid, mango and lime tacos and nacho sharers with the kind of pub staples regulars expect, including fish and chips and pies, plus a kids menu, a brunch menu and gluten-free options. The bar carries a reworked cocktail list alongside craft beers, ales and spirits, with no- and low-alcohol drinks and mocktails also on offer for anyone not drinking. Real ale drinkers are covered too: the pub is Cask Marque certified and keeps Greene King IPA, Greene King Abbot and Morland Old Speckled Hen on cask, with a discount for CAMRA members.
Where it is
Iford sits on the Southbourne side of the River Stour, and Clingan Road is a short residential turning off Iford Lane, within easy reach of Kings Park and around five minutes from Southbourne beach. It’s also handy for bus routes into central Bournemouth, and Pokesdown station is roughly a mile and a half away for anyone arriving by train. For more on the wider neighbourhood, see the Southbourne guide.
Good to know
The pub runs regular entertainment alongside its food and drink offer, including card bingo on Wednesdays, quiz nights and occasional live music, plus darts and pool for anyone dropping in outside meal times. It’s set up to be accessible and family friendly, with dog-friendly seating both inside and out, free WiFi, and on-site parking. As with any pub, treat listed opening hours as a guide rather than a guarantee, particularly around holidays, and check directly with the venue if you’re planning a visit around a specific event or sports fixture.
