The Porterhouse sits on Poole Road in the heart of Westbourne, a wood-panelled, one-bar pub that has quietly built a reputation as the sort of local where regulars, shoppers off the parade and office workers on a break end up drinking side by side. It was previously known as the Old Thumper, and although the current building isn’t especially old, it’s been dressed in oak panelling and wooden floors to feel like a classic boozer rather than a themed reproduction of one.
The pub
There’s a deliberate simplicity to the place: no jukebox, no gaming machines, just a bar built for conversation. A small gallery of memorabilia tied to notable regulars lines the walls, giving it a lived-in, personal feel rather than the generic look of a chain refit. It’s currently run under Marston’s ownership, having previously operated as a Ringwood house, and that history still shows in the beer list.
Drinks and food
Cask ale is the main draw, drawn exclusively from Ringwood Brewery and the broader Marston’s stable — Ringwood Razorback and Ringwood Fortyniner are among the regulars, backed up by rotating guest beers, and the pub holds LocAle accreditation for its support of local brewing. Food is kept deliberately basic and reasonably priced, geared mainly around lunchtime trade rather than an evening dining menu. Handily, the same premises doubles up during the day as Westbourne Sandwich Co, so there’s a separate daytime café-style food option under the same roof for anyone passing through before opening hours proper. On the entertainment side, Mondays are said to bring cheaper ale, Tuesdays have a long-running pub quiz, and Fridays turn into disco and karaoke night; live music also gets billed periodically through the pub’s Facebook page.
Where it is
Poole Road runs through the middle of Westbourne, Bournemouth’s smaller, independent-minded shopping village a couple of miles west of the town centre, and The Porterhouse sits right among the parade’s shops and cafés. It’s an easy stop on foot if you’re already browsing Westbourne, with bus routes along Poole Road and Branksome railway station around a kilometre away making it simple to reach without a car. Westbourne also sits within reasonable walking distance of the clifftop and Alum Chine beach below it, so the pub works well as a stop either side of a walk down to the seafront.
Good to know
Wifi is available throughout, dogs are welcome, and there’s a garden for outdoor drinking when the weather allows. Newspapers are kept for patrons who want to settle in. Reported hours run Monday to Thursday 11am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday 11am to midnight, and Sunday from midday to 10pm, though as with most independent locals it’s worth checking ahead before a special trip, especially around bank holidays or out of season.
