Ship Inn Distress

4.6 (261)

£25 and under

Pub

66 Stanpit, Christchurch, ENG BH23 3NA

Make a reservation

Ship Inn Distress

4.6

£25 and under

Pub

Bournemouth

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 9, 2026

7:00 PM

About this restaurant

Neighborhood gem
Good for groups
Dog-friendly

Soak up our friendly service and homely charm when nestled in this welcoming pub located in the heart of Stanpit village on Dorset's south coast. Here at the Ship in Distress, we are the perfect retreat to sit back, relax and indulge in our delicious food with the perfect drink in hand. We love our coastal location and our bar pays tribute to this with a fittingly traditional nautical theme! Dogs are welcome and we've got a large car park for visitors and plenty of seating space. Our traditional pub classics are expertly crafted from our seasonal menus and the bar is crammed with local ales and tipples to tempt any taste buds. Using the most seasonal ingredients and decadent flavours, there's a dish for every desire.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
£25 and under
Cuisines
Pub
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu 12:00 pm–11:00 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–12:00 am Sun 12:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
01202 029549
Website
https://www.shipindistress.co.uk/
Payment options
Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress

Location
66 Stanpit, Christchurch, ENG BH23 3NA
Neighborhood
Bournemouth
Parking details
Private Lot
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

All Experiences

Festive Set Menu - £22.50pp (£5pp deposit)
£5.00 per person
Prepaid
1 - 10 people
Nov 18, 2026 - Dec 31, 2026
This festive period, we are your home for festive cheer. We’re bringing all the sparkle, all the flavour and all the feels. Whether it’s a work’s do, a catch-up with mates or a festive family feast, our pub is where Christmas truly feels like home. Our festive menu is back! Tuck into festive picky bits, share laughs over tasty mains, and save room for our irresistible desserts – because calories don’t count at Christmas, right? Book your festive season with us, whether you’re planning Christmas party nights, family festive meals, Christmas Eve celebrations, Boxing Day gatherings or New Year’s Eve festivities. With our festive menus running throughout the festive season, there’s no better place to eat, drink and celebrate with the people who matter most! Secure your festive booking today with a deposit of just £5 per person.
4 Course Christmas Day (£10pp deposit)
£10.00 per person
Prepaid
1 - 10 people
Dec 25, 2026 only
Let us do the cooking (and washing up) this Christmas Day, while you soak up the good times, great company and those unbeatable turkey aromas. This Christmas, we’ve saved the best seat in the house for you and your favourite people. Our four-course Christmas Day menu, is all about proper festive comfort; tasty dishes made with care, alongside the classic turkey and trimmings everyone loves. We can’t wait for the pub to be filled with laughter, full bellies and that warm, happy buzz only Christmas Day can bring. Make it a day to remember, to secure your table for Christmas Day, we require a £10 non-refundable deposit and outstanding full payment balance by the 4th December.

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Ship Inn Distress.

4.6

(261)

4.5Food
4.6Service
4.6Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Energetic

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Ship In Distress offers "excellent service & friendly staff," with a welcoming atmosphere and "good quality and affordable" food. Diners enjoy "great pub classics" and a relaxed garden setting. Though one review was less favorable, many highlight the "awesome" service and "very good value for money."

261 Reviews

R
Ruth
Dorset1 review
3.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
Food was disappointing this time. Very noisy in restaurant but the atmosphere was good.
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T
Terry
London2 reviews
5.0
Dined on September 27, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent service & friendly staff. Food was amazing
Ship Inn DistressResponded on October 2, 2026
Dear Terry Thanks for your amazing review! We're delighted you enjoyed the food and received excellent service from our friendly team. It's always great to hear such positive feedback, and we hope to welcome you back again soon. Best wishes The Ship in distress team.
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G
Graham
Oxford7 reviews
5.0
Dined on September 27, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Lovely meal. Totally unhurried. Kind and efficient team. An excellent experience.
Ship Inn DistressResponded on September 30, 2026
Dear Graham Thank you for your lovely review! We're delighted you had a lovely meal and you found the team efficient. we look forward to welcoming you back soon. Best wishes The Ship in distress team.
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R
Ralph Gold
Dorset15 reviews
5.0
Dined on September 13, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Just completed our regular visit. Again , food excellent and staff very pleasant. Have booked next regular visit.
Ship Inn DistressResponded on September 17, 2026
Dear Ralph Was lovely to see you and your friends again We're delighted you found the food and staff excellent. we look forward to welcoming you on your next booked visit. kind regards The Ship in distress team.
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M
Maria
London4 reviews
5.0
Dined on August 21, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The Ship in Distress is a local pub in Stanpit. We are always assured of a warm welcome and great service. The food is good quality and affordable. Highly recommended.
Ship Inn DistressResponded on August 24, 2026
Dear Maria Thank you so much for your 5* review! We're thrilled to hear you receive a warm welcome and great service when you visit us. its fantastic to know you enjoy our food and find it good quality and affordable too. We look forward to welcoming you back soon. Best wishes The Ship in distress team.
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R
Ralph Gold
Dorset15 reviews
5.0
Dined on August 16, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Have been going to the Ship in Distress for many years and see no reason to stop. Food and service not to be faulted. Although I do not have puddings myself, my wife tells me the are excellent.
Ship Inn DistressResponded on August 20, 2026
Hi Ralph Thanks for doing another great review, we really appreciate it we enjoy seeing you and your wife on a regular basis and hopefully we can tempt you in to a dessert some day kind regards The Ship in distress team.
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S
Stuart Gold
Yorkshire7 reviews
4.0
Dined on August 6, 2026
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Family dinner in a lovely local pub serving great pub classics.
Ship Inn DistressResponded on August 11, 2026
Dear Stuart Thank you for your lovely review We're pleased to hear you enjoyed your visit with us and enjoyed our menu We hope to see you again soon. Best wishes The Ship in distress team.
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J
Jilly
Dorset1 review
1.0
Dined on August 2, 2026
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
Unfortunately the whole dining experience was poor from start to finish . Menu were on the table when we arrived and we weren't made aware there was either a specials board or children's menu .The food was tasteless and poor quality .The roast dinner in particular felt like and Iceland freezer to microwave meal .The mushrooms with garlic mayo were over fried and like little rocks ,there was no taste of garlic in the mayo.Overall a very dissapointing family experience not to be repeated.If they have an actual chef working there they they need a career change !
Ship Inn DistressResponded on August 7, 2026
Dear Jilly Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, We're truly sorry to hear about your disappointing experience, and the comments about the food quality and lack of information, unfortunately the specials don't run on a Sunday but we do a children's menu and can only apologise it wasn't on the table we will address the issues with the team and make sure the improvements are made Best wishes The Ship in distress team.
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C
Caz
London12 reviews
5.0
Dined on July 19, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Took my sister for lunch, food good, sat in garden after with coffee , nice and relaxed.
Ship Inn DistressResponded on July 25, 2026
Dear Caz Thank you for your glowing review! we're pleased you enjoyed the food and spending time in the garden with your sister we look forward to seeing you again soon best wishes The Ship in distress team.
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C
Caz
London12 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 28, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Booked Sunday dinner, it was yummy. Then we sat in the garden as they had a chap singing for the afternoon. Very nice day , Thank you.
Ship Inn DistressResponded on July 2, 2026
Dear Caz Thank you for your lovely review! We're thrilled you enjoyed your roast dinner, and the time you spent in the garden for the singer we hope to welcome you back soon. Best wishes The Ship in distress team.
Is this helpful?

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
£25 and under
Cuisines
Pub
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu 12:00 pm–11:00 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–12:00 am Sun 12:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
01202 029549
Website
https://www.shipindistress.co.uk/
Payment options
Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress

Location
66 Stanpit, Christchurch, ENG BH23 3NA
Neighborhood
Bournemouth
Parking details
Private Lot
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

FAQs

Ship In Distress is at its best for Sunday lunch, guests consistently praise the Sunday roast, and you’ll often find live music and a pleasant garden to sit in afterwards.

Ship In Distress feels warm and welcoming with homely, nautical-themed charm, a rustic, friendly pub vibe with live music in the bar and a quieter dining room and garden for relaxed meals.

Sunday is a standout, guests repeatedly praise the Sunday lunch and roast, often enjoying live music in the garden for a lovely afternoon visit.

Yes, Ship In Distress has an attractive garden/beer-garden area and guests frequently sit outside for lunches, music and sunny afternoons.

Casual dress is the guide, comfortable, everyday clothing is entirely appropriate.

Yes, guests report that booking online is easy, and the pub accepts private parties, so you can include special requests when you make your booking.

Portions are generous, many guests describe good‑sized, filling meals and great value for money.

Yes, guests report lovely Valentine’s meals and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere, making the Ship In Distress a popular choice for special evenings.

How FAQ content is generated

Make a reservation

Ship Inn Distress

4.6

£25 and under

Pub

Bournemouth

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 9, 2026

7:00 PM

Ship Inn Distress

Make a reservation

Ship Inn Distress

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

All Experiences

Festive Set Menu - £22.50pp (£5pp deposit)

4 Course Christmas Day (£10pp deposit)

Concierge
AI Beta

Menu

Reviews

Review summary

Dining areas

Additional information

FAQs

When is the best time to go to Ship In Distress?

What's the ambience/atmosphere like in this restaurant?

What is the best day to go to Ship In Distress?

Does this restaurant have outdoor seating?

What is the dress code for Ship In Distress?

Can I make any special requests before I arrive?

What are the portion sizes like at this restaurant?

Is this a good pick for date night?

Make a reservation

Ship Inn Distress

Make a reservation