Little Ship, Portland
Portland, DT5 1AL
Your investment
£13,500
Agreement Type
Long Term Agreement (5 Year Tenancy)
- Prominent location at entrance of island
- Strong supported community local
- Established food offering
3+ Private Bedrooms
Beer Garden
Car Park
Cask Ale
Kitchen
Food Preparation Area
Live Music
Open Fire
This is an exciting opportunity for a specialist, high-end licensee who can seamlessly integrate into the local community while continuing to build on the pub’s existing success. The new licensee will be expected to maintain and enhance the pub’s strong reputation, preserving the excellent work of the current licensees, particularly regarding the home-cooked food offerings, live events, and well-supported sports facilities. Great marketing skills will be crucial in attracting a larger audience from the surrounding area, as well as drawing in tourists during the busy summer season. Targeted campaigns and creative promotions should highlight the pub’s prime location on Chesil Beach. The pub’s scenic beer garden overlooking the beach is a major asset, and the new licensee should make the most of this space by hosting outdoor events, encouraging foot traffic from walkers, tourists, and sports enthusiasts. There is substantial scope to expand the pub’s food trade, particularly given its existing reputation for home-cooked meals, reflecting the location and local tastes could help to grow the aspect of this business further.
The Little Ship, a Grade II listed building on the Isle of Portland, holds a prominent position at the entrance to the island. Known for its rich history and distinctive architecture, it is described as a “complete example of a modest classical-style Victorian pub.” The pub benefits from being the first public house that visitors encounter as they arrive on the Isle of Portland, making it an attractive stop for both locals and tourists. Its prime location on Chesil Beach, part of the renowned 26- mile-long Jurassic Coast, enhances its appeal, as this area attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Chesil Beach is famed for its natural beauty and significance as a World Heritage Site, further solidifying the pub’s unique location. With excellent transport links via the A354 and regular bus services connecting the mainland to the isle the combination of this and nearby rail connections make it accessible to visitors looking to explore the Jurassic Coast and its natural beauty. In 2018, Admiral Taverns made a substantial investment of £250,000 to renovate and improve The Little Ship. This was followed by further upgrades in 2022, leaving the pub in excellent condition throughout. As a result, The Little Ship offers both modern amenities and historic charm, making it a key destination for those exploring the Isle of Portland and the Jurassic Coast.
Pub Layout
The Little Ship operates as a single-bar establishment, offering a welcoming and versatile space for both locals and tourists. Upon entering the pub, the centrally located bar serves all areas, making it the heart of the venue. The left of the the pub is designed for more casual visitors. It features a pool table, a darts oche, and wall-mounted televisions, creating an ideal space for sports enthusiasts or local teams. It’s a relaxed environment for anyone looking to enjoy a drink while watching a game or engaging in a friendly match. The right side of the pub is arranged for dining, with seating for approximately 45 guests. This comfortable lounge area is perfect for diners looking to enjoy a meal in a cosy setting, ideal for both locals and tourists who want to relax and take in the atmosphere. A unique feature of the pub is its very own skittle alley, which is popular with local teams and adds a traditional element to the pub’s recreational offerings. To the rear of the pub, there is a large car park that can accommodate over twenty cars, providing easy access for visitors. The beer garden, a standout feature of the pub, is particularly popular among walkers, tourists, and sports enthusiasts such as divers and yachtsmen. It overlooks the beach, offering stunning views that make it a desirable spot to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the coast year-round. Overall the pub is in outstanding condition, having benefited from recent investments. Its bright and vibrant interior reflects its coastal surroundings, creating a fresh, inviting ambiance that appeals to all visitors.
The Little Ship is a highly popular and well-supported pub with a strong local following and impressive levels of business. The current licensees have successfully built and maintained a solid reputation, thanks largely to their home-cooked food offerings and weekly live music events, both of which have become key attractions. These elements have helped position the pub as a hub for the local community, while also drawing in visitors. In addition to its food and entertainment, The Little Ship offers a comprehensive range of live sports, which are consistently well-supported by patrons. The skittle alley, an integral part of the pub’s main trading area, also adds to its lively atmosphere and appeal to local teams and recreational players. The pub’s business thrives during the summer months, particularly due to its prime coastal location, which attracts tourists and visitors, helping it exceed expectations. The strategic investments made by Admiral Taverns in 2018 and again in 2022 have significantly enhanced the pub’s facilities and atmosphere, giving it a new lease of life and ensuring that it remains in excellent condition. This combination of strong local trade, appealing entertainment options, and seasonal tourist traffic has cemented The Little Ship’s status as a thriving, well-loved establishment.
The private accommodation comprises of three large double bedrooms, a lounge, a large kitchen diner, and bathroom with separate toilet, all of which are in good order.
Annual Rent: £30,000
Security Deposit: £5,000 or the equivalent of three months’ rent, whichever is greater
Working Capital: £5,000
Stock: £3,500
Fixtures and Fittings: To be confirmed upon valuation – funding options may be available for the right licensee.
Tie: All drinks categories are tied. For fully funded licensees on long term agreements, we offer free-of-tie options for certain drinks categories in exchange for an annual fee.
For a breakdown on financial information, please refer to the ‘Additional Info’ tab.
Annual Rent – This is our lowest rent figure associated with a Full Tie. If the tie is reduced the effective rent (via Tie Release Fees) will increase. Rent is billed and paid for weekly in advance depending on the payment terms agreed). On occasion, our Business Development Manager will discuss a start up rent which is discretionary to an individual pub and can be discussed.
Security Deposit – A security deposit is required when applying for a pub with Admiral. This will be the greater of £5,000 or three months’ headline rent. The deposit is held on your account and returned when you leave, subject to your final account balance and the condition of the property. We will also carry out a credit check as part of your application, which may affect the deposit amount required.
Working Capital – This is a recommend amount required which will be used in the day-to-day running of the business.
Stock – This will be valued by an independent valuer on the day you take over the pub. This includes unbranded glassware, unopened bottles, wines, spirits, any unopened / opened kegs and cask ale providing the container is unopened.
Fixtures & Fittings – This includes any item that is bolted to the floor or walls, and a fitting to be any item that is free standing or hung by a nail or hook. This will also include furniture.
Tie: All drinks categories are tied. For fully funded licensees on long term agreements, we offer free-of-tie options for certain drinks categories in exchange for an annual fee.
Training – £350.00 – Before signing a long term agreement, you will be required to attend our 7 Steps to Sales Success training programme. Held online over two days, you will learn marketing and business strategies that will help you to grow sales in your pub – step-by-step.
Service Charge Cost – £65.86 per week – The Admiral Taverns Premium Maintenance Package will help take care of your compliance and statutory obligations with one simple fee, whilst giving you piece of mind about your boiler and cellar cooling repair and replacement. This also includes full access to e-learning for you and your staff.
Zero Business Rates* – Based on the draft rating list for April 2026, the Nil Rates Payable is based on small business rates relief being applied for by the licensee and the licensee only occupying one property for commercial purposes. Please note, this only applies to pubs marked with an Asterix *
We believe we do things differently to other pub companies. To us its quite simple – great pubs are run by great people, so we focus on ensuring we can empower you to run a successful pub business. Every licensee is different, and no two pubs are the same, so we carefully tailor the range of agreements, support and training packages we offer to give you all you need to run your own pub.
The first step is to call our recruitment team and have a chat with us. We’ll probably suggest you attend one of our recruitment events as nothing beats a face to face chat. It’s also a good idea to research the sort of pub you are interested in ahead of time, so you have a clear picture of the competition in the area and what the local community looks for in that pub.
In order to run a pub, you will need a personal license which regulates the sale of alcohol in a pub. This can be achieved through attending a one-day course, ending in a multiple-choice exam. Once you’ve passed the exam, you then need to apply to your local council, for your personal licence. Admiral can easily help you with this by offering a discounted rate. Finally, you will also need to complete PEAT training (Pre Entry Awareness Training), an online course which explains the leased and tenanted pub agreement you are about to take on.
Our default agreement is our 5 Year Tenancy Agreement with a range of support available to you throughout your agreement with Admiral. We also offer induction training, our 7 Steps to Sales Success course is a 2 day online course that will provide you with the knowledge to run a pub and get you off to a great start before you get started. In addition to this, we offer other training workshops on a wide range of topics such as Marketing, Social Media, Cellar Training along with online training including Food Hygiene, Health & Safety and lots of other related courses. There is simply training available for every subject. When you take on a pub with us, your Business Development Manager will discuss your training requirements with you and identify areas where you may benefit from additional support or training.
Rents are based on open market value, Fair Maintainable Trade (FMT) and the future trading potential of the premises. This entails an assessment of the turnover and profitability that a reasonably efficient operator would be expected to achieve, taking into account the optimum trading style for the premises and making reasonable allowances for costs. This will involve estimating the trading potential rather than just adopting the actual level of trade under the existing ownership. This method of valuation is known as “the Profits Method”.
We want to empower our licensees to get on with the day to day running of the pub, as well as giving you the knowledge that you can count on us for as much (or as little) support as you need. Our team are truly passionate about community pubs and we want to do as much as we can to help you run sustainable and profitable businesses. Our support includes but isn’t limited to the following: Commercial & Marketing Support, Food Team, Licensing, Property Help Desk, Investments, Machines and Training.
Our BDMs work hard to build strong working relationships with their licensees. Your BDM is there to help you develop your pub and can support you in many different ways. From guidance around products and pricing, planning events, marketing your pub and development and training, our BDMs are empowered to make quick decisions which will help you move forward with your business.
We are continually investing in our pubs. From transformational refurbishments to small improvements where it really counts, we run an active investment programme and are committed to improving our estate of pubs. We also are fully invested in working alongside our licensees during the investment process to bring their ideas to fruition.
Admiral operates under the tenanted and leased model whereby we as the pub company own the pub and agree to rent the premises to you via a lease or tenancy agreement. Most tenancies/leases include a negotiated supply agreement covering the purchase of all drinks categories and possibly a range of other goods and services (hence the phrase ‘tied’ pubs). The level of rent you agree to pay at your pub will be dependent upon the extent of your purchasing obligations. Our rent offers are based on a Full Tie, and hence reflects the lowest rent payable. For licensees on long term agreements, we offer free-of-tie options for certain drinks categories in exchange for an annual fee. The prices you pay for drinks purchased from Admiral are likely to be different to those on the open market. When you take on the pub your BDM will discuss rent and the tie with you.
To enter into any tenancy agreement with Admiral, you will normally have to consider the following costs:
Personal Licence fee – This is the fee for obtaining your Personal Licence which you will require if you intend to be the Designated Premises Supervisor named on the premises licence.
Fixtures and Fittings (e.g. furniture, kitchen equipment, light
fittings, carpets etc) – These are usually valued on the day you enter the property. Whilst we prefer you to purchase the fixtures and fittings outright, there are occasions where we can provide alternative methods of purchase or may consider a rental agreement. Your BDM will discuss these options with you.
Deposit – The size of the deposit (or security bond) varies depending on the property and the commercial terms agreed but is normally the greater of a quarter’s rent or £5,000 and will be held for the duration of your agreement. In exceptional circumstances, we may allow you to pay a lower deposit and build this up over a time period.
Stock and glassware – These are purchased when you take over your pub, at an agreed valuation, from either the outgoing tenant or Admiral.
Working capital – The amount of working capital required (cash available) varies by pub, as each individual business requires different levels of funding. Your BDM will discuss this with you.
Pre Entry Awareness Training (PEAT) – This is mandatory training designed to raise awareness on the matters involved in operating a pub, from agreements, repairs and purchasing obligations. The cost of this course is £100 plus VAT.
Yes absolutely. We are always keen to encourage successful licensees to develop. Our BDMs work together with our licensees to achieve this and identify new opportunities. We also run training workshops to help you to gain the right skills, so you can take the step from running just one business to expanding with a second pub.
Admiral Taverns accept payment by Direct Debit or Open Banking (Pay by Link) only. Our Business Development Managers will discuss which method is most appropriate for you during the application process.
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