BACK in 2021, Corfe’s local pub, The White Hart, closed due to increased costs, the cost-of-living crisis, and a handful of other reasons. Now, the pub has been given a second chance thanks to the local people getting involved.

In July 2022, Dryad Gin opened The Dryad Inn at Broomfield Village Hall after a ‘use it or lose it’ plea from the village hall committee. The pop-up pub has now been held 14 times and attracts people from the village and its surrounding areas who do not live near a pub.

The Dryad Inn is a travelling community public house with no fixed abode, making it a pop-up pub.

Dryad Inn distillers at the Corfe event earlier in March this year. (Image: Dryad Inn)

In March, the pop-up came to Corfe and was an instant success; so much so that the villagers got to name a dedicated cocktail, now known as ‘Corfe Blimey’.

Armed with an eccentric set of décors including fairy lights, toadstools, and the “playful Dryad Gin spirit”, The Dryad Inn helps transform lack-lustre village halls into mythical pop-up pubs, bringing together people for new and old connections.  

In the hope of bringing the Corfe community together again, the people of Corfe decided that as they loved the Dryad Inn so much, they will open their very own pop-up brewery.

On August 3, a new pop-up pub will be born called Corfe Pop-Up Pub.

Situated in the Corfe Village Hall, this new pop-up will be joined by local pizza and beer sellers in an event that will hope to keep the pop-up local going.

Becky Wright, distiller from Dryad Gin Ltd, said: “This was something that we had hoped for. If we can support other villages to do the same and create a hub of connection where they have no current pub then this is truly heart-warming.”

Emma Bowers is the secretary at Corfe Village Hall and is very hopeful ahead of the arrival of the new locally run pop-up pub in the village.

She said: “Our village thoroughly enjoyed the Dryad Inn Pop-Up pub earlier in March. Becky and her team transformed our village hall into a wonderful evening that brought our community together.

“We are very excited that Becky and her team are coming back and helping us create our own hybrid event and supporting us to create our own pop-up pub event on August 3.”