Michelin-starred Masons Arms up for sale as owners prepare to retire
Mark and Sarah Dodson, joint owners of the Michelin-starred Masons Arms in Exmoor, have put the restaurant up for sale as they head into retirement after 18 years of trading.
The couple bought the freehold for the 25-cover Masons Arms in 2005 and were awarded a Michelin star the following year.
Prior to that, Mark had spent 18 years at the Waterside Inn in Bray working alongside Michel Roux, before moving to Cliveden House in Taplow where he was executive chef for four years.
He told The Caterer: "I hit retirement age last year and we've been here 18 years. We just feel with our family grown up and gone away it's the right time for us to retire. We just had our best two years [at the restaurant] but neither of us are getting any younger, so we just want to have a bit more time and enjoy the next part of our lives."
Mark added "there's a lot of stress within the industry", especially with rising wage and energy bills, but confirmed the current economic circumstances were separate to his decision to sell the restaurant, which continues to serve around 200 covers a week.
That said, he agreed a cut in VAT "would definitely help" hospitality businesses as it has a "big impact on turnover".
"It's so tricky, but we're a small team in a busy place and I think that's the key. We used to open on Sunday then we closed on Sundays to do a five-day opening. We do the same turnover in five days that we used to do in six, then your overheads drop, but I don't think there's any quick fix," he said.
While Mark oversees the kitchen with two full-time staff, Sarah runs front-of-house with one other full-time member and several others who support on a part-time basis.
The Masons Arms will continue to operate as normal until a new buyer is found.
The property is situated between Tiverton and Barnstaple and features an inglenook fireplace in the main bar, a lounge with a log burner, exposed beams, a thatched roof, four bedrooms and a large garden.
The Masons Arms is being marketed by property consultant Vickery Holman.
