From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Alex Jee, 16 October 2022.

Former William Caxton pub in Tenterden renamed The Print House in Shepherd Neame takeover.

A historic town centre pub is getting a makeover under new ownership.

The former William Caxton pub on the High Street will be changing its name after being purchased from Shepherd Name after more than 70 years.

Andrew Dixon is taking over the former William Caxton pub in Tenterden with his wife Seonaid MacDonald.

The 15th Century pub was named in 1951 after after the man who introduced the printing press to England in the 1400s, who some believe was born in the town.

Previously known as the Black Horse, it was put on the market for around £450,000 and has now been bought by husband and wife team Andrew Dixon and Seonaid MacDonald.

The couple, who live in Smallhythe, currently work as business consultants but have been running AirBnBs for some time.

As well as refreshing the interior of the pub – which they have frequented as locals – they are planning on renaming it The Print House.

"We have lived in Smallhythe for 11 years, and were based in Headcorn before that, so we know the pub well," Mr Dixon explained.

Work has already started on the former William Caxton pub in Tenterden.

"We were ready for a new challenge and we're both so excited to take on the pub."

Work is well under way, with the old name already having been stripped off alongside the accompanying sign.

The pair will be altering the style of the pub to ensure its longevity, and are aiming to open before Christmas – assuming works go to plan.

"There is already a number of rooms above the pub that were not used properly, so we want to incorporate them," said Mr Dixon.

"We will be bringing it up to date as a food and board Inn; a touch of class really.

"I'm keen to open before Christmas but haven't got a specific date yet – you never know if something could delay it so I'm staying tight-lipped for now!"

As local residents for more than a decade, Mr Dixon and Ms MacDonald say they are confident in the strength of Tenterden's High Street.

"We have already had a lot of interest from people coming past, and a lot of support for the idea," Mr Dixon explained.

"We know how passionate people here are about supporting local business here so it's a fantastic place to come to work."

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Chantal Weller, 30 April 2023.

Former William Caxton pub in Tenterden high street reopens as The Print House.

A historic town centre pub has reopened under a new name in a bid to give it a fresh start.

Andrew and Seonaid Dixon took over the former "William Caxton" pub in Tenterden six months ago and have carried out a major refurbishment.

The couple, who have previously run Airbnbs but have never taken on a pub before, have renamed the site The Print House.

“Myself and my wife run it and we have refurbished the whole building so it is very different,” Mr Dixon said.

“It is very different to anything which has been here before.

“We have been in the retail and customer service industry for a lot of our careers formally in the Airbnb field so decided this would be something good to do.

”The pub had been the "William Caxton" since the 1950s and it resonates in a certain way with people.

Andrew Dixon and his wife Seonaid have taken on The Print House.

“When you take on something it is difficult to change it if it has already got an existing identity.

“So we decided to change the identity and start afresh because then people have got no preconceptions.”

Mr Dixon says they have kept the theme of William Caxton - who some believe was born in the town - throughout the venue.

He said: “He was the first person to bring the printing press into the country and he came from Tenterden so we have kept the theme of print by calling it The Print House.

“We have six ensuite bedrooms all with names associated with print such as the copy writers room and the proofing room.

The pub was previously known as the William Caxton.

“It is very different which is what you want because otherwise it is just a change of management.

"This pub had had a lot of changes in management and we wanted a clean slate.”

The Print House opened on Saturday, April 15.

“We have been extremely busy and went through a barrel of Harveys in a day,” Mr Dixon said.

“It has been well received and locals have been very supportive and seem to like what we have done so long may that continue.

How The Print House looks inside.

“We have a restaurant for 40 covers and offer fresh British cuisine.

“The menu changes regularly based on what is available.”

Mr Dixon, 62, added the cost-of-living crisis is a concern when it comes to managing costs.

“We are learning,” he said.

“But we are using our prior experience to keep good prices and see what our customers want.

“We are always listening to what our customers say.

The site has enjoyed a major refurbishment.

“We will always try to adapt and respect everyone else in the same position.

“It is about not trying to exploit because everyone has tight costs so we have to try and work all together and we do not want to alienate people by putting our prices too high.

“It is about listening and learning.”

Previously known as the "Black Horse," the site, which sits at a prime spot at the junction of the high street and Smallhythe Road, was owned by Shepherd Neame for more than 70 years.

From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Joe Harbert, 2 June 2024.

The Print House Inn hotel, Tenterden, achieves four-star rating from AA.

A husband-and-wife team have transformed a former high street pub into a town’s highest-rated hotel in less than a year.

Andrew Dixon and his wife Seonaid took over the William Caxton pub in West Cross, Tenterden, in August 2022.

Following a huge refurbishment project - which cost the pair more than £100,000 - they transformed the property and launched The Print House Inn hotel nine months later in May 2023.

The new boutique hotel features six en-suite bedrooms, a restaurant, bar and garden.

And it has now become the first hotel in Tenterden to receive a four-star rating from the AA - one of the few accredited bodies for hospitality in the UK.

The score came following an anonymous visit by an inspector in mid-April.

Following the visit, they said: “The Print House Inn is a popular neighbourhood spot in Tenterden.

“There's a comfortable lounge with a roaring fire where you can play board games if you fancy, enjoy a drink at the bar, or sit outdoors in the walled kitchen garden.

“There are six lovely bedrooms all named after aspects of the printing industry as a tribute to William Caxton - a 15th-century pioneer of printing and bookselling who was born in Tenterden.”

Previously known as the "Black Horse," the site, which sits at the junction of the high street and Smallhythe Road, was owned by Shepherd Neame for more than 70 years.

Yet hotel boss Mr Dixon, who has lived in Tenterden for 12 years, says the hotel’s modern style makes it unique to the rural town.

The 63-year-old said: “We took over the pub from Shepherd Neame and carried out a refurb to create The Print House and have been busy ever since.

“It’s meant we have repurposed the building from three letting rooms plus accommodation for the previous tenants, to six en-suite bedrooms.

“The style we have gone for is called boho chic which is something relaxing, modern, quirky which creates a home-from-home feeling.

“It’s also called an Inn because it’s a place where you can come here to eat, drink and sleep.”

He says achieving the four-star rating so soon after the hotel opened is very rewarding.

“An inspector came in as a customer, stayed the night and had dinner and breakfast,” he added.

The Print House Inn also has a garden for guests. Picture: The Print House Inn.

“After checking out, they then announced who they were which was obviously a surprise at the time.

“We then received the rating, so everything has happened fairly quickly and has meant the building has changed from a pub into the best-rated hotel in Tenterden.

“The AA is the recognised benchmark for hotels, so to get the rating, and to get it so quickly, made us excited and very delighted to be appreciated at that level.

“To achieve this rating within a year as well having never been in this business before makes us very happy.”

When asked what the future holds now for the business, Mr Dixon explained: “Gaining a five-star rating isn’t something which is attainable at the moment given the size of the property, so we have big aims to maintain what we have now.

“We have a bar with a great range of lagers and about 100 wines on our list.

The Print House Inn had a major refurbishment ahead of its opening last year. Picture: The Print House Inn.

“There are popular food classics like fish and chips, but also fine dining options.

“So we’re very fortunate to have a lovely hotel and some great, local support here.

“Our goal has always been to make our guests happy whether they are just dining or staying with us, and that’s what we’re going to continue to try and do.”

Although The Print House has become the first hotel to achieve a four-star rating in Tenterden, it is not the only form of accommodation in the town to be sitting on such a score.

Little Dane Court in Ashford Road was awarded the same mark earlier this year.

However, the business is a B&B, making it a different form of accommodation to The Print House, which is a hotel and not someone’s home.