Christmas at The Old Fort
’Tis the Season to Give It Some Fort!
Now that the “ber” months have arrived and the air has turned crisp, it’s time to start planning your Christmas celebrations.
The Old Fort in Seaview is the perfect setting — nestled in a picturesque Edwardian sailing village full of festive charm, sparkling lights, and real Christmas trees. With sweeping views across the Solent and our brand-new purpose-built restaurant and bar upstairs, we can host parties of all sizes, from intimate tables of two to lively gatherings of up to 55. Whether it’s an office party or a family get-together, we’ll take care of everything — washing up included. Mince pies, crackers, and festive cheer are on us.
Our 2- or 3-course Festive Party Menu offers a delicious seasonal celebration at great value and is available by advance booking only from 23rd November to 23rd December, Monday to Saturday. It’s the ideal space for large parties or smaller, more intimate celebrations. Full menu details are available below.
Booking information:
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Pre-orders for the festive menu must be received at least 72 hours before your booking.
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A £10 per person deposit is required at least 7 days prior to your booking. This can be paid by cash or via our online booking system and will be deducted from your final bill.
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Cancellations can be made in full up to 14 days before your booking date. Individual cancellations must be made no later than 24 hours prior to your booking, after which a 50% cover charge will apply.
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We are able to adapt the menu for dietary requirements — please contact us and we’ll be happy to accommodate your needs.
Important please read
dining & booking information
Can I request a specific table or area?
Whilst we do our best to honour specific area & table requests, unfortunately we cannot guarantee any particular area or specific tables and reserve the right to move customers to another area or table for operational purposes. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your patience and understanding with this. Please note that selecting a seating preference at the time of booking is not a guarantee.
How far ahead can I book a table?
You can book online for up to 12 guests with all our availability displayed for the year ahead. If you are looking to book more than 12 people, more than 12 months in advance or cannot find what you are looking for, please send a booking request or give us a call on 01983 612 363 and one of the team will be more than happy to help.
Do you charge a booking deposit?
Deposits will be taken on standard bookings of 13 or more people at £10pp refundable with a minimum of 5 days notice. Event bookings & large groups of 25+ require £250 deposit refundable with a minimium of 14 days notice. To keep us from having to take deposits on smaller bookings, please ensure to cancel any bookings you can no longer make so we can release your table.
I'm running late, do you offer a grace period?
We hold all tables for 15 minutes, after which time we reserve the right to cancel your reservation or offer the table to someone else. Please call us if you are running later than 10 minutes after your booked time. We reserve the right to block those who continually arrive late or fail to show up on more than 3 occasions.
Why do you need my contact details?
From time to time, we may need to contact you about your booking, so please ensure your email and phone number are up-to-date. It is your responsibility to ensure that your contact details are correct at the time of booking.
How long is my booking?
Your table will be booked for 1 hour 45 minutes for parties of up to 3; 2 hours for parties of up to 6; 2 hours 15 minutes for parties of up to 9; and 2 hours 30 minutes for parties of 10+.
Can I book an outside table?
Our outside tables are available on a strictly first-come, first-served basis only as they are not covered and are therefore subject to the unpredictable Great British weather. On very rare occasions, management reserve the right to reserve these tables as part of a private event / function. If this is the case, appropriate signage will be displayed upon the tables and we thank you for your cooperation and understanding with this.
Are children allowed?
Children are always welcome in any area provided they are accompanied / supervised by a responsible adult. We do ask that you do not let your children run around or disturb other customers.
We have a limited number of highchairs available - please specify at the time of booking how many will be required, and we will do our best to accommodate your request.
"Kids-tea" is available from 5pm - to book, please speak to a member of the team.
Do you allow dogs?
Well-behaved dogs are always welcome downstairs, outside on our beach front patio or terrace but we do ask that you leave your furry friends at home if dining with us in the upstairs restaurant and bar space. This is so we can accommodate those with allergies etc - and we thank you for your understanding with this. We have a doggy station with water bowls, treats and even cozy blankets - these are available to use but please don't abuse this and kindly return anything you borrow. We reserve the right to ask owners and their dogs to settle up and leave if they cause a nuisance or upset other customers, so please keep your dogs on a lead at all times.
Important please read
dining & booking information
Can I request a specific table or area?
Whilst we do our best to honour specific area & table requests, unfortunately we cannot guarantee any particular area or specific tables and reserve the right to move customers to another area or table for operational purposes. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your patience and understanding with this. Please note that selecting a seating preference at the time of booking is not a guarantee.
How far ahead can I book a table?
You can book online for up to 12 guests with all our availability displayed for the year ahead. If you are looking to book more than 12 people, more than 12 months in advance or cannot find what you are looking for, please send a booking request or give us a call on 01983 612 363 and one of the team will be more than happy to help.
Do you charge a booking deposit?
Deposits will be taken on standard bookings of 13 or more people at £10pp refundable with a minimum of 5 days notice. Event bookings & large groups of 25+ require £250 deposit refundable with a minimium of 14 days notice. To keep us from having to take deposits on smaller bookings, please ensure to cancel any bookings you can no longer make so we can release your table.
I'm running late, do you offer a grace period?
We hold all tables for 15 minutes, after which time we reserve the right to cancel your reservation or offer the table to someone else. Please call us if you are running later than 10 minutes after your booked time. We reserve the right to block those who continually arrive late or fail to show up on more than 3 occasions.
Why do you need my contact details?
From time to time, we may need to contact you about your booking, so please ensure your email and phone number are up-to-date. It is your responsibility to ensure that your contact details are correct at the time of booking.
How long is my booking?
Your table will be booked for 1 hour 45 minutes for parties of up to 3; 2 hours for parties of up to 6; 2 hours 15 minutes for parties of up to 9; and 2 hours 30 minutes for parties of 10+.
Can I book an outside table?
Our outside tables are available on a strictly first-come, first-served basis only as they are not covered and are therefore subject to the unpredictable Great British weather. On very rare occasions, management reserve the right to reserve these tables as part of a private event / function. If this is the case, appropriate signage will be displayed upon the tables and we thank you for your cooperation and understanding with this.
Are children allowed?
Children are always welcome in any area provided they are accompanied / supervised by a responsible adult. We do ask that you do not let your children run around or disturb other customers.
We have a limited number of highchairs available - please specify at the time of booking how many will be required, and we will do our best to accommodate your request.
"Kids-tea" is available from 5pm - to book, please speak to a member of the team.
Do you allow dogs?
Well-behaved dogs are always welcome downstairs, outside on our beach front patio or terrace but we do ask that you leave your furry friends at home if dining with us in the upstairs restaurant and bar space. This is so we can accommodate those with allergies etc - and we thank you for your understanding with this. We have a doggy station with water bowls, treats and even cozy blankets - these are available to use but please don't abuse this and kindly return anything you borrow. We reserve the right to ask owners and their dogs to settle up and leave if they cause a nuisance or upset other customers, so please keep your dogs on a lead at all times.