November 3, 2026

Tea shop where ‘Pooh was first sketched’ on sale at REDUCED £600,000

Former tea shop where Winnie-the-Pooh was first sketched returns to market at reduced price of £600,000. Grade II-listed Bristol property known locally as Pooh Corner.

A former tea shop said to be where Winnie-the-Pooh was first sketched is back on the market at a reduced price.

The two-bedroom home – known locally as Pooh Corner – is available for £600,000.

The Grade II-listed property, in Clifton, Bristol, is believed to date from around 1790 and served as a tea shop for several decades.

Estate agent Haighs claims author AA Milne and illustrator EH Shepard frequented the tearoom during the early 1920s, as reported by Luxury Property News.

It is said that the pair discussed and produced their first sketched ideas for the “silly old bear” during one of their visits.

Bright interior living room with red curtains, fireplace, wooden furniture and potted plants by large windows. — *The Grade II-listed property. (Jam Press/Haighs)*

However, the property’s role in Pooh’s creation remains local lore rather than an independently established part of the character’s history.

Winnie-the-Pooh was inspired by a teddy bear belonging to Milne’s son, Christopher Robin.

The toy took its name from Winnie, a real Canadian black bear seen at London Zoo, while Shepard’s illustrations helped establish the character’s familiar appearance.

Pooh first appeared by name in a Christmas story published in 1925, before Winnie-the-Pooh followed in 1926.

Large open-plan sitting area with red patterned armchairs, navy sofa, wooden table and bookshelves. — *The Grade II-listed property. (Jam Press/Haighs)*

Shepard reportedly later created an oil painting of Pooh and donated it to the Clifton tea shop, where it remained on display for years.

The work was sold in 2000 for more than £124,000 and purchased by a group from Winnipeg, Canada.

The former shop subsequently became known as Pooh Corner.

It was initially advertised for £675,000 in May 2024, with subsequent listings showing reductions to £650,000 and £630,000 before reaching its current price.

Red-brick kitchen with cream Aga cooker, blue cabinetry, wooden worktops and flagstone flooring. — The Grade II-listed property. (Jam Press/Haighs)

Inside, the freehold home retains plenty of period character, with curved windows, sash windows, painted floorboards and exposed stone walls.

The lower-ground floor features a powder-blue Shaker-style kitchen and a storage room known by the current owners as “the grotto”.

A large lounge includes two curved windows and a wood-burning stove, while a separate living room occupies the floor above.

There are two bedrooms spread across the upper levels, with the top-floor room enjoying views across Bristol.

Bedroom with wooden bed, chest of drawers, exposed black beam and Velux window in sloped ceiling. — *The Grade II-listed property. (Jam Press/Haighs)*

The bathroom has a double-ended bath and painted wooden floorboards.

Pooh Corner is situated near Clifton Suspension Bridge, the Avon Gorge Hotel and Clifton Rocks Railway.

The listing jokes that Bristol city centre is approximately a 30-minute walk away – “unless, of course, you are Piglet or Eeyore, in which case travelling time may be a little longer”.