TV Restaurants

Is The Pack O' Cards Still Open? The Hotel Inspector Update

The Hotel Inspector, Season 17 Combe Martin, South West England

Current status

Open

As of October 2026, The Pack O' Cards is listed open on packocards.co.uk, reviewed by our team on October 19, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What the source shows: The inn's own website, viewed 2026-10-19, lists daily bar and restaurant hours, a live room-availability search and a 2026 copyright line. How we decide a status →

What happened after The Hotel Inspector?

The Pack o' Cards is a listed inn with rooms on the High Street in Combe Martin, on the north Devon coast; Wikipedia dates the building to about 1690 and says it took the Pack o' Cards name on 1933-06-01. Belfast News Letter reported on 2022-07-06, in a preview of the Channel 5 episode, that owners Chris and Debbie bought the inn 26 years earlier expecting to earn a fortune and move on, but now found the building a costly burden, with winter trade minimal and themselves tired and wanting to retire. The paper said Alex Polizzi assessed the food, the decor and the local reputation, and that all three needed to improve for the business to turn a profit.

TVmaze's listing for the episode (series 17, episode 4, aired 2022-07-07) describes the same situation after 26 years at the inn. The preview did not report what changed, and Wikipedia's page on the inn cites the News Letter piece but does not describe the episode.

The inn's own website (packocards.co.uk), viewed on 2026-10-19, lists daily bar hours of 12:00 to 22:00, restaurant hours with a Sunday carvery, six en-suite rooms from £95 with breakfast, a live room-availability search, a 5% restaurant discount offer and a 2026 copyright line. It names Chris and Debbie as the owners who have welcomed guests for over 25 years.

The episode The Hotel Inspector, Season 17

Episode 4
Aired
Title: The Pack O' Cards, Combe Martin · What was featured: Tired owners of 17th-century north Devon inn; food, decor and reputation overhaul

Synopsis (tvmaze.com) : This week, Alex visits The Pack O' Cards, an inn with rooms in Combe Martin on the north Devon coast owned and run by husband-andwife team Chris and Debbie. This quirky Grade II-listed monument to lady luck was created in 1690 after local member of the gentry George Ley won a game of cards. When the couple bought the inn 26 years ago, with north Devon's reputation as a tourist hotspot, they hoped to make their fortune and quickly move on. But this 17th-century inn turned out to be a money pit and, with minimal winter trade, the couple have been left stuck in a cycle of feast and famine. Now tired and desperate to retire, it's time for Chris and Debbie to lay their cards on the table. Alex discovers their food offering, décor and local reputation need to come up trumps if the business stands any chance of being a profitable proposition. But has Alex met her match in Chris when it comes to interior design? Or will Chris take a gamble on Alex's bold idea? After pouring their heart and soul into The Pack O' Cards, can Alex help Chris and Debbie work towards their dream of retiring?

Also in Season 17 The Hotel Inspector

Season 17: 3 of 8 still open

All 8 Season 17 episodes →

Nearest places By distance from High Street

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Before you go: Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the hotel — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

Sources we checked 4 references

  1. newsletter.co.uk https://www.newsletter.co.uk/arts-and-culture/film-and-tv/the-hotel-inspector-visits-the-pack-o-cards-3757391
  2. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pack_o%27_Cards
  3. api.tvmaze.com https://api.tvmaze.com/shows/3130/episodes
  4. packocards.co.uk http://www.packocards.co.uk/
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Record thi-108 · checked by Cal Marchetti.