The Sloop Inn (2006)
The oldest hostelry in St Ives, dating back to 14th century, is located smack bang on the harbour front, practically at the head of the slipway looking out over the harbour and the bay beyond. This traditional fisherman's inn has retained its original character and feel. In winter, the small public bar is full with a roaring real fire and local fishermen singing Cornish songs. The lounge bar has tables for diners and leads to the cellar bar which has additional seating with some cosy booths. The walls are adorned with original artworks provided by St Ives School of Painting and a private viewing is held regularly for the local artists' new works.
Numerous films have been made around the Sloop Inn -- Raising of the Titanic with Sir Alec Guinness and several of the Rosamund Pilcher books. The inn has 16 comfortable rooms of which the majority are en suite with sea views, AA 4 diamonds. Guests have exclusive use of the large suntrap that is a raised terrace for private al fresco eating and drinking.
Owned by Maurice Symons since 1992, he gets involved with the community and its fundraising, sponsorship of the arts, sailing, charity events and summer outside events such as live bands and summer beach volleyball on the harbour beach. The pub has its live cams where you can view real time Porthmeor beach - a mecca for surfers from all over the world -- and also of the harbour where you can gain a sense of the weather and atmosphere in St Ives.
The Sloop's major attraction is the large, harbour-facing al fresco area with bench seating for up to 60 people, unbelievably the only pub in St Ives with this facility. It's a major attraction for visitors who want to while away the afternoon watching the world go by. Food is served from breakfast to Supper, with a full European choice of breakfasts, covering the whole spectrum including smoked haddock, mackerel and kippers to their famous 'Engish kingsize' with local sausages and bacon. The large main menu covers lunch and dinner with a vast choice from grazing and sharing plates through sandwiches and baguettes, pasta and salads to more substantial mains such as steaks and a full choice of fish including a famous fish pie. The buying policy makes good use of local producers' meats and vegetables but the star of course is the locally landed fish, dropped into the pub daily by merchant Mathew Stevens and some of the day boats skippered by the pub's customers. The regularly changing specials are a chance for the chefs to use their creativity and skills to produce restaurant quality food -- take the seafood risotto with prawns, smoked haddock and rope grown mussels (£7.95) and the very popular half lobster simply grilled with herb butter and Cornish new potatoes and salad (from £14.95, or you can upgrade to a bottle of pinot Grigio and pay £20).
Drinks feature local brewery Sharps from Rock who provide their Doombar real ale and Thatchers Cider. Other ales include Old Speckled Hen and Ruddles county. Lagers from Budweiser, Fosters Stella and Kronenbourg. The wine list of 30 bins features house wines from £7.95, a good selection of new world, including an unusual sparkling Shiraz at £15.95.
The Sloop Inn
St Ives
Cornwall
Tel: 01736 796584
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