Landmark Cornwall coastal inn and microbrewery The Driftwood Spars is up for sale – for a cool £3.25m.
The historic inn occupying a prime position on the north Cornish coast - is looking for a new custodian to sail it into the next phase of its long and illustrious history.
As well as the ‘brewpub’ itself, which features several characterful bar and restaurant areas, the freehold listing includes 15 letting bedrooms, a large private car park, and an outdoor hospitality space known as The Crib Shack - all overlooking spectacular Trevaunance Cove, St Agnes.
The characterful coastal inn is also a popular wedding and live music venue, hosting several ‘mini festivals’ each year.
The Driftwood Spars Brewery is located just across the road and produces a range of traditional and contemporary handcrafted beers, all of which are tested gluten free; the brew kit comprises a 5 brewers barrel kit plus a pilot kit for smaller, experimental batches.
The pub and brewery are set to be marketed by commercial property specialists Charles Darrow for a guide price of £3,250,000.
Jon Clyne, Director of Charles Darrow, said: “We’re extremely proud to have been entrusted with the sale of one of Cornwall’s most iconic inns. With many years of careful independent ownership and several streams of income, the pub, hotel, and microbrewery is being sold on a sound financial footing but there’s also scope for growth under passionate and dynamic new ownership.”
Under current Landlady, Louise Treseder, The Driftwood Spars has played a vital role in the local community, raising money for good causes and acting as a hub for village clubs, events, and celebrations.
Louise says: “I’ve made the extremely difficult decision to put the pub on the market because I want to dedicate more time to my other responsibilities and interests. My ambition is to find new owners who understand what the pub means to the local community, and who will be able to preserve its soul while reimagining it for the next generation.”
Louise, who has been Landlady since 2007, has many achievements under her belt, including winning armfuls of awards for The Driftwood Spars Brewery beers, championing traditional British brewing, driving forward major green improvements in a historic building, and successfully steering the pub through the COVID-19 pandemic.
She has also been a proactive advocate for sustainable tourism, local housing, and community services.
The new custodians will inherit a thriving, multi-faceted business which is well-known across Cornwall and beyond as a destination for memorable breaks right on the South West Coast Path, for serving great local food, for pouring well-kept handcrafted beer, and of course for offering a warm Cornish welcome.
In the meantime, Louise says it’s business as usual: “I’ve taken care to explain to my amazing team the reasons behind this decision, and that nothing will change in the short term. We’ll continue to operate as usual and none of our existing wedding, room, music, or food bookings will be affected. If anyone has any questions or concerns, they are welcome to speak to me directly.”
In a personal message from Landlady Louise Treseder posted on Facebook she said it was a really difficult decision to make. She said: “Right, deep breath. Here goes… I’ve made the extremely difficult decision to put the pub and brewery on the market. There, I’ve said it!
“It's something I’ve been considering for a while now and, after losing my dear Dad last year, it feels like the right time to prioritise my other responsibilities and interests.
“After telling my amazing staff team yesterday, we’re now informing the wider community around the pub – which is massive and frankly feels like an extended family.
“I want to reassure everyone – staff, suppliers, regulars and all future bookings - that nothing will change in the immediate future. It’s business as usual, and I plan to go out on a high with a great summer of fun, food, beer, sea swims, and laughter.
“My ambition is to find new owners who understand what the pub and brewery mean to the local community, and who will be able to preserve its soul while reimagining it for the next generation. It’s a great opportunity, and this gem of a place – a diamond in the rough some might say – is worthy of new and loving owners.
“If you’d like to find out more about the sale, visit the pub’s blog here: https://driftwoodspars.co.uk/deep-breath-we-have-big-news/
“There’ll be lots more to say and many personal goodbyes in the future (although I’m planning on haunting Trevaunance Cove itself for a long time yet!) But for now, I look forward to seeing you over the next few months. There’ll be lots of tears. I think I’ll need to keep hydrated to get through this.”
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