Somerset County Cricket Club has just signed their biggest ever title sponsorship deal with South West company St Austell Brewery who have been brewing in Cornwall since 1851.

St Austell Brewery is a family owned brewer, pub company and the South West’s largest wholesale distributor of beers, ciders, wines, spirits and soft drinks. Already heavily involved with sponsoring rugby across the region, this is St Austell’s first venture into the world of first class cricket. 

A St Austell Brewery employee has become the first accredited Beer Sommelier in Cornwall.

Marc Bishop, who works as trade marketing manager at the Brewery, joins one of only 29 qualified Beer Academy Sommeliers in the world with his new title.

St Austell Brewery paid tribute to its pub estate last night (Thursday January 31) and rewarded the successes of those at the helm of its south west network of pubs and inns. 

The annual event, hosted at the Great Western Hotel in Newquay, brought together more than 300 St Austell Brewery tenants, managers, industry sponsors and staff from across the region. 

The Barbican’s Ship Inn has fought off nation-wide competition to secure a place in the finals of a fish and chip award.

 It’s one of only three places in the country to be shortlisted in the National Pub Food Challenge 2013. The new awards are designed to celebrate the very best British pub food and aim to showcase pub menus’ must have dishes.