One of Cornwall’s jewels has been crowned Pub of the Year at the Cornwall Tourism Awards 2010 – just 15 months after the new managers took over.

The Pandora Inn at Restronguet, near Falmouth, now goes through to represent the county at the South West Regional Awards and ultimately the National Excellence Awards.

Steve and Diane Franks say they are over the moon with their win, dedicating it to the support they receive from the pub’s tenant John Milan and the team of staff at the Pandora.

“The Pandora is a jewel of a pub and it’s an honour to look after it,” said Steve. “To be named Cornwall’s Pub of the Year after just 15 months is fantastic. It recognises that we are doing things right.

“It truly is a team effort and we’d like to thank our wonderful staff and our head chef Dale McIntosh, who started here on the same day as us.

“If people are coming to the pub to spend their hard earned money then it’s up to us to give them the warmest welcome possible and great value for money.”

The waterside pub, part of St Austell Brewery’s 174-strong estate and operated by multiple tenant, John Milan, beat off stiff competition from two other Brewery pubs – The Golden Lion at Stithians Lake, which took silver and the Rashleigh Arms at Charlestown, which won bronze.

Adam Luck, St Austell Brewery’s Estate Director, said: “This is a fabulous achievement for John, Steve and Diane and we are delighted their hard work has been recognised.

"We are proud to say that this year for the first time all three pubs shortlisted in the Cornwall Tourism Awards are part of the St Austell Brewery estate, and would also like to congratulate the teams at the Golden Lion and the Rashleigh Arms for their successes.”