The Queens Hotel in St Ives has opened its doors for business, after an extensive refurbishment under new tenants Neythan and Sarah Hayes.

A launch party was held on Thursday 16 June to celebrate the re-opening, with the first pint pulled by the Mayor of St Ives, Ron Tulley (pictured).

As well as offering a full range of St Austell Ales, the Queens Hotel is serving a range of home-cooked meals using local, fresh and seasonal ingredients and all for a reasonable price – every dish is under a tenner.

Chef Matt Perry bakes fresh bread daily and is currently offering specials including Tribute ale-battered fish and chips and a delicious orange drizzle cake with homemade marmalade ice cream.

Matt said: “Our motivation is two-fold; this is a pub, not a restaurant – so we serve pub food at pub prices. And we’re in Cornwall – so the kitchen uses home-grown produce where possible.”

The 5 bedroom hotel, owned by St Austell Brewery, has been fully refurbished with vintage furniture found in local auction houses and local Cornish art hanging on the walls.

New landlords Neythan and Sarah Hayes both lived and worked in London before moving home to Cornwall and taking over the Queens Hotel in early 2011.

Neythan said: “I was working as a marketing and brand director for brands like Timberland and Musto and Sarah was an editor at Walkers Children’s Books, but we were keen to run our own food business in Cornwall, and raise our family here, so we made the big move.”

“My grandparents lived in St Ives, so it was a natural choice to come here. Running the Queens Hotel is a brilliant opportunity for us and we look forward to getting to know all our locals.”

Adam Luck, St Austell Brewery’s Estate Director added: “Neythan and Sarah have done a fantastic job of refurbishing the hotel, and their chef has created an exciting menu offering great value for money. The Queens Hotel is a great pub and I am sure Neythan and Sarah will do a fantastic job of running it.”

For more information about the Queens Hotel, visit www.queenshotelstives.com or call 01736 796468