A glittering gala dinner and awards evening hosted by St Austell Brewery has celebrated the dedication and hard work, of its landlords, restaurateurs and hotel managers.

The annual St Austell Brewery Estate Awards event recognised the achievements and huge effort of the people at the forefront of the Brewery's 168 inns and pubs across Cornwall, Devon and now Somerset.

The evening also celebrated the success of the last 12 months, with the family-run Brewery's pubs, staff and ales setting new standards not only across the South West, but nationally - and in the process winning some of the licensed trade's most prestigious awards.

The Estate Awards featured 16 categories ranging from the ‘Catering Excellence Business of the year' to ‘Training Team of the Year', ‘Community Pub of the Year' and ‘Pub Floral Display'. This year's ceremony also introduced awards for ‘Environmentally sustainable business of the year' and ‘Best Smoking solution'.

More than 200 people gathered at the Hotel Bristol, Newquay, to hear the winners announced.

Adam Luck, Estate Director of St Austell Brewery, said: "Our pubs are what it is all about as a brewery and these awards pay tribute to the people in the front line of providing the excellent service that is the hallmark of St Brewery houses.

"It's been a year of change for the licensed trade with the introduction of the smoking ban but our pubs and the people behind them have responded magnificently. The standards this year have been higher than ever, not just for those who have won awards but for everyone right across the St Austell Brewery estate."

Among the award winners was Manager of the Year which was awarded to John McKitterick who made the journey from the Atlantic Hotel on the Isles of Scilly to collect the award.

Licensees Drew Sanderson and Andrew Reilly from the Pedn-Olva Hotel, in St Ives, picked up the Environmentally Sustainable Business of the Year for the hotel's strong recycling policies and commitment to operating in the most environmentally friendly way possible.

Drew and Andrew said: "We were delighted to be crowned the most environmental business in the Brewery Estate. We concentrate hard on providing solutions to being as environmentally friendly as possible and continue to look at more ways to do so."

Tenants of the Year went to Peter and Anita George,MBE who run the the Yacht Inn, Penzance, the Logan Rock, Treen, and the Kings Arms at Paul. It was yet more recognition for Anita who was made an MBE in the New Year's Honours List for services to the community after years of charity fundraising, work as a health campaigner and service as a Justice of the Peace.

 The New Tenants of the Year Award went to Andy and Lisa Weatherhead at the Travellers Rest, at Trevarrian.

Community Pub of the Year was awarded to the Mount Ambrose Inn, Mount Ambrose, run by Rob Gordon.

As always there was tough competition in the food category, with the accolade for Catering Excellence (Tenancy) going to the Pandora Inn, at Restronguet Creek, for the third year in succession, and the award for Catering Excellence (Managed) going to the Lifeboat Inn, St Ives.

For the second year, Justine Stockton of 5 Degrees West, Falmouth, picked up the Marketing Business of the Year (Managed). The Golden Lion, at Menheniot was named Marketing Business of the Year (Tenancy). This came on top of their recent accolade of Pub of the Year at the Cornwall Tourism Awards in November.

The title of Training pub of the Year was presented to Ameena Williams who runs the Hop & Vine and the Seven Stars in St Austell.

Another of this year's new awards, The Best Smoking Solution was picked up by Gary Swift and Emma Hill from the Barley Sheaf in Liskeard.

Gary Swift, Licensee at the Barley Sheaf said: "We have decked the majority of the outdoor area which has provided an attractive outdoor space. The new space is proving popular with both smokers and non smokers even in the winter months and has greatly expanded the overall capacity of the pub."

The Pub Floral Display of the Year was awarded to the stunning Cornish Arms, at Hayle.