The Old Success, Penzance

Official site of The Old Success - www.oldsuccess.co.uk

Official site of The Old Success - www.oldsuccess.co.uk

A medium-sized bar in a large building with accommodation which feels a bit more like a restaurant than a pub, being brightly decorated and largely geared up to holidaymakers eating. There is also much outdoor seating, both at ground level and up on a raised terrace patio. Beers from St Austell seemed in fair condition though.

This is a St Austell ran hotel, restaurant and pub, which has a patio area and a high terrace with excellent views over the cove - but as we don't have Summers anymore the only residents were gulls. The place claims to be a 17th century inn, but whatever the truth, the late Victorian pub was swallowed-up by the current building which dates to the early 20th century, when the village began to expand significantly. The place is in Georgian style, with its sash and dormer windows, and is in cream with light blue paintwork. Entry is via a glass dominated porch. The pub room (the Victorian Old Success Inn) is an L-shaped room on two levels, but now extended at the front from its Victorian days. This room is in white, with a beam ceiling. Old local photos are on the walls along with a large ship's wheel feature. There is a stone fireplace at one end and settles accompany general chairs and tables for seating. I didnt see the restaurant room, and we didn't eat, so can't comment on that. The large TV was on, showing general daytime stuff, while the radio provided the background music at a decent level. The service was OK and there were a few people in, all eating in the bar room. Beer; usual tap stuff with Korev lager. On handpull there was Proper Job, Tribte and HSD - i tried the lager for a change which was Ok, and the HSD, which was fine. It just felt like a run-of-the-mill palce to me - happy i popped in for one, but one (2 halves!) was sufficient.

Met up with friends for a meal in this pub and it was very busy lunchtime leaving us with seating that was not really adequate. Food was not cheap, but was well presented. Steak and ale pie was mainly mushrooms though. Had a decent St Austell HSD.