Star Inn, Penzance

Star Inn site - starcrowlas.blogspot.co.uk

Star Inn site - starcrowlas.blogspot.co.uk

A super ale drinkers pub within an easy bus trip of Penzance - the bus stop is pretty much outside. Five good ales on during my visit including a mild and all of them weren't the usual Cornish suspects, which made for a nice change. Home to the Penzance Brewery and there were a couple of theirs on. Beers were well-kept and the barman was knowledgeable, if in a gruff way. It's a fair size inside with a decent atmosphere too in the evening. The interior décor has little to note beyond some old pump clips, I suspect that it's a knocked-through pub. Pool and darts available. Wished I had stayed for longer, would recommend to anyone staying in Penzance or St Ives.

Situated on the A30, a couple of miles out of Penzance, The Star is a large, stone-built, roadside pub, with a semi open-plan interior. Featuring a centrally located bar, it has a large collection of beer mats and pump clips and is surrounded by slate flooring. To the right there’s an area that houses a pool table and dartboard and a small raised carpeted section that is enclosed by a slightly imposing arrangement of wooden beams and pillars, as Roger rightly comments. To the left of the bar, there are two rooms. One looks to be for the use of diners only and the other appears to be a function room (cordoned off during our visit.) Décor is largely based on contrasting green and white artex, lit by Tiffany / stained- glass lamps and softened by wall-mounted agricultural implements, plus the odd bit of horse tack. Six pumps were on the go during our visit, a mix of the pub’s own Penzance beers and guests from further afield. We tried Penzance Potion No.9 and Pardoe’s Dark Swan and both were very good. Unfortunately, the Liverpool Organic Brewery’s IPA seemed to be on the turn, possibly not getting a decent turnover due to its high strength? I found the landlord / barman to be friendly and welcoming and the locals willing to engage in a bit of banter at the bar. Although fairly quiet when we called late afternoon, it still felt relaxed rather than oppressive. I rather liked The Star; probably because it was the first Cornish pub I’d been into that felt like a proper, beer-led, community local and not merely a tourist honey pot. Would definitely call in again, if staying in the area. Recommended.

A proper Pub with Its own Brewery, Good qty beer.