The Driftwood Spars, Trevaunance Cove, St. Agnes

It was dark when I arrived here at this coastal pub. Presumably you can normally see the sea. But it was pitch black! The atmosphere was cosy and the staff were friendly. It's the kind of pub that I could settle down in for a full evening session, which is unusual for me, as I normally like to be on the move. The pub consists of a traditional bar, with a larger more functional space up a few stairs. I sat in this room, along with a family who were playing board games. A separate restaurant can be found on the first floor, along with rooms. The pub has its own Driftwood Spars brewery, along with an offshoot called Cove. As such, most beers were produced on site - Cove Seaberry & Stippy Stappy & Driftwood Spars Gold & Bolsters Blood were all on. Guests were Atlantic Azores & Otter Amber. My Bolsters Blood was a porter, which turned out to be my favourite beer of the day. No real cider was offered, but there are a couple of keg options. Staff were very friendly and talkative and without the one main sticking point, the Driftwood Spars would have been my favourite pub of my 2-day visit to Devon & Cornwall. The sticking point was the pub car park, which is just over the road. Why on earth should it be pay and display? I could only stop for a half, as I was driving and ended up paying an additional £1.20 parking fee. I could understand it during the daytime in the summer, but not on a late November midweek evening. Bar staff knew nothing about a refund for customers. But the previous reviewer suggests you need to spend at least £10 to reclaim the fee. The staff did proffer me a piece of paper which could somehow have averted the car park fee. But I had already paid. So this was no use. A very good pub that is well worth the visit. Could have been an excellent visit without the penny-pinching car park fees.

Something of a legend, the Driftwood Spars features a row of old stone buildings converted into pub, restaurant and hotel, with the brewery and brewery shop just across the road. An overspill 'shack' in the beer garden also dispenses beer and food and has an amusing upstairs 'terrace'. The pub itself has one busy bar with aged woodwork and nautical junk, with an adjoining large room used for entertainments. The restaurant is upstairs. Beers included several of their own brews and various others, mainly from Cornwall, also a cider or two. Can get ridiculously busy but well worth a visit. Note that parking is charged, refundable against purchases of £10 or more.

FREEHOUSE OF THE YEAR 2011 (AGAIN) Pub, Hotel, Brewery. Fine selection of beers and ciders in the bar usually with 3 of there own. Beer garden accross the road from the bar. Bar snacks and a restaurant. Staff pleasent and friendly well worth a visit.