Chef and restaurateur Rick Stein has confirmed he is to take over his local pub The Cornish Arms after agreeing the leasehold with the St Austell Brewery.
Stein, together with his ex-wife and business partner Jill (both pictured), will officially become leaseholders of the pub in St Merryn, just two miles from Padstow, on February 16.
Despite carving out a career as a chef Stein said he has no plans to turn the pub, which has been part of St Austell`s estate for the past 83 years, into a gastropub.
He said: “The Cornish Arms is a truly special pub which has been my local for many years so I’m very excited to have agreed the lease with St Austell Brewery. This pub has long played a vital part in St Merryn village life and I’m determined that the Cornish Arms maintains this role.
"Rather than create a gastropub or restaurant, we’ll work with St Austell Brewery and with the pub’s customers to ensure the Cornish Arms stays a welcoming, traditional community pub - which also happens to serve excellent pub food.”
The Steins have agreed a 15 year lease with the brewer, who handed over the reins of its St Kew Inn to Rick Stein`s former head chef Paul Ripley last year.