St Austell Brewery Awards Night

What a great night SOH and I had at the St Austell Awards dinner and dance last week, held at the Headlands Hotel in Newquay. Firstly the location was absolutely stunning! I have been very fortunate to stay at some fabulous hotels, and I have to say this will rate as one of the best. We had a'budget' room ( we figured only needed a bed to sleep off the night!!) and it was really superb.......... the other rooms must have been amazing. I think we'll remember this hotel for if we ever need a 'special event' hotel!?!?

I think there were about 280 people at the bash, and were very pleased to have Jim Sloan on our table - he's our area manager. He also made for great company on the night as he was sat directly to my left and from what I can remember (!) we had a good old laugh! There were also several other new tenants / managers as well as a chap who does work for the brewery on our table. All of them thoroughly nice people and they made for a great mix.


Several glasses of champagne kick started the evening for me (I always get so nervous these days at big do's!) followed by plentiful wine and great food. Then the awards - which was the whole purpose of the evening. No awards for us this year - you have to have been in place for a year - but next year? Well, who knows? Speeches were mercifully short - but punchy and funny. James Staughton the MD was very good, and I felt the brewery is in safe and strong hands, he spoke from the heart as did Adam Luck the overall manager - another really nice man, who loves the business and is a great ambassador for the brewery.


I have to say the best for me was a chap called Phil Dixon - he works for the BII but is also a consultant for our industry - and if truth be told I did groan slightly when I knew he was doing a speech as I've heard him a handful of times now and he tends to be a bit 'samey', but on that evening, he was incredibly funny, earthy and disarmingly honest.......... I thought he made a great evening fantastic!!! (sorry the photo's a bit blurry) There then followed much more drinking, and I seem to remember us tottering to our room after midnight - me with shoes in hand giggling quietly!


Breakfast the next morning watching the atlantic ocean waves break on to the shore was just magical.

My lasting impression? A fabulous night and I'm really glad we're working with St Austell brewery........... all of the people we have met, right from James to the draymen are fantastic, all of them have made us both feel very much part of a unique team, and both Tim and I look forward to our continued relationship.

Next big event on the horizon - SOS - a national fundrainsing event for the RNLI - and we are hosting Salcombe's event. Friday 30th January - SIZZLE OUR SAUSAGES.......................bring it on.........