St Austell and Harbour reveal joint venture for new venue

A joint venture between Cornish breweries St Austell and Harbour will see the businesses opening a new beer venue together in Charlestown.

The site, named New Harbour Beer House, will be opening its doors this summer and follows St Austell Brewery taking a minority share in Harbour Brewing Co in 2022.

The venue, previously known as the Harbourside Inn, will be fully-owned by St Austell Brewery and is currently undergoing refurbishment after the building suffered extensive damage last January due to a fire which broke out at the neighbouring Pier House, also owned by St Austell Brewery.

The Harbour Beer House will be positioned as a “go-to place to experience regular new and exclusive beers from Harbour, alongside much-loved favourites and limited-edition cask specials from St Austell Brewery” and will also serve freshly-made pizzas and house takeaway fridges, “so beer lovers can choose packaged brews – from breweries further afield – to enjoy at home”.

Speaking about the new joint venture, Harbour Brewing founder Eddie Lofthouse said: “We’re so excited to be announcing the news about the beer house, in partnership with our friends at St Austell Brewery. We’re looking forward to bringing the Harbour brand to life in this new venue, and what better location than Charlestown? We’ll be sharing more with our beer fans about what’s in store in the run up to opening night.”

St Austell Brewery area manager Helen Sprason explained: “We’re totally transforming the space and breathing new life into the building following the fire which was devastating for our teams at the Pier House and Harbourside, as well as the local community. Harbour Beer House will be all about top tasting beers and showcasing amazing breweries, both here in the South West and beyond. It’s exciting to be working with Harbour to introduce a new experience for Charlestown, which is already such a vibrant, popular destination for locals and visitors alike.”

Sprason added: “We’re looking for new team members to join us at the Harbour Beer House. If you’ve got a passion for beer, and you’re on the hunt for a new role in hospitality, we’d love to hear from you.”

The Pier House is now closed for a major refurbishment and will also reopen its doors this summer. St Austell Brewery has revealed that it has been meeting with Charlestown locals regularly over the past year to keep the community updated on the historic and much-loved pub and plans to restore it to its former glory.

Last year, St Austell unveiled plans to bring its beer brands and entire wholesale portfolio to South Wales as part of a major expansion. St Austell Brewery has been brewing beer and selling wine in Cornwall for over 170 years and has a network of six depots across the West Country and is the region’s leading wholesale distributor of beers, wines, spirits, ciders, minerals, and soft drinks with over 3,000 free trade customers.