St Austell awards managers of the year

Alan and Sue Fern of The Fort, Newquay and Eddie and Lisa Hoogervost of Tyacks Hotel, Camborne shared the 'Managers of the Year' award at the St Austell Brewery Estate Awards this month.

The family-run St Austell brewery is one of Cornwall's longest established companies running 150 pubs across Cornwall and Devon. Over 200 company staff, tenants and managers attended the event, at The Hotel Bristol in Newquay.

"It was a complete and utter surprise," said Alan Fern, who has run the Fort for six years.

"It's getting harder with all the new competition, but it just goes to show that if you have standards, you can get through. It's a team effort though and I've got a great one here."

In the other awards, 'Tenants of the Year' went to Glyn and Julie Price of The Carlyon Arms, St Austell, while John and Sally Daniels of The Cornish Arms won the highly coveted 'Cask Ale Pub of the Year' in the tenants' category. Nick Evans, of The Cromwell Arms, Bovey Tracey scooped the award in the manager's category.