West Country

Five Degrees West

Falmouth, Cornwall

The secret of success for hostelries in popular tourist towns lies in maintaining trade when the holidaymakers are long gone. Five

Degrees West in Falmouth achieves this

and more.

It's easy to see why the St Austell Brewery-managed house has established itself as popular venue throughout the year.

Oozing with style

It oozes style in every direction, from the furniture and fittings to the drinks and food offerings. Although its decor is uncompromisingly modern, the bar is popular with all age groups due to the relaxing atmosphere and excellent customer service.

Under Justine Stockton's leadership, Five Degrees West passed the £750,000 turnover mark last year, with food sales advancing by 22% and drink sales by 18%.

Looking for new ideas

Justine says part of this success comes from "always looking for new ideas or new trends" and "listening to customer feedback", as well as emphasising Cornish produce.

"Ninety-eight percent of our food is from Cornwall and the other 2% from Devon.

"We even have local people making cakes at home for us," she says.

To differentiate Five Degrees West from the opposition, food is served every day from noon until 10pm.

"Most of the places in Falmouth don't cater for late diners or for families who prefer to eat later on in the afternoon," Justine says.

Developing staff careers

The venue's premium-bar status is also evident in the drinks offering. Premier beer, wine and spirits brands are the norm - not house brands. Additionally, Five Degrees West has been accredited with a Beautiful Beer award for its quality of ales and lagers.

Another key element is that members of staff are kept on all year round, not just

employed for the tourist season.

"It gives them an opportunity to develop their careers. We regularly have interactive role-plays where someone will act as a customer - they've paid dividends in keeping up standards of service," Justine explains.

Justine says she gets a real buzz out of "the number of people who go up to the chefs or other members of staff to thank them before they leave".