THE Carbeile Inn at Torpoint is a large pub which doubles as a popular restaurant. Owned by St Austell Brewery, the tenants are Steve and Gail Carroll, who have been landlord and lady for three years and nine months.

Steve works in the Navy as a PO aircraft handler currently based at Culdrose but will be based at Raleigh from next week. They started in the pub business as a sideline before Steve leaves the Navy at which time they would start it full time. They took over a pub in Chacewater as a starter pub and were there for two years, now they are at Carbeile and as Gail explained: 'It's so busy here Steve has got two full time jobs now!'

Gail said: 'Adam Luck from St Austell Brewery has been very supportive and has had a lot of faith in us and our ability to make this pub work.'

The pub has undergone extensive refurbishments including a large extension at the back which made a non-smoking restaurant area, and a decking area was constructed last year outside the restaurant. This looks over the large expanse of grass and children's play area.

Builder, Nigel Trubody, has been called back again and is constructing a servery by the kitchen and making partitions in a room to construct a more personal restaurant, which will be used for smoking customers. The pub also boasts a reception area, including a desk for bed and breakfast bookings, and has five en-suite rooms.

Gail explained: 'In the years that we have been here the changes have been amazing. We get a lot of regulars in.'

On a Sunday the pub provides a three course roast, with a choice of three meats, vegetarian or fish dishes and the options on the specials board. Gail explained: 'We can offer the choice of meat, vegetarian or fish dishes because that is all that we serve apart from the specials board up until 4pm.'

The pub offers a special deal that children under 10 eat free from the childrens menu with every purchase of an adult main meal. Gail said: 'We offer that deal and we can also do smaller portions off the main menu, as long as the meal is fresh to order, or can be cut in half, like a steak. We try to comply with people's requests if we are capable of doing it. We always tell people if we can do it then we will, but if we can't then we will look into why we can't.'

Restaurant

The restaurant can seat up to 85 for a function and has a small dance floor and has hosted many functions and weddings.

Gail is the cook, and is helped by Louise Carey, who has been working there for three and a half years. Louise said: 'I mainly work in the kitchen but I do help in the bar when needed. When we first started we were making about 10 meals a day, now it has gone up to 30 to 40 meals on quiet nights and Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays we can easily be doing 100 meals a day. It's a nice place to work, we all socialise together as well as working together. We go on girls' nights out, even to France and Spain! Gail and Steve have done wonders to the place and it's nice to come to work because all our friends are here.'

Steve and Gail employ 16 members of staff in total and have a good core of staff who have been with the pub since Steve and Gail took over. Gail said: 'We are very, very lucky to have such very good staff, they all come from Torpoint. We trust them and they work very well together.'

Mother of three, Joanne Ivison, from Torpoint has worked at the pub for two years in March, mostly on the bar and occasionally in the restaurant when she's needed. She said: 'When I've finished feeding and watering my husband and the kids I head off to work here. Steve and Gail are good bosses and it's nice to work here. You can always have a laugh with the customers and the regulars.'

Partners, Graham Tamblin and Lesley Bates popped into the pub for a quiet drink. Graham commented: 'We come here occasionally, it's a good family orientated place and is good for meals. In my opinion it's the only really nice family pub in the area, if you want anywhere else like this you have to go outside the town.'

Working there for three years is Gemma Day. She works behind the bar, as a waitress in the restaurant and in the kitchen doing preparation work. She said: 'I came here about six months after Steve and Gail took over.' Gemma is currently completing a Public Service Sector HND at Plymouth University and will continue on to a four year degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology from where she wants to join the police force.

On holiday from Scotland with their families were Steve Bell and Stephen Irvine who popped in for a quiet drink. Steve commented: 'It seems like a friendly enough pub, welcoming.'

The pub has a games room where darts and pool are available, and there is a gaming machine and a jukebox. It has a mixed pool team which Gail joins in with if they need an extra player.

Security guard!

The Carbeile Inn also co-sponsors a football team with Carlsberg, Carbeile FC, made up of local people and regulars from the pub. They play in the Devon Sunday League and this is their first season. Team Captain is Danny Medelin, Gemma's boyfriend, and Ian Baker is club secretary.

The Carbeile Inn has their own security guard in the form of 'Whisky', the pub dog. Whisky is a German Shepherd cross and is popular with many of the customers. He is a big dog but is an old softy when it comes to having his ears tickled! Well behaved dogs are welcomed and many regulars bring their dogs in with them.

The pub really gets into the swing of things as regards annual events and was decorated for halloween with fake cobwebs, skeletons at the windows, spiders, bats and ghosts guarding the bar and various pumps! Steve said: 'We always decorate the pub for Christmas and New Years eve and any other events.'

Several St Austell Brewery real ales are aailable, including Hicks Special Draught, a traditional Cornish strong bitter; XXXX, a traditional Cornish mild; Daylight Robbery, a golden cask ale and Celtic ale.

The history of the building is fairly sketchy. Steve and Gail have attempted to research the history for a pictorial sign. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book and was possibly a hill fort.

It is known that the building is now quarter of the size that it once was and is thought to have been a manor house or farm with land that stretched down to Carbeile Mill and was part of Antony Estate. The building was a station for Wrens during the First and Second World Wars. The name Carbeile may also be connected to a Naval man with a similar name.