FOR a bit of banter, a good pint, a friendly welcome, and a real local feel then the King's Arms Hotel in the centre of Lostwithiel is the pub to head to.

The happy atmosphere stems from feminine power - the pub being ably run for the past seven months by Maureen Falaschi and her daughter, Tanya.

Maureen was the stewardess at St Austell football club, where she provided good food and refreshments for the players, and ensured all were kept well and happy when relaxing in the club off field.

Now she is extending her skills to the King's Arms, where she has already introduced wholesome food, from general bar snacks to roasts and other mouth-watering dishes, and special menus, such as on Mothering Sunday.

Expertise

The King's Arms currently opens at 3pm, but has longer hours on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and will open earlier from Easter, ready for the new season.

As this is the sixth St Austell Brewery pub Maureen has run she has expertise galore as regards ensuring all customers are made to feel relaxed and welcome, whether popping in for a beer, a snack, or one of her tasty meals.

The King's Arms has one bar, but this is divided into two separate rooms, one sporting a pool table, the other with a lounge atmosphere, and a television. The pub runs a men's darts team, a ladies' darts team, and pool and euchre teams who all enthusiastically play in local leagues. The ladies darts players get together on Mondays and the men's team on Fridays, while Thursdays are euchre nights, and Sundays are when pool matches are played.

Entertainment

Live entertainment is to be enjoyed on Saturdays for those who feel there is nothing better at the weekends than sitting down with a drink, and listening to a good singer in a friendly atmosphere. But entertainment is a regular facet for The King's Arms. New Year's Eve was a night to remember there - all such occasions recorded in style via a mass of photographs which adorn the walls of the pub, some taken by Maureen, others by many of the locals. A swathe of these were taken during Lostwithiel carnival procession. The 'boys' from the pub always enter the procession - about 12 of them. Not to be outdone the women are planning to enter as well this year, and at least a dozen of them are already pondering what colourful, eye-catching costumes to wear.

Maureen said many visitors do drop into the bar, but in the main the clientele at The King's Arms live locally, and within walking distance of the pub - many having made it their second home a number of years ago. She said: 'We only came at the end of last summer so this will be our first full season.'

Visitors who wish to stay in Lostwithiel, which is an excellent central site for anyone wanting to explore Cornwall, are able to take advantage of the King's Arms' four comfortable bed and breakfast rooms - which are open throughout the year.

The King's Arms was an old coaching inn, and the trough the horses used is still to be found out the back. It was a regular meeting place for Lostwithiel farmers, and upstairs it has a wonderful old long room which Maureen and her daughter would like to see restored, although it would not be a quick and easy task to do so!

'Eddie' Walkham has been a customer in The King's Arms for the past 50 years, and so has reached his golden anniversary! He called it a 'beautiful' pub, which his daughter, Gail Hicks, also enjoys visiting. It is certainly in the family blood, for Eddie's parents also met up with friends there . His mother, Kate, has a carnival cup named after her - the Menear cup.

Darts captain

Mark Tancock has not been visiting the pub for quite the same length of time as Eddie - only having propped up the bar there, on and off, for the past 35 years. A Lostwithiel resident he is captain of the men's darts team, and also plays for the euchre and pool teams.

One of the other regulars he usually meets up with is William 'Bill' Dulake, who is equally enthusiastic in his praise for all The King's Arms has to offer.

Joining in with the praise as well were Peter Wherry, who has his own comfy place by the 'lounge' bar, and Kathleen Gilbert, who is especially at home there, as she is Maureen's mother!

As it is right in the centre of town The King's Arms is a wonderful spot to choose for bed and breakfast.

Nearby is Restormel Castle , probably built around 1100. It became part of the Duchy of Cornwall estate, and was associated with Edward the Black Prince, the first Duke of Cornwall.

By the time of the Civil War the castle had fallen into disrepair, but it was still garrisoned both by the Parliamentarians and then by the Royalists.

Civil war

The church, also very near the pub, suffered from the ill-intentions of Parliamentary soldiers during the Civil War, as Lostwithiel had remained staunchly Loyalist. The church was badly damaged in 1644 when occupied by the Roundheads who are said to have christened a horse at its font.

The church, dedicated to St Bartholomew, was built in the 12th century, St Bartholomew being the patron saint of tanners, and tanning being one of the local trades in Lostwithiel in centuries gone by.