TUCKED away in a side street of Saltash, lies The Two Bridges, a pub with a long history in the town.

If you walk down Albert Road, towards the waterside, you will find the pub opposite the train station which remains a popular place for locals in Saltash.

The Ushers pub is one of the oldest in the town it has the rare distinction of having cellars above the bar. The pub has undergone two name changes in its history. The pub was originally called 'The Ring Of Bells'. This is apparently due to the regular visits of the bellringers from the nearby St Nicholas and St Faith church.

Fantastic views

Between the two names, the pub also went under the title of 'The Royal Albert Bridge Inn', a fact down to the fantastic views of the Tamar and the bridge itself.

The current landlady is Janice Preston, who lives in the pub with her daughter Kate, 18.

Janice has had the bar for three years and although this is the first pub she has managed, she has worked in pubs previously, while Kate is currently attending Plymouth college of Further education, studying Advanced Health and Social care. Janice said that while the Two Bridges is a locals' pub, there is a mix of people who drink there. 'We get all ages and all professions, from builders to solicitors. It gives the pub a great atmosphere and no-one feels left out.'

The Bridges is also famed for its history of ghosts and once had the accolade of being 'The most Haunted Pub In Cornwall'.

The pub gained this title through the claims of a former landlord, who's sons saw the spectre of a woman at night.

The ghost would come into the boys' bedroom and read to them a bedtime story. In the morning, the children would then ask where the woman who read them a story was.

Janice is however a little sceptical over the presence of spirits. She said: 'Loads of people are meant to have seen the ghosts but only one strange thing has ever happened to me while I have been here.

'I heard footsteps going up the stairs, but when I shouted up to them, there was no-one there.'

Barmaid, Catherine Neal, was also a little unsure about the existence of the ghost. Catherine, a cousin to landlady Janice, said that there was no ghost in the pub and the stories were 'a load of rubbish.'

She said: 'The stories about the ghosts are not true. Since I have been here, we have only had the time with the footsteps.

The pub also boasts one of the best views, from its beer garden, in the town. Thanks to its position on the road going down to the Tamar, drinkers can see the Royal Albert Bridge and the river in detail.

Beer garden

The beer garden itself is used in summer for free barbecues for locals and regulars.

The pub also has its own pets. Janice owns four rabbits, three cats and two dogs, who live at the back of the pub. The pets are regularly seen by drinkers in the garden.

Despite not having any sport teams, the pub runs trips to a local bowling alley and according to the landlady, 'It is not uncommon to find a game of dominos going on in the bar at some stage.'

Local builder, Steve Gray, said that he loved coming to the pub because of the people he meets there.

He said: 'So many people here are my friends. We have a close group of people who drink here and everybody knows everyone else. There is rarely nothing going on and everyone gets on very well.'

He added, 'If I am working nearby, the pub is handy for lunch times and after work. It is good to come here and relax after a hard day.'

Steve was sitting next to his friend, and another regular, Bob Rogers. Bob is also involved in the pub trade; he is married to the landlady of The Railway Hotel, Saltash which was featured in the Cornish Times last month.

Personal

Bob said that as a publican it is good to find a pub where he doesn't need to worry about things. 'It is relaxing just to come and have a quiet drink. I don't have to think about what is going on, I can just come here and have a nice time.

'It is not like coming into a pub at all. It is like being invited into someone's front room. It is a very personal welcome here.

'The landlady is brilliant and the food she serves is fantastic.'

The pub also offers entertainment during the week and at weekends. On Thursday nights there is usually an evening of 'Middle of the Road' music, with bands like Queen being played, and on Sunday nights, the pub occasionally hosts a karaoke evening.

Paul Moores said that he often comes to the pub, thanks to where he lives. The telecommunications engineer lives opposite the bar with two other regulars, and this makes it easier to pay visits and to get home in the evenings.

He said: 'It is like a big family here. Everyone is welcomed into the pub, whoever they are. One of the good things is the attractive barmaids who serve you here!'

Lee Sargent is currently staying at the pub and said that one of the best things about it was the food, especially the curries.

'The curries you can get here are fantastic,' he said. 'I have drunk here for three years, since I was 18, and I love coming here. It is really relaxed and you are always welcome.'