The Old Coastguard to reopen next week

After seven months of renovations following a fire in June last year, the Old Coastguard in Mousehole is set to reopen from next week.

The Eatdrinksleep-owned restaurant and bar will reopen from Friday 20 March, while the Cornwall property’s 14 bedrooms will reopen on Tuesday 24 March.

Although the fire and heat damage was restricted to the kitchen and the utility and plant rooms, smoke found its way through much of the restaurant and hotel, requiring refurbishment to many of the bedrooms and carpet replacement in the hallways, overseen by decorator Coralie Rogers of Room in Hay.

The Old Coastguard has been run by brothers Charles and Edmund Inkin since June 2011 as a sister hotel to the Gurnard’s Head in nearby Zennor and the Felin Fach Griffin, near Brecon.

During the closure the team ran the Vault Kitchen pop-up restaurant in Penzance, which closed last week, and the 33-strong team has remained broadly as it was at the time of the fire, led by general manager Louis Vanhinsbergh and head chef Jamie Porter.

The Old Coastguard was named Seaside Hotel of the Year in the 2020 Good Hotel Guide.

Edmund Inkin said: “We thank our guests for being unstintingly supportive throughout this process even when our plans have been uncertain. And I do want to acknowledge our suppliers, who are impacted by their own loss of business when we close. We hope to make up for it with a busy summer.”

Charles Inkin added: “This project has been a huge one and we must particularly thank NFU Mutual. You’re never prepared for the aftermath of a fire, so their calmness has been critical in allowing us to bring the building back to life with the help of our main contractors, Symons Construction.”

Ellie Williams, the NFU Mutual agent who insured the Old Coastguard, said: “Our initial concern when we’re notified of a claim is the extent of the damage and caring for our client during a distressing time. But a responsible insurer is aware of the knock-on effects a major incident can have. We were delighted to help keep the team employed and look forward to seeing it go from strength to strength once open.”

Allianz insured the building.

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