St Austell, it depends what you are looking for. (St. Austell in General)

Member Name: melhallworth

Product:	St. Austell in General
Date:	19/06/03 (40 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Close to attractions, Brewery Tour & excellent Real Ale, Relaxing evenings & good food

Disadvantages: lack of restaurants, nothing for the children in the evening, need to plan your day around public transport if you have no car

St Austell is a very small town, but is a good base for a short visit to Cornwall's many attractions.

The town itself boasts the main Hight Street shops such as WH Smiths, Boots, Tesco, Superdrug, Burtons, the major Banks as well as a 5 screen cinema, 10 pin bowling alley, a working Brewery, take aways, pubs and cafes.

The town lacks any non-pub night life such as restaurants, but the food served in the local pubs is excellent and inexpensive. The White Heart Hotel restaurant is not now recommended by some locals as it has recently changed ownership/management and is allegedly attempting to provide services on the cheap. the Hotel's newly refurbished bar is lovely (if a little pricey), and a good place to get away from a pub atmosphere as its mix of coffee, tea, wines, lagers and beers in the comfortable cosmopolitan surroundings is a quiet and plesent way to spend an evening.

The food and surroundings of the Seven Stars pub is particularly good, serving a wide variety of daily specials of fish and meat as well as having a good vegetarian menu with large protions at reasonable rates (mains between £6-£12). it also doubles as the St Austell Brewery's historic first pub. The Stag and O'Callahans are also recommended and are owned by the same brewery. Be aware that most will stop serving food between 8 and 9pm.

By day there are a selection of shops selling pasties, cakes and sandwiches and the pubs also serve food. there are cafes, both quaint and cosmopolitan where you can get lattes, cappacino and other less cornish fare. for traditional cornish try the Thin End for cakes and teas.

The tour of the St Austell Brewery is a must for visitors, for £4 per person you get a 1 hour tour of the working brewery (not for those with mobility impairments or children) and 2 half pints of a selection of the excellent real ales from the brewery or one soft drink free at the end of the tour.

Monday is the night
to visit the 5 screen cinema as all tickets are £3.50 (usually £5) most evening screenings of the latest releases start just after 8pm.

The Bowling alley is a little expensive at £4.50 pppgame, but there for extra entertainment.

From St Austell you are within easy reach of the caost as well as The Eden Project, Truro, Gardens of Heligan and other Cornish attractions.

The Eden Project is excellent and easy to get to either driving or by the direct bus from St Austell station. the best advice is to arrive after 1pm to avoid the morning crowd as it really is MUCH quieter in the afternoon. allow at least an hour for each of the 3 biomes if not 2 and don't go without eating in their fabulous restaurant, which is quick in service and delicious in its selection of meat fish and vegetarian and vegan food from around the local area. the visitor centre and shop is stocked with local cornish produce as well as fair trade and organic foods; there is also the standard pens and keyrings and well as more unusuall things such as coasters made from recycled yogurt pots or wellies. you will be surprised at how much thought has gone into the whole place in terms of design as well as functionality for visitors - one of the best attractions i have been to as well as the most easy to visit.

St Austell is not for those looking for night life, but i would recommend it as a base for visiting Cornwall for a few days - Try Truro for more places to eat and shop.

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