Couple set to cut loose from Nelson's

After owning and operating Nelson's Restaurant in the idyllic Cornish fishing village of Polperro, near Looe, for 30 years, Peter and Betty Nelson are now looking forward to retirement and have placed their business on the market with the Exeter office of agents Christie & Co. The couple has established an excellent reputation for offering fine food and hospitality in an unusual nautical setting. The extensive menus include the best of fresh produce available on a daily basis, including a variety of locally caught fish and shellfish. Polperro is the archetypal Cornish fishing village and a magnet for tourists. Its narrow lanes of whitewashed cottages wind down to a pretty harbour lined with artists' studios, craft shops, hotels, inns and restaurants. Pilchard fishing was historically the chief occupation of the village since the 13th century and today the harbour is still a working port. Alongside the many pleasure craft, the fishing boats can be seen unloading their catch at high tide. The name of Polperro means "St Peter's Pool" and the River Pol runs through the village. Nelson's Restaurant is situated immediately beside the river, about 150 yards from the harbour, right in the heart of the village at Saxon Bridge and directly opposite the village green. The building itself was erected in 1937 on a site formerly occupied by three 17th-century cottages. Betty and Peter established the present restaurant in 1973 and added the Cellar Bar and Brasserie in 1994. The property comprises a 40-cover Restaurant, the 40-cover Cellar Bar and Bistro, well-equipped commercial kitchen and spacious owner's accommodation with four-bedrooms, lounge/dining room, kitchen and two bathrooms. The owner's accommodation also has a small, enclosed paved patio area. Paul Ranger, of Christie & Co, said: "Freehold licensed restaurants in idyllic Cornish locations like Polperro very rarely come onto the market. Polperro is one of the south west's property hotspots and highly sought after, offering an idyllic location, picturesque village and harbour, unspoilt countryside. Nelson's Restaurant will appeal to a number of prospective buyers looking for a business which combines a highly desirable lifestyle." Christie & Co is seeking £765,000 for the freehold interest in Nelson's.