Louise Bettesworth is a stalwart of the Nansledan business scene – her company, Newquay Holiday Lettings, was one of the first commercial tenants to move in six years ago. But when the time came to kick back and relax of an evening, she sensed an opportunity.
“We wanted a place to go after work, as did everyone,” she recalls. “We’d hear rumours about how a pub might be opening, but that’s still in the pipeline, and while some of the cafés had licenses, they weren’t open in the evenings except for special occasions, which were incredibly popular. We loved attending them, because they made us feel like part of the Nansledan community.”
Eventually, the answer became obvious: let’s create something ourselves. Jackson’s opened in Kew An Lergh in mid-May, and has been doing a roaring trade ever since. “I’d been thinking about opening somewhere for a few years and decided the time was now,” says Louise. “I’d never pulled a pint before, but I thought: why not?”
In fact, Louise had studied aviation and air travel and worked as an overseas holiday rep, followed by stints at airports in Birmingham and Newquay, the latter as airport ground manager. Her love of travel had enabled her to “drink a lot of wine around the world,” and fostered a keen interest in hospitality and customer service.
The feedback has been everything she hoped for. “People have said, ‘Thank you for opening this – we needed it,’,” she beams.
“I wanted a safe place for people to go – a lot of people move here alone, in search of new beginnings and in need of community. That’s happening – they are meeting neighbours they haven’t spoken to before, because they didn’t have the confidence. Some come back on their own to meet more people, and as they make friends, they stay longer.”
At the bar, 42 different wines are available in three sizes, starting at £5 a glass, plus four Proseccos. Sharp’s Atlantic pale ale and Cold River Cider are poured on draft alongside Madri lager and Guinness, plus bottled tipples including zero and gluten-free beer. Add cocktails, spirits and all manner of non-alcoholic options, and you’re spoilt for choice.
Food is served after 5.30pm, and kitchen limitations led Louise to focus on a cold offer: cheese boards and charcuterie, with an emphasis on Cornish produce, accompanied by locally sourced fruit and veg.
The vibe is distinctly Mediterranean: “We play all different types of music, but the most popular seems to be Spanish, which makes people feel like they are somewhere else, and country!” A big screen has come into its own with the summer’s sporting events, from Euro 2024 to the Olympics.
The desire to launch a family concern that could be handed on was also a driving force. Louise’s son Kenzie, 20, is running the bar while she looks after the business side. “Kenzie was looking for something he really enjoyed doing, and this really ticks that box,” she says. “I’m very hands on and front of house now, but I plan to step back.”
The bar is currently open Wednesday and Thursday from 5pm to 11pm, and from Friday and Saturday from 2pm to 11pm and on Sunday from 2pm to 9pm. Quizzes and acoustic sets are imminent, with speed dating also on the cardsand, when closed, the venue is available for private events for 20+ people.
Named in memory of the Bettesworths’ beloved big red Dobermann, who died two years ago, Jackson’s is extremely dog-friendly, with a jar of dog treats at the bar (well-behaved pooches, on leads and not on seats, please). Children are also welcome before 9pm.
Having initially focused on a hyper-local clientele, word is inevitably spreading. “We wanted to give residents the chance to have seats, and we were busy enough without pushing the advertising outside Nansledan,” says Louise. “We’ve only just started taking reservations, and news is filtering out into Newquay.”
But community will always be at the heart of Jackson’s. “We enjoy being here,” says Louise. “It’s not like work, more like meeting up with friends.”
