Merchants Manor in Falmouth has two new reasons to celebrate - it has just received a full marriage licence for its new Summer House and has launched its new restaurant, Rastella, which is Cornish for grill.

The new Summer House has been built in the hotel’s gardens which means whole wedding ceremonies can be conducted alfresco in sub-tropical surroundings. “With views out over the bay it is difficult to imagine a better place to say ‘I do,’" said hotel owner Sioned Rudlin. "Our beautiful new Summer House seats up to eight allowing the marriage party and registrars to be under cover with up to a 100 guests seated in the garden.”

The latest wedding license addition means couples can now choose from four licensed, versatile spaces for their ceremony at Merchants Manor. The Library is an elegant, stylish setting for an intimate gathering of up to 20; the Brasserie accommodates up to 60 and the Trelawney Suite is the choice for a larger wedding reception, accommodating up to 200.

Meanwhile, intense heat provided by a wood-fired stove called Bertha, lies at the heart of the Rastella menu. “We wanted to explore something different,” said chef patron Hylton Espey. “We are dedicated to using the very best ingredients, at their best time of the year and all from individual farmers and fishermen. But we wanted to go further.

"The intense heat and the variety of flavours that the Bertha stove allows us to produce, from both charcoal and different woods, means we can develop a style of our own. We think of it as a sign of respect to our ingredients to use this fantastic equipment to produce exceptional food. Not flashy or contrived, but exceptional every time.”

Owner Nick Rudlin added: “We want Rastella at Merchants Manor to be seen as somewhere worth making a journey to – but at the same time we are an hotel. The name Rastella means grill in Cornish, we are a place to dine fine not fine dine, we work with local producers including a butcher, fisherman and forager to source wild food. So, while the food is of a standard that

would be remarkable anywhere, the service is knowledgeable but relaxed.”