The Cricket Inn

What The Cricket Inn does

The Cricket Inn is a family-owned pub, restaurant, and bed-and-breakfast operating from a single site at Beesands, a seaside village between Kingsbridge and Dartmouth on the South Devon coast. The premises dates from 1867 and has been owned by the Heath family since 2001; Scott and Rachael Heath currently serve as Landlord and Landlady following the succession from Nigel and Rachel Heath in March 2019. The business comprises three core products: 7 refurbished boutique bedrooms (5 with sea views over Start Bay, awarded AA 4 Gold Stars) priced from £155-£210 per night; an AA Rosette-awarded seafood-focused restaurant and bar serving à la carte, Sunday lunch, and breakfast; and a year-round events programme including live music, tasting nights, and ticketed special occasions. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the website (thecricketinn.com), a dedicated booking portal (book.thecricketinn.com), telephone reservations, and walk-in trade.

The company's revenue model blends transaction-based food and beverage with recurring-style accommodation revenue (typically 2-night minimums on weekends) plus supplementary income from an online shop selling gift vouchers (£5-£50), branded merchandise, and event tickets. Pricing is published in GBP with credit card deposits (25%) and balances taken 30 days prior; a discretionary 10% gratuity is applied to table service. The technology footprint is modest: WordPress with the Modern Events Calendar plugin for content and ticketing, Stripe for payments, Dish Cult for restaurant bookings, Eventbrite for festival tickets, and standard calendar (iCal/Google/Outlook) integrations. There is no proprietary technology, no app, and no AI/ML capability.

The Heath family also operates The Church House Inn, a sister pub acquired in 2018, giving a two-property portfolio under common ownership. The Cricket Inn has accumulated multiple industry awards (AA Rosette, AA 4 Gold Stars, AA Pick of the Pubs, AA Breakfast Award, Taste of the West Gold 2022/2023, Devon Tourism Awards Gold for both Pub and B&B in 2023, South West Tourism Excellence Awards Gold for Best Pub, Muddy Stilettos Best Destination Pub, Food Drink Devon Gold) and depends on a curated network of local suppliers including third-generation shell fisherman Alan Steer, S&J Fisheries, Salcombe and Dartmouth gins, Otter and Salcombe breweries, and Salcombe Dairy. The customer base is fragmented across coastal leisure travellers, food-led diners, families, and the local Beesands community.

Name

The Cricket Inn

Legal name

The Cricket Inn

Website

https://thecricketinn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Cricket Inn is a family-owned pub, AA Rosette restaurant, and 7-bedroom boutique bed-and-breakfast in Beesands, South Devon, serving coastal leisure travellers, food-led diners, and the local community with direct online booking and an award-winning seafood-focused offering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Services

NAICS

Bed-and-Breakfast Inns (721191), Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Food Services and Drinking Places (722)

SIC

Hotels & Motels (7011), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Country Inns & Rural B&Bs (THAGAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hotel & Resort Restaurants (THAFACAH), Neighborhood & Sports Bars (THAFAEAA)

Keywords

• Seaside pub
• Bed and breakfast
• AA rosette dining
• Coastal hospitality
• Family-run inn

Headquarters

HQ city

Beesands, Kingsbridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Bed and Breakfast Accommodation: Seven newly refurbished boutique bedrooms with rates from £155-£210 per night including breakfast. Dinner, bed and breakfast package available at £50 additional per night with £60 restaurant credit.
2. Restaurant and Bar: AA Rosette awarded seafood-inspired restaurant serving à la carte, Sunday lunch, breakfast, and special event menus. Full bar with local ales, gins, and wines.
3. Shop and Merchandise: Online shop selling gift vouchers (£5, £20, £50), branded merchandise (hoodies £50, candles £15, reed diffusers £20), the Beesands Book (£12), and event tickets.
4. Events and Experiences: Ticketed events including anniversary parties (£5), crab picking tutorials (£20), Chinese New Year dinners (£35), and Christmas wreath workshops (£50).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Cricket Inn is a family-owned seaside pub and bed & breakfast in Beesands, South Devon, providing seven en-suite guest rooms and an AA Rosette-rated restaurant serving locally sourced food and traditional ales. The establishment operates as a traditional hospitality venue combining overnight accommodation, a public bar, and full-service dining.

Product overview

The Cricket Inn is a family-run multi-award-winning seaside pub and B&B located in Beesands, South Devon. The business operates as a unified hospitality offering comprising three interconnected core products: (1) Bed and Breakfast Accommodation — 7 newly refurbished rooms named after famous cricketers and cricket grounds, awarded 4 AA Gold stars, featuring New England-style boutique interiors with Smart TVs and Nespresso machines; (2) Restaurant and Bar — AA Rosette-awarded seafood-focused dining with daily fresh fish and shellfish deliveries from local fishermen, featuring signature dishes like the seafood pancake; and (3) Events and Functions — a year-round events programme including live music, tasting nights, festivals, and private hire. Supplementary revenue streams include an online shop selling gift vouchers (£5/£20/£50), branded merchandise (hoodies, candles, reed diffusers), seasonal room packages (2 nights for price of 3, dinner bed and breakfast add-on), and event ticket sales. The business emphasises local provenance, sustainability, and community engagement across all offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bed and Breakfast Accommodation Seven en-suite guest bedrooms awarded AA 4 Gold Stars, offering overnight stays with breakfast for leisure travellers visiting the South Devon coast.
• AA Rosette Restaurant Full-service restaurant serving locally sourced Devon produce, traditional British dishes, and regional ales, awarded an AA Rosette for culinary quality. Open to both hotel guests and walk-in diners.
• Public Bar

Quantifiable outcome

• AA Rosette awarded for cooking excellence
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alan & Winkie Steer (Shell Fishermen)coreOthersThird-generation shell fishermen providing daily fresh seafood deliveries including trawling lobster, crab, and hand-dived scallops. Sustainability prioritized under The Inshore Potting Agreement. Alan Steer also hosts crab picking tutorials at the inn.
• S&J FisheriescoreOthersFamily-owned fish supplier based in Plymouth since 1985. Provides daily fresh fish for both à la carte menu and daily specials. All fish sourced in a traceable and responsible manner.
• Dartmouth Gin (Dartmouth Distillery Company)minorOthersProduces Dartmouth English Gin using botanicals sourced globally with fresh herbs, flowers, and fruit from Calancombe Estate in South Devon. Have installed 20kw of solar panels to offset carbon footprint.
• Salcombe Gin (Salcombe Distilling Co.)minorOthersMulti-award-winning gin distilled in Salcombe, inspired by coastline and shipbuilding heritage. Stock variety including Start Point, Rosé Sainte Marie, and alcohol-free London Light.
• Devonia WaterminorOthersOnly UK water company that washes and reuses glass bottles. Bottled at source near Beeson and Beesands, a stone's throw from the inn. Reduces carbon footprint by up to 16 times.
• Otter BreweryminorOthersDevon-based brewery named after River Otter. Uses best quality malting barley and water drawn from own wells. Pride themselves on never compromising quality.
• Salcombe BreweryminorOthersBased in Kingsbridge, brewing award-winning beers since September 2016. Unique brewhouse built on decommissioned water reservoir. Heritage range, craft Discovery range, and limited editions.
• St Austell BreweryminorOthersProudly independent, family-owned business based in Cornwall since 1851. Portfolio of more than 190 pubs, inns, and hotels across West Country. Owner of The Cricket Inn.
• Owens CoffeeminorOthersBased in Ivybridge with focus on sustainable supply chain relationships. Uses 100% organically grown Arabica beans, Fair-trade certified, and Soil Association certified.
• Salcombe DairyminorOthersUses natural ingredients with milk from same local farm for over 40 years. Chocolate made from scratch using organic, fair-trade cocoa nibs. Vegan ice cream available.
• Rise BakeryminorOthersBased in Plymouth, sources local ingredients for baked goods. Supports local economy and reduces carbon footprint. Partners with Too Good To Go app for waste reduction.
• Tamar FreshminorOthersFamily-run business supplying high-quality local produce across Cornwall and Devon for over 30 years. Founded by Francis Barrett in 1988 with staff having over 100 years combined experience.
• The Church House InncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister pub also owned by Scott and Rachael Heath. The Church House Inn was taken over in 2018 and fully renovated into a bed and breakfast. Both pubs share ownership and brand recognition.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Gidleigh Park: Two AA Rosette luxury country house hotel in Devon with a destination restaurant. Comparable provenance-led, award-winning Devon hospitality, but at a much higher price point and larger footprint.
• The Samling Hotel: Luxury Lake District hotel with destination restaurant and panoramic views. Comparable small-room, food-led, award-positioned boutique-hotel model outside Devon — useful UK benchmark for premium coastal/nature hospitality.
• The Scarlet Hotel: Eco-luxury Cornish clifftop hotel with destination restaurant and spa. Comparable coastal-SW provenance, sustainability credentials and award-winning food positioning, but at a larger, higher-rate scale.

Direct peers

• The Cary Arms & Spa: South Devon coastal inn with boutique rooms, seafood-focused restaurant and strong food-led positioning on the South West coast. Directly comparable size, target market and offering mix.
• The Idle Rocks: Boutique coastal hotel and seafood restaurant in St Mawes, Cornwall. Comparable size (small room count), AA-style quality awards and destination-dining appeal for coastal leisure travellers.
• The Millbrook Inn: South Devon food-led pub with rooms in a rural setting, recognised for locally-sourced menus. Comparable in scale (small room count), AA-style quality positioning and seasonal coastal tourism demand.
• The Church House Inn: Sister property acquired by the Heath family in 2018 and converted into a Devon B&B. Closest comparable: same family operators, same supplier network, same coastal-village-with-food model, smaller scale.
• Driftwood Hotel: Cornwall coastal boutique hotel with award-winning seafood-led restaurant and sea-view rooms. Closest direct analogue outside Devon — same coastal B&B-plus-fine-dining model with comparable room count.
• Gara Rock: South Devon cliff-top hotel with restaurant and event space near Salcombe. Directly comparable geography, provenance-led food offering and small coastal-hotel scale.

Others

• St Austell Brewery Pub Estate: St Austell Brewery identifies as 'owner' of The Cricket Inn and operates 190+ pubs, inns and hotels across the West Country. Strategic supplier and likely freehold landlord; relevant for understanding the tenancy structure and peer estate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-cricket-inn

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Cricket Inn