STAFF at the Cotehele Estate have welcomed a new general manager to its team.

Iain Beaumont has recently taken over as general manager, from Toby Fox who has been promoted to assistant director of operations with the National Trust.

Born and raised on the southern edge of the Peak District and having earned an archaeology degree from the University of Edinburgh, Iain is no stranger to the National Trust.

Iain said: 'I feel that preserving and sharing our historic past for future generations is absolutely vital and I'm thrilled to join an organisation where I can help deliver against its values and behaviours whilst also exploring new avenues to further bring our properties to life.'

Iain already recognises the house, garden, Barn Restaurant and the shop as the nucleus of Cotehele and where people target their visit, but one of his first projects is to review Cotehele Quay and how it integrates into the Tamar Valley.

'One of the areas that really excites me is the quay and I think we have a lot more potential there. It's set in a beautiful location and people really enjoy spending time there.

'I want to look at how we can enhance the experience for our visitors and also for the people in the local community who engage with the quay on a daily basis.

'I think Cotehele's a very warm, genuine and intriguing place. There's so much I've yet to discover.

'The people I work with are incredibly friendly, they're helpful, they're very passionate about the place; and whilst it appears to be quite a compact, snug little property tucked onto the hillside, it's actually a vast house with a 1,300 acre estate which offers a lot of variety.

'It's always a fresh challenge moving into a new role but I have absolute faith in my team who can help guide me as we take Cotehele forward into the next 20 years.'