Tamara Costin and William Speed, owners of Flushing’s Harbour House, a waterside Cornish pub, have acquired Hooked on the Rock, a seafood restaurant at Swanpool Beach in Falmouth, for an undisclosed amount. The sale was facilitated by Jeremey Beaching of SPC Property, who also represented the sale of Harbour House in 2022.
Hooked on the Rocks now becomes part of the growing portfolio of establishments run by Costin and Speed, who plan to collaborate closely with head chef Jack Frame and general manager Katie Hemmings. The restaurant is nestled into the cliffside overlooking Swanpool Beach and its nature reserve, situated on the outskirts of Falmouth.
The menu focuses on local, sustainably sourced seafood, featuring crab and lobster caught just eight miles away, Falmouth Bay scallops, and daily fish specials from Newlyn market. Speed and Costin have a personal connection to the building, as Speed’s grandmother, Wendy Shepherd, worked there in the 1960s when it was known as Swanpool Beach Café, and his aunt, Jenny Shepherd, also worked there in the ‘90s when it was called Café Mozambique.
The couple also owns two locations in Devon: Beach House, located on South Milton Sands in the South Hams, is a seafood-centric dining destination, while School House, on the Flete Estate at Mothecombe, offers brunches, lunches, and event hosting. In summer 2023, they opened their first Cornish venue, Harbour House, on the waterfront in Flushing.
Costin expressed her excitement, saying, “We fell in love with this epic location and we’re so pleased to join Jack, Katie and the team in pushing Hooked onto the next chapter. For the moment everything is business as usual and we’re looking forward to meeting all of the regular diners and customers.” Speed reflected on his connection to the area, stating, “My mother’s side of the family are all from Falmouth. I spent much of my childhood playing on Swanpool Beach, so when we got the call from Jeremy we couldn’t say no.”
