Zoe and Garry Seymour have been running the Jolly Sailor Inn in Looe for four years and have experienced numerous spooky encounters. The pub, established in 1516, is the oldest in Looe and one of the oldest in Cornwall. It retains many original features, including a main beam from the HMS Indefatigable, a ship of the line at the Battle of Trafalgar, and other beams from the Spanish Armada fleet shipwrecked off Looe Island in 1588.
Garry and Zoe have captured several supernatural moments on CCTV footage, including a pint seemingly pushed off a table, glasses flying off a hot cabinet, and locked doors swinging open at midnight. Initially sceptical, Garry now believes the pub could be haunted after experiencing unexplainable events. 'A lot of people could claim we've doctored the videos but you can't fake that,' he said.
Zoe added that the pub is full of activity, with chairs moving and objects flying across rooms. Their son saw a man enter the men's toilet, but when he checked, no one was there, and the door slammed shut behind him. The couple have shared clips and stories on the pub's website for curious visitors.
Beyond ghost stories, the Jolly Sailor has been a community pillar for centuries. The Seymours took over in 2018 after leaving careers in the NHS and IT. They had spent time in Looe in the 1990s and felt a strong desire to return. Garry initially asked for a job but was offered the chance to buy the pub instead, which he accepted.
