It’s not unusual to have a gin or tequila on the rocks – but now you can have an ice cream in the pub.

St Austell Brewery has struck a deal with Cornwall’s Treleavens Ice Cream to sell its wares in all the firm’s boozers and is even looking a creating a special flavour to complement its Barbican ice cream parlour.

The deal means punters will be able to chill out with a sticky toffee fudge ice cream, or a mango sorbet, alongside their pint of Tribute.

The brewer is also styling its new Brewer and Bean coffee shop, on the Barbican, as a “dedicated ice cream parlour” – and looking at a way of using the “unique Brewer and Bean coffee blend” to produce “something special for ice cream lovers”.

St Austell Brewery is selling desserts as well as drinks
St Austell Brewery is selling desserts as well as drinks

Managing director Mark Chrusciak said: “Relationships with businesses like St Austell Brewery are special to us because of our shared aspirations in terms of supporting the economy and creating the best quality end product.

“The icing on the cake of any partnership is to create something unique together for customers to enjoy, so watch this space for the fruits of our labours.”

St Austell Brewery – which has the Plymouth pubs the Waterfront, the Ship, the Penguin Lounge and the George Inn – says the deal with Lanivet-based Treleavens is part of its “ongoing commitment to local food sourcing and supporting local business”.

The partnership will mean Treleavens’ ice creams will be served in all managed houses across the brewery’s estate of pubs and hotels, and in the Visitor Centre in St Austell, in addition to the Barbican parlour.

St Austell Brewery's Andrew Holden and Mark Chrusciak of Treleavens Ice Cream
St Austell Brewery's Andrew Holden and Mark Chrusciak of Treleavens Ice Cream

Procurement director Andrew Holden said: “Our commitment is to create distinctive experiences for all of our customers, so choosing delicious, locally produced ice cream to complement the quality food offering at our pubs made complete sense.

“We’re thrilled to be adding Treleavens to our menu and we’re sure enthusiasm will be shared by our customers, young and old.”

Brewer & Bean is set to become the Barbican’s newest hotspot
Brewer & Bean is set to become the Barbican’s newest hotspot

St Austell Brewery, which has 178 pubs and a portfolio of award-winning beers, reported a 13.2 per cent increase in annual turnover to £153.2million for 2016.

It also saw a 5.2 per cent increase in operating profit, before other items, to £14 million in the 52-week period to December 31, 2016.

It’s results for 2017 are due out in May 2018.

Treleavens is owned by Richard Rowse, creator of Rowse Honey.

The ice cream business is family-run with a “strong Cornish heritage”.