St Ives once had its very own shipping company called The Hain Line. From the 1850s, Captain Edward Hain, who was from a long line of local fishermen, built up a small fleet of sailing ships. The company later switched from sail to steam and expanded rapidly. During 1906–c1930, these premises were the Hain Shipping Office and then the Hain Estate Office. The building later became part of Curnow’s Hotel and then a nightclub, in 1978.