The sad decline of Lands End..

[surveyor]

e30m3Mark said:

Butter Face said:

bloomen said:

Much of it is really rather grim. It does of course have a lot of lovely spots but inland you can feel your spirit wilting in many a place.

I will of course respectfully disagree with you there.

The vast majority of cornwall is beautiful, unspoilt and fantastic. There are the odd spots that are not the most pleasant, but having recently visited Birmingham again, I’d rather live in the grimiest squat in Cornwall than go there

I'd rather live here than anywhere else in the UK. Camborne, Redruth etc have been starved of investment for years but there is a wealth of potential there. I've often sat at traffic lights and glanced up at some of the beautiful original facades on buildings like the old fire station. It's sad that they've been allowed to decay in the way that they have. Both Camborne and Redruth were incredibly wealthy areas and the richest tin mines in the world, though you'd never think so today. Were those same buildings in, or around, London they'd be Grade 1 listed and have money thrown at them to bring them back from being nigh on derelict.

Camborne was also the location for the world's first self-propelled passenger carrying vehicle!

Unfortunately, so many people want second homes here and in doing so, lots of villages are desolate places out of season. My family all hail from Portscatho and something like 45% of property there is holiday lets. There's no village shop (well there is but it's tiny and doesn't stock very much), no butcher, no greengrocer, no post office. Come summer though and the place is rammed with people laying claim to 'their little bit of Cornwall'. A bit where they didn't pay any council tax for years or contribute anything to the village they bought a part of.

Right now it would appear there are hundreds of homes being thrown up as housing estates appear all over Cornwall. Goodness knows who's buying them, as they're certainly not what one might call affordable. What they are though, is poorly designed and cheaply built and I certainly wouldn't want one. You'd think that having so many new homes would call for investment in Cornwall's infrastructure but no, we already have 1 district hospital and that will have to do. I mean yes, I know it's woefully inadequate, overstretched and short staffed, but we're getting a new football / rugby stadium!

Is Ralph's still there? My grandparents bought a bungalow on Parc An Dillon Road (backing onto the Cricket pitch) in the 60's. They admittedly were one of the holiday home brigade until the 80's when they retired down there.... Great place, loads of memories. They got very involved with the community and were accepted by the locals... No easy achievement.

I can't go back as it is just too busy.. Post Office was on the harbour. I'm sure I remember a butcher too.... I suppose times change and they are probably art galleries now...

[e30m3Mark]

surveyor said:

e30m3Mark said:

Butter Face said:

bloomen said:

Much of it is really rather grim. It does of course have a lot of lovely spots but inland you can feel your spirit wilting in many a place.

I will of course respectfully disagree with you there.

The vast majority of cornwall is beautiful, unspoilt and fantastic. There are the odd spots that are not the most pleasant, but having recently visited Birmingham again, I’d rather live in the grimiest squat in Cornwall than go there

I'd rather live here than anywhere else in the UK. Camborne, Redruth etc have been starved of investment for years but there is a wealth of potential there. I've often sat at traffic lights and glanced up at some of the beautiful original facades on buildings like the old fire station. It's sad that they've been allowed to decay in the way that they have. Both Camborne and Redruth were incredibly wealthy areas and the richest tin mines in the world, though you'd never think so today. Were those same buildings in, or around, London they'd be Grade 1 listed and have money thrown at them to bring them back from being nigh on derelict.

Camborne was also the location for the world's first self-propelled passenger carrying vehicle!

Unfortunately, so many people want second homes here and in doing so, lots of villages are desolate places out of season. My family all hail from Portscatho and something like 45% of property there is holiday lets. There's no village shop (well there is but it's tiny and doesn't stock very much), no butcher, no greengrocer, no post office. Come summer though and the place is rammed with people laying claim to 'their little bit of Cornwall'. A bit where they didn't pay any council tax for years or contribute anything to the village they bought a part of.

Right now it would appear there are hundreds of homes being thrown up as housing estates appear all over Cornwall. Goodness knows who's buying them, as they're certainly not what one might call affordable. What they are though, is poorly designed and cheaply built and I certainly wouldn't want one. You'd think that having so many new homes would call for investment in Cornwall's infrastructure but no, we already have 1 district hospital and that will have to do. I mean yes, I know it's woefully inadequate, overstretched and short staffed, but we're getting a new football / rugby stadium!

Is Ralph's still there? My grandparents bought a bungalow on Parc An Dillon Road (backing onto the Cricket pitch) in the 60's. They admittedly were one of the holiday home brigade until the 80's when they retired down there.... Great place, loads of memories. They got very involved with the community and were accepted by the locals... No easy achievement.

I can't go back as it is just too busy.. Post Office was on the harbour. I'm sure I remember a butcher too.... I suppose times change and they are probably art galleries now...

Funnily enough Parc an Dillon was named after my family. Post Office was on the Lugger (the dead end road to the right of harbour) but the butchers etc are long gone sadly. I used to enjoy the village parade but public liability insurance premiums have killed those.

[Mexman]

sidicks said:

bloomen said:

Well, last time I was waiting for a bus surrounded by the slag heaps of St Austell I had to murder my companion just to cheer myself up.

Presumably you are referring to the China Clay tips?

I live in the one of the clay villages, I must admit when I first relocated here I was a little sceptical, but now I love it.
Most of the clay tips have been reclaimed by mother nature and are spectacular to walk through/over.
Wildlife everywhere, we have deer, Foxes, badgers, Owls, predatory birds all quite easy to see if you are looking hard enough.
Climb to the top of the sky trails offers amazing views over Bodmin Moors and both North and South coasts are visible at the same time.
I would rather be where I am now, 3 miles inland from the South Coast, North of St Austell, rather than live in the centre of one of the tourist honeypots in the summer.
I have enough of tourists in the summer where I am, but living in a coastal village come summer, will be and is a nightmare.
You can't get in, get out, park anywhere.
The car park fees go through the roof in summer and so does the price of most things.
My local boozer in a nice little village on the South coast, has recently slapped £2 onto the price of every meal, booze prices increased, and the fuel stations have also increased there prices.
Come the winter, prices all fall back down.
As an example, the Missus and I will normally order the same meal from the same pub, plus couple of pints for me and a half or 2 for her.
In winter, the bill will generally be around the £31/32 quid mark.
Come summer, the same will now cost £35/36 plus.
Only a fiver or so, I know but go out 2 or 3 times a week, it's noticeable plus car parking fees if the pub car park is rammed as it normally is in the summer months.

[e30m3Mark]

I found joining the National Trust saves a fair few quid in parking charges.

[Zetec-S]

The trouble is tourism is a double-edged sword for Cornwall. Take it away and the county would die a slow death. A lot of pubs and restaurants would close, unemployment would skyrocket.

I get it's a PITA for locals in the summer who just want to go about their lives, but surely the alternative would be worse?

[e30m3Mark]

We, like many, are totally dependent on tourism to earn a wage. Bottom line is we live somewhere that a lot of people save to visit for 2 weeks out of 52.

[jmorgan]

e30m3Mark said:

I found joining the National Trust saves a fair few quid in parking charges.

Only go there now to visit family and the odd weekend break (no longer for work unfortunately) but certainly getting to the point it is worth signing up seeing as the national crutch have so many properties and parking locations.

[Butter Face]

Luckily I don’t rely on tourism at all, but lots of my customers do, it’s like six degrees of separation

[clockworks]

I agree that tourism is essential for Cornwall. Apart from the direct income from holidaymakers, I doubt that the main A30 link would've been improved over the years without the massive jams in the summer. Better infrastructure means that local industry is in with a chance of getting their goods to market at a competitive price (balance between higher transport costs and lower local wages).

An influx of early retirees and remote workers (and their money) means that restaurants and such can get by out of season.
What doesn't do us any favours is unoccupied holiday homes. Fine if they are let out on a regular basis - more visitors spending more cash, no good at all if they are only used a few weeks a year. The original owner made a few quid, but it's another house needed on a new development for them to move into.

Sorry to bring Brexit into it, but when the EU money taps are turned off next year, we will have problems. Much of the infrastructure upgrades have been partially funded by the EU. There's plenty more to do, and I'm not sure that the UK government or local authority will take up the slack.

[anonymous-user]

Butter Face said:

Edited by Butter Face on Monday 14th May 07:16

tomble22 said:

If that is really the best both of you can do to justify why it's not soulless/why it is special/whatever, then you've both failed badly. I could take a photo out of my bedroom window here in rural Herts and it would be more visually stimulating and much more scenic.

I don't mind the place, it's OK - but there are far better places in the UK to go if you must stay in the UK.

[Butter Face]

It really wasn’t the ‘best’ I could do

It was taken from my bedroom window in response to ‘grey and soulless’, because it’s not that, is it?

I’m sure your view is so much nicer, well done you.

[anonymous-user]

Butter Face said:

It really wasn’t the ‘best’ I could do

It was taken from my bedroom window in response to ‘grey and soulless’, because it’s not that, is it?

I’m sure your view is so much nicer, well done you.

Nope, it ain't grey, but it's not exactly colourful either. Soulless - you have to be honest, it's pretty fking dull.

Careful on those wires.

[Butter Face]

Ok, you’re right, it’s crap. You’ve opened my eyes.

[Wacky Racer]

Butter Face said:

Ok, you’re right, it’s crap. You’ve opened my eyes.

It was pretty crap tbh......

[Butter Face]

You’re all welcome to add your own pictures, make them good ones mind...... let’s all judge each other’s views. Yaaaay.

[Mexman]

Rural Hertfordshire??
That'll be just North of London then....
Yeah, really rural, miles and miles to the nearest large conurbation that is.
Where is GetCarter when you need him?
Now he has some proper views.

Edited by Mexman on Friday 18th May 07:06

Edited by Mexman on Friday 18th May 07:12

[sidicks]

had ham said:

If that is really the best both of you can do to justify why it's not soulless/why it is special/whatever, then you've both failed badly. I could take a photo out of my bedroom window here in rural Herts and it would be more visually stimulating and much more scenic.

I don't mind the place, it's OK - but there are far better places in the UK to go if you must stay in the UK.

You appear to be a bit of an idiot, with next to no knowledge about Cornwall. Maybe try another thread, on a topic you actually know something about?

[sidicks]

Mexman said:

I live in the one of the clay villages, I must admit when I first relocated here I was a little sceptical, but now I love it.
Most of the clay tips have been reclaimed by mother nature and are spectacular to walk through/over.
Wildlife everywhere, we have deer, Foxes, badgers, Owls, predatory birds all quite easy to see if you are looking hard enough.
Climb to the top of the sky trails offers amazing views over Bodmin Moors and both North and South coasts are visible at the same time.
I would rather be where I am now, 3 miles inland from the South Coast, North of St Austell, rather than live in the centre of one of the tourist honeypots in the summer.

Not far from my ‘home’. I’m still a member of one of the bowls clubs in one of those ‘clay villages’!

[anonymous-user]

sidicks said:

You appear to be a bit of an idiot, with next to no knowledge about Cornwall. Maybe try another thread, on a topic you actually know something about?

read my post you fool - I said I don't mind Cornwall, which I don't, been there many times in my younger years, it's OK. My comment was on the quality of the pictures posted trying to disprove the 'grey and soulless' comment (not mine!) - which both pictures failed miserably to do.

And for Mexman's comment, yes, 'rural' Hertfordshire - suggest you take the time to look at a UK map, we're not all just over the other side of the M25.

[jmorgan]

Been through Hertfordshire a lot but not really attracted to the rugged coast line there.