From a General Election which saw the political landscape change in Cornwall to a shocking murder trial, a slump in tourism and a string of well-known high-street companies going bust, it has certainly been an eventful year for Cornwall.
Here, we examine the highs and lows of the past 12 months as we reflect on the year that was. Taking the calendar months in order, this time, we examine the headline highlights for October.
Family visitor attraction Dairyland at Tresillian Barton, near Newquay, announced it would be closing for good, blaming the decision on what it called significant losses.
Cornwall Council and its arm’s length company, Cornwall Housing, admitted they face making “difficult choices” regarding vital repairs to the Duchy’s 10,300 council homes.
A huge lorry wedged in a narrow street in Forder, near Saltash, for days was finally freed after a heavy-duty crane was brought in to recover the vehicle.
A unique collection of historic photographs of Britain from the sky by pioneer aerial photographer Arthur William Hobart was released to the public for the first time. The incredible black-and-white images from the Air Pictures Portleven Collection had been newly digitised by the Historic England Archive. They featured 242 black-and-white aerial images showing the national landmarks, towns, industrial sites, construction projects, and seaside resorts of 1930s interwar England, including many of Newquay.
The National Trust said it was still working to determine if access to the beach at Bedruthan Steps, between Padstow and Newquay could ever be reinstated after a significant cliff fall almost five years ago led to its closure.
Finger-pointing from the wealthy or ignorant in our society is not helping when the number of people one bill away from disaster—now seeking help from foodbanks—is on the rise. That’s the view of the volunteers and staff at Newquay Foodbank, who have seen a huge rise in the number of people coming through the doors.
Cornish Lithium’s demonstration plant near St Austell is set to start producing lithium hydroxide – key to making batteries for electric vehicles and other technology – from granite extracted from a former china clay pit.
The Shipwreck Treasure Museum in Charlestown, near St Austell, had been on the market for some time, complete with its collection of more than 7,000 items. As no one came forward to take over the museum, owned by Eden Project co-founder Sir Tim Smit, the decision was taken to auction off the entire collection.
The Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust said it would push ahead with various parts of a project intended to modernise healthcare at its Treliske site despite plans to build a £291 million women’s and children’s hospital coming under threat.
A&P Falmouth Ltd was fined £750,000 for putting the lives of more than 250 workers at risk when it ignored the results of an ‘MoT’ for a 59-year-old crane which collapsed at its docks in 2017.
The Pydar Street development in Truro, which was described as still looking like a “bomb site” at a Cornwall Council meeting, may now depend on finding a financial partner to ensure its completion. Meanwhile, the Diocese of Truro announced that it would demolish St Paul’s Church on Tregolls Road in Truro because it would cost more than £7m to repair.
The finishing touches were being put on a controversial £10 million creative centre in the centre of Penzance. Meanwhile, more than 60 staff lost their jobs after holiday resort Una St Ives in Carbis Bay went into administration. Work started this month on the major regeneration programme of the PZ Gallery, Coinagehall Street, and St Anthony’s Garden opposite Penzance’s Jubilee Pool.
Cornwall Council’s Conservative leader Linda Taylor survived a vote of no confidence.
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