INSIDE A CORNISH VILLAGE
OVER the years the clay-country village of Bugle has become quite the caravan capital of Cornwall.
With hundreds of people living in static accommodation and a history of Cornish traveller families dominating the village’s land, the number of people living in caravans is almost on par with those living in housing.
Now with growing numbers of younger people also favouring ‘the alternative lifestyle’ and opting for caravan life, Bugle has seen its caravan community grow.
The local pub once banned Gypsies and even had a sign in the window saying ‘no Gypsies allowed’.
People who know the place well say there were issues around violence and crime, that are still around, but aren’t half as bad today.
It’s been a long time since anyone was turned away from the pub and the new landlords say all the locals mix in together with no trouble.
They say having a large caravan presence is just part of Bugle and it wouldn’t be fair to tar everyone with the same brush.
Will and John Hillier-Smythe, 51 and 54, moved from Wiltshire to Bugle three years ago to take over running the St Austell Brewery pub.
They didn’t know about the Gypsy sign but Will has heard stories and was definitely not surprised to hear that one of the previous owners - before them and their predecessors - might have resorted to that.
It wasn’t until the last five years or so Will says those from the Traveller community actually started coming in again and regularly using the pub.
But since he and his husband have taken over everyone mingles together rather than “hiding in the corner”.
“It’s really nice to see,” he said. “You really wouldn’t think there were ever any issues with how you see it now”.
Andy Brown, the kitchen manager, also moved to the area around three years ago. The 54-year-old says Bugle is a unique place and every day they welcome new faces they have never seen before – locals and visitors.
“We have some characters that come in here with their broad Cornish accents and then the people who like to come down and visit just to hear that,” he said.
“It is certainly a slower pace of life here than upcountry. Actually, even when I first moved down I lived in Shortlanesend and even coming to here in Bugle it is so different.
“I did find it hard to get used to all the Travellers to begin with but it’s just different. I do prefer it now and wouldn’t go back.
“They can come across a bit intimidating but it doesn’t bother the local villagers because they have all been here for years.
“Some of the younger lads like their drink and can be a bit rowdy from time to time but it’s not like how people make out.”
Minorca Lane, in particular has become an established home for Travellers, migrant workers and other vulnerable groups over the years in Cornwall. The narrow lane is home to a total of 15 separate caravan sites that accommodate approximately 270 people in 250 caravans between Bugle and Luxulyan.
Some of those sites are home to Romanian and Portuguese migrant workers, and some of them are home to the original Cornish Traveller families who set up shop there and now act as private landlords.
The crime figures aren’t good, and even Andy says it has quite the reputation - but those who live there say it’s just one big family.
“Minorca Lane has a bit of a reputation for being ‘a bit rough’,” added Andy. “You probably wouldn’t want to go down there at night and I know the taxi drivers will actually avoid it and refuse to go down there.”
Although historically the sites accommodated Gypsy and Traveller families and land ownership still rests with some of these original family members, Cornwall Council says that the majority of Minorca Lane exists as private rented accommodation to Cornish and UK citizens and European Economic Area (EEA)
migrant workers and their families.
Some of the sites are home to Romanian, Portuguese, Polish and Lithuanian residents and a resident at one of the plots told us that hardly anyone speaks English on some of them.
In August and September 2013 Cornwall Council’s Children Schools and Families service and Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service completed a survey of all Minorca Lane.
Both departments reported that people often refer to the area as a Traveller site, but in actuality it is a place where people live “due to convenience”. It said: “The site today is made up a families who have no other means of accommodation and/or have chosen to live here due to the convenience in respect of their employment.
“This is a multi-cultural site that includes a large Portuguese community, Polish and Lithuanian residents.”
Nelson Crocker, 47, of Indian Queens, has lots of family that live at Minorca Lane. He visits his uncle, brother, and nieces or nephews at the site.
“It’s all just family down there,” he said. “It’s all just us and the Orchards, it’s all family down there.”
Pub landlord Will added: “The Travellers are all good as gold really. On Saturday nights they used to come in and keep to themselves in one corner and now they all mix in and it is lovely to see and we never have any problems.”
John Harvey, 72, didn’t have a bad word to say about Bugle. He has lived in the area with his wife for years and praised the place as “very welcoming”. How people choose to live doesn’t bother him, He just loves living in Bugle.