Anti-social visitors prompt calls to block beach access
Camping and littering at a scenic Cornish beach has tested the patience of locals, Charlotte Becquart reports
RESIDENTS frustrated by the activities of visitors descending on a much-loved beach in Cornwall have called for access to be cut off.
The suggested move would mean people could only visit on foot, favouring locals over holidaymakers.
A number of St Agnes residents have been sharing the idea on social media, explaining that fly-tipping and illegal camping is ruining Trevellas Cove.
Now the National Trust, which owns the beach, has responded, saying it is examining problems raised and possible solutions for both locals and holidaymakers.
One of the residents wrote: “The amount of mess, I mean human mess, that was deposited last summer as a result of overnight camping made me really sad.
“Block the rough road down to the beach for the summer to protect this beautiful spot from mindless, arrogant visitors.”
A number of others agreed, although a couple said that visitors should not be accused of being the only ones littering the beauty spot.
Fly-tipping at Trevellas is said to have been increasing over the last few years.
A local, who wished to remain anonymous, told WMN sister website CornwallLive: “In all honesty, it’s my favourite beach in the world. We used to go as kids because it was always empty, but it has got busier and busier and unfortunately messier and messier.
“Last time we went in September there was a dirty nappy in the car park, one shoe, a coffee cup, an old barbecue and some other bits of litter.”
In June last year, a group of 20 campers set up tents on the beach, despite camping being unauthorised in the area and in the face of coronavirus restrictions.
The group, which included children, had to be asked to leave by police twice in 12 hours.
A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said at the time: “Police were called shortly before 10pm to Trevellas at St Agnes following reports of a potential Covid-19 regulation breach.
“It was reported that a group of around 20 people had arrived at the beach with camping equipment and suitcases. Officers attended and spoke to the group about the regulations and gave them words of advice to return home.
“Officers received further calls relating to the group.” The campers eventually left and no fines were issued.
The National Trust has responded to residents concerns saying that it is currently looking at long-term solutions to resolve the issue.
However, they confirmed they want the beach to be accessed by both residents and holidaymakers.
A spokesperson for the trust said: “The National Trust and many other Cornwall coastal sites have seen increased overnight camping, littering and fly-tipping over the past 12 months. We do not allow overnight parking or camping in the area and ask people to take any litter home with them when they visit.
“We have been working with residents at Trevellas Cove to discuss the situation and will continue to try and find a long-term solution to resolve these issues.
“The team invest a lot of time and energy checking the area at a time when the charity’s resources are stretched. As a charity we manage the site for its industrial heritage, nature conservation and its importance to people seeking fresh air, space and nature.
“We want to look at long term solutions that mean this part of the coast can continue to be accessed by Cornish residents and holidaymakers; whilst deterring the anti-social activities that impact on local residents, responsible users and our own staff and resources.”
IF I had the money, I’d buy Plymouth’s Dance Academy right now. The city’s most beautiful building, left to rot in Union Street, is the perfect venue to celebrate un-lockdown.
For I truly believe we are about to enter the Roaring Twenties and I couldn’t be more ready to embrace them.
In 1920, the First World War was over and a period of celebration and hedonism ensued. The socialising, the parties, the collective letting down of hair epitomised the twenties, as was so brilliantly captured in F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby and its film versions, the earliest of which I happened to watch last week.
The end of the war had given people a new lease of life and brought about an age of fun and frivolity.
For some men, particularly in manufacturing, the war had proved profitable and for the aristocracy, life had never been better.
Many women had been employed in factories during the war and now had their own wage and a degree of independence. Women over 30 also
had also got the vote in 1918 – with the voting age dropped to 21 in 1928 – giving them a sense of empowerment not seen before.
This confidence was reflected in the fashion – hair was shorter, dresses were shorter and women started to smoke, drink and drive cars. The fearless young flapper was born – and with it came Girl Power.
For women, the transformation from the corseted Victorian days to the frilled mini-skirt, high heeled flapper days was extraordinary.
In the cities, nightclubs, jazz clubs and cocktail bars flourished. The first licensed radio station was broadcast on November 2, 1920 and hundreds of radio stations started popping up across the world. People got telephones in their house and used bicycles – or even cars – to get about for the first time.
These were the original twenties and roaring they definitely were.
There are many contemporary parallels to be drawn with life a century ago.
Granted the 2020s haven’t got off to the most auspicious start, but like the war, coronavirus has forced us all into a period of struggle, sadness and solitude.
But with 18 million people now first-vaccine protected; daily coronavirus cases dropping below 10,000 and deaths falling daily; and a roadmap out of lockdown announced by the Prime Minister this week that sees us potentially living without restrictions from June 21, I’m full of optimism for the rest of the decade.
Already, all those postponed holiday plans, weekend getaways and celebrations are starting to be pencilled back into the diary.
Getting the kids back to school on March 8 feels like we’ll be left with long luxurious days to ourselves – just working, without endless questioning, snack preparations and science lessons.
Like many, we’ve started to make plans to visit family and friends, to host barbecues and to, finally, go to the pub without a 10pm curfew or a Scotch egg in sight.
But I think post-lockdown life will be more than it was before, thanks to the kind of collective release and hedonism that the original twenties inspired post-war.
After spending more than a year cooped up in our homes, leaving only for exercise and food shopping save for a few mask-wearing semirestricted summer months, I’ll certainly be taking every opportunity to get out and see people face to face.
I haven’t been to a nightclub for years but as soon as it’s safe I’d very happily dance armpit to armpit with 2,000 other people into the wee small hours.
Likewise, sharing that real life experience of a festival – even its Portaloo toilets and fields of mud – fills me with excitement. Netflix has got us through lockdown, but I can’t wait to go to the cinema and sit by loud popcorn munchers through an average new film release.
I feel like riding a rollercoaster again; I might even be tempted to do a bungee jump just for that real life, off-screen experience.
And I gave up miniskirts in my twenties, but if that’s what the Roaring Twenties demands, get me to Topshop, or the equivalent surviving high street fashion outlet.
I often wonder how young people will be affected by lockdown. How will the next generation be different having been forced to spend all this time away from their friends, living friendships and relationships and school through a screen?
I hope, like me, they’ll crave real world experiences rather than normalising a life online because for the Roaring Twenties to be truly Roaring, we need the young people out there living their lives off screen.
And with that in mind, I’m off to the bank to see if they’ll lend me the money to buy a nightclub. See you on the dancefloor in June!