Wadebridge & Padstow area local news

Cornwall Council’s “estates transformation” puts question mark over Corserv HQ at Wadebridge

By Graham Smith The Wadebridge headquarters of Cornwall Council’s Corserv group of companies could be among those considered for disposal, following a County Hall cabinet meeting this week. The...

theboss
23rd July 2021
1 comment

Up, up and away into the skies over Wadebridge

A hot air balloon festival is due to take place at the Royal Cornwall showground, Wadebridge, in September. The event is scheduled for the weekend of 18th and 19th...

theboss
19th July 2021
0 comment

Clean-up continues after lorry carrying bitumen and diesel crashes over Camel Estuary cliff near Padstow

By Rashleigh MacFarlane The Environment Agency is continuing the clean-up after hundreds of gallons of bitumen and diesel spilled into the River Camel yesterday (Friday) when a lorry crashed...

North Cornwall planning embargo could remain in place for months

By Rashleigh MacFarlane Property developers and their agents have been invited to hear an update about the planning embargo which is affecting a large part of North Cornwall. The...

Atlantic Ocean claims another car left on a Cornish beach

Police and coastguards have confirmed that no-one was inside this car, washed out to sea at Polzeath after its driver apparently failed to appreciate that tides come in and...

theboss
28th June 2021
0 comment

15th century Helland Bridge, a Grade 1 scheduled monument, faces long closure after car crash

By Rashleigh MacFarlane A 15th century bridge over the River Camel in North Cornwall has been closed, and badly damaged, after it was hit by a car. Helland Bridge,...

Planners vote unanimously to refuse permission for large housing scheme to north west of Wadebridge

Cornwall’s planners have again voted unanimously to refuse permission for a large housing estate to the north west of Wadebridge. The application had been for outline permission for a...

theboss
17th June 2021
1 comment

EXCLUSIVE: Corserv shakes off councillors as non-executive directors

By Graham Smith The link between Cornwall Council and its wholly-owned, arms-length group of companies appears to have suddenly become much weaker, after a decision by chief executive Kate...

theboss
13th June 2021
5 comments

Planners asked to think again about 245-house project to the north west of Wadebridge

By Graham Smith The long-running saga of whether planning permission should be granted for a large housing scheme to the north and west of Wadebridge is set to resume...

theboss
10th June 2021
0 comment

Porthcurno parking chaos fuels calls for Cornwall Council to take action

By Rashleigh MacFarlane It happens every year but yesterday’s (Sunday’s) car parking chaos near Land’s End has provoked new calls for Cornwall Council to take action. Hundreds of tourists...

Padstow’s walrus “hit by boat” on his way to France

By Rashleigh MacFarlane The Arctic walrus spotted off Padstow two weeks week ago has been injured in collision with a boat. The accident happened off the coast of western...

I am the Walrus: Arctic mammal spotted off Padstow

By Rashleigh MacFarlane Wildlife experts around the South West have been excited by photographs of a walrus seen swimming close to the Cornish coast off Padstow. At first thought...

No rocking at Rock, as music festival is cancelled and farm at the centre of “Butlins” planning application collapses into administration

By Graham Smith A controversial North Cornwall music festival planned for the end of May has been cancelled because the organisers cannot get insurance against Covid-19. The festival had...

theboss
18th May 2021
0 comment

Birdwatchers report the return of osprey – the large “fish-eagle” – to Cornwall’s rivers

By Rashleigh MacFarlane Birdwatchers in Cornwall have been excited to see an osprey, a large bird of prey which migrates between the UK and Africa. They are more often...

David Cameron used collapsed firm’s private jet to visit Daymer Bay – and then asked government chums for a bail-out

By Julia Penhaligon Former Prime Minister David Cameron has been unable to tell MPs to how many times he used a private jet owned by Greensill Capital to fly...

Julia Penhaligon
14th May 2021
0 comment

The curious case of the 8-hour delay in counting Cornwall’s Police & Crime Commissioner votes

By Julia Penhaligon and Richard Whitehouse Cornwall Council has refused to explain the eight-hour delay in counting Police & Crime Commissioner votes, which led staff, politicians and media facing...

Julia Penhaligon
13th May 2021
1 comment

Wadebridge Post Office finally has a new home

Former postman, now North Cornwall MP Scott Mann, declares the Wadebridge Post Office formally open. The Post Office is now housed in the town's Spar shop, having once had...

theboss
11th May 2021
0 comment

Anti-lockdown Reform UK candidate comes bottom of the poll in both Cornwall and Buckinghamshire

By Julia Penhaligon The Reform UK candidate who entered last week’s local elections in two different councils, separated by 245 miles, came bottom of the poll in both. Bettina...

Don’t vote for the Liberal Democrat candidate in Padstow, says Padstow’s retiring Liberal Democrat councillor

By Julia Penhaligon As more than 370 Cornwall Council candidates embark on their last-minute scramble for votes, one retiring Liberal Democrat councillor has raised eyebrows by urging people to...

theboss
5th May 2021
1 comment

County Hall confirms embargo on new building in part of North Cornwall: full details

By Rashleigh MacFarlane Cornwall Council has today (Tuesday) confirmed – and given more details of – the embargo on new development in the River Camel area of North Cornwall....

Reform UK candidate: Why I’m standing for election in both Cornwall and Buckinghamshire (but not talking about the rules)

By Richard Whitehouse and Julia Penhaligon The anti-lockdown Reform UK candidate who is trying to get elected to both Cornwall and Buckinghamshire councils on 6th May has hinted at...

Julia Penhaligon
27th April 2021
0 comment

EXCLUSIVE: Natural England asks Cornwall Council to pause housebuilding because of serious, long-term damage to important wildlife sites

By Rashleigh MacFarlane Land owners and property developers in North Cornwall are bracing themselves for a possible embargo on new building, pending investigation of serious pollution in the River...

Might Cornwall see an Election Petition, to help define what is meant by “local” and defend the principle of one person, one vote?

By Graham Smith Anyone who wants to challenge the validity of a local council nomination for candidates who are seeking election in circumstances where they might not be eligible...

theboss
22nd April 2021
0 comment

A fishy business – celebrity chef Rick Stein changes the advertising of his smoked salmon after complaint from wildlife campaigners

By Rashleigh MacFarlane Celebrity chef Rick Stein has been forced to change the way he sells salmon from his Padstow-based online shop, after being contacted by Cornwall Council’s trading...

The parish council where only one candidate put himself forward for election

By Julia Penhaligon Hundreds of town and parish councillors across Cornwall have been elected without a contest, as not enough candidates came forward. In St Merryn, the future of...

Julia Penhaligon
11th April 2021
0 comment

All in one place: the full list of the Cornwall Council candidates

By Julia Penhaligon A total of 374 candidates have entered the contest to elect a new Cornwall Council on 6th May. The tally of candidates by party, or description...

Julia Penhaligon
10th April 2021
0 comment

Royal Cornwall Show cancelled due to continuing Covid fears

By Rashleigh MacFarlane The Royal Cornwall Show has been cancelled for a second year. The event had already been postponed from its traditional June slot to September, but now...

All of Cornwall’s leisure centres will reopen on Monday 12th April

By Rashleigh MacFarlane All 12 of Cornwall Council’s leisure centres are to reopen on 12th April, despite the continuing financial difficulties of the private management company GLL. Saltash, St...

Wadebridge Town Council to debate its response to “racism” slur over 250-year-old French engraving

By Graham Smith A number of council election candidates in the Wadebridge area have been drawn into a bizarre row over a 250-year-old engraving by a former draftsman to...

theboss
26th March 2021
1 comment

Tough questions ahead for County Hall, as leisure centres remain closed until the middle of the election campaign

By Rashleigh MacFarlane The future of Cornwall’s leisure centres is likely to be questioned again tomorrow (Tuesday) when councillors consider the latest update from the Cornwall Council cabinet member...

Tuesday night’s fire destroyed 25% of rare wildlife site

By Rashleigh MacFarlane Cornwall Wildlife Trust has said that about a quarter of its nature reserve between Wadebridge and St Columb was destroyed by Tuesday night’s arson attack, which...

Rashleigh MacFarlane
12th February 2021
0 comment

Huge gorse fire lights up the sky over Cornwall

Flames could be seen for miles. Thousands of people took to social media to swap theories, ranging from alien invasion to atomic bomb blast. A similar fire broke out...

theboss
10th February 2021
0 comment

TV shows contributing to Cornwall’s soaring property prices, say estate agents

By Rashleigh MacFarlane A rash of network television programmes extolling Cornwall’s natural beauty and lifestyles have led to an explosion in house-buying inquiries, according to Rightmove. The town of...

Rashleigh MacFarlane
4th February 2021
0 comment

Reopening Cornwall’s branch railway lines: plenty of ideas, but no money for infrastructure

By Daniel Clark A £500 million government fund to study the prospect of reopening old railways lines in Cornwall has now been open for more than a year –...

theboss
4th February 2021
1 comment

Wadebridge Town Council unveils plan to build “affordable” houses – in the parish next door

By Graham Smith Wadebridge Town Council has announced that it is starting to prepare a planning application which could see it work with a property developer to build “affordable”...

theboss
3rd February 2021
2 comments

“We’ll consider a wide range of business models,” says council, as consultants look at the future of Cornwall’s leisure centres

By Julia Penhaligon Consultants hired to investigate the future of Cornwall’s leisure centres have been asked to consider a wide range of potential business models, according to County Hall’s...

Julia Penhaligon
31st January 2021
6 comments

Cornwall to keep Covid marshals until May at the earliest

By Peter Tremayne The government has agreed to fund Covid marshalls in Cornwall until May at the earliest, County Hall has confirmed. The council-employs up to 20 marshals to...

Peter Tremayne
31st January 2021
0 comment

Covid-19 forces the closure of several Cornish pubs

By Julia Penhaligon A growing number of pubs in Cornwall are closing because of Covid-19. The specific reasons vary, with some blaming staff shortages following reported contact with a...

Julia Penhaligon
29th December 2020
0 comment

Next year’s Royal Cornwall Show will not be before September, as Covid confusion continues

By Graham Smith Continuing uncertainty over Covid-19 has forced the Royal Cornwall Show to change its traditional dates for next year. The event, at Wadebridge, will not be held...

theboss
17th December 2020
0 comment

Housing plan for Wadebridge Football Club refused permission

By Graham Smith Plans to build 143 houses on the site of Wadebridge Football Club have been refused permission. Cornwall Council issued a formal decision notice last week, appearing...

theboss
6th December 2020
0 comment

Under the hammer: the many mansions of Cornwall Council

By Graham Smith A major rationalisation of Cornwall Council’s vast property portfolio is due to take a significant step forward next week when councillors scrutinise plans to sell offices...

theboss
1st December 2020
3 comments

Wadebridge armed robbery: two men arrested

By Peter Tremayne Police have arrested two men on suspicion of the alleged armed robbery of a betting shop in Wadebridge town centre. The incident occurred on Wednesday 4th...

Peter Tremayne
15th November 2020
1 comment

After yesterday’s £6 million bail-out, the battle for Cornwall’s leisure centres is only just getting started

By Rashleigh MacFarlane People who use Cornwall’s leisure centres are waiting anxiously for details of a “strategic review” which will see all sites operate up to and beyond next...

theboss
1st October 2020
1 comment

Proposed tourism complex at Camel estuary AONB “will not be a mini-Butlins,” says owner

By Richard Whitehouse Standing at the heart of Trefresa Farm the smile on Will Hermann’s face is wide as he explains how he aims to create a boutique resort...

theboss
17th September 2020
0 comment

“Save Our Pool!” – Wadebridge fears its leisure centre is at the top of County Hall’s “hit list”

By Graham Smith About 30 protestors staged a peaceful, socially-distanced demonstration in Wadebridge on Friday evening to highlight the loss of their local leisure centre. The swimming pool, gym,...

theboss
13th September 2020
0 comment

Plans rejected for new development at North Cornwall beauty spot

By Richard Whitehouse Plans to demolish a beachfront house and replace it with two new homes have been refused permission due to the impact it would have on the...

theboss
23rd August 2020
0 comment

Major chemical spillage at Sharp’s Brewery, Rock

By Graham Smith Up to 1,000 litres of potentially lethal hydrochloric acid has spilled from Sharp’s Brewery at Rock, near Wadebridge. There are no casualties but fire crews, police ...

theboss
10th August 2020
0 comment

The Perch garage murders which shocked Wadebridge in 2003 to be re-examined in the Court of Appeal

By Graham Smith The murders of Wadebridge garage owners Graham and Carol Fisher in 2003 are to be re-examined in the Court of Appeal, following a dramatic reversal of...

theboss
6th August 2020
0 comment

Snob yob holidaymakers leave Polzeath looking “like a war zone”

By Peter Tremayne Polzeath’s reputation for attracting “snob yobs” has been re-enforced by photographs of litter and other dangerous waste left on the beach by a party from an...

Peter Tremayne
24th July 2020
0 comment

St Mawes might not be as bracing as Skegness, but it is now Britain’s top seaside resort for the discerning tourist

By Rashleigh MacFarlane The village of St Mawes, on Cornwall’s Roseland peninsula, might have a resident population of fewer than 1,000 - but has come top in a poll...

Leisure centres at Falmouth, Launceston, St Ives, Saltash and Wadebridge will all remain closed until further notice after another “outsourcing” contract goes bad

By Graham Smith Leisure centres at Falmouth, Launceston, St Ives, Saltash and Wadebridge will not reopen on 25th July, after Cornwall Council surrendered to its private operators GLL over...

theboss
16th July 2020
0 comment

Harbour Commissioners issue formal warning over Wadebridge jet-ski incident

By Peter Tremayne Padstow Harbour Commissioners have issued a formal warning to youths who launched a jet-ski in the River Camel at Eglshayle last week. PC Alex Allen, local...

Peter Tremayne
12th July 2020
0 comment

North Cornwall police investigate allegations of anti-social behaviour

By Peter Tremayne Police are investigating two allegations of anti social behaviour which local residents associate with holidaymakers in North Cornwall. The incidents have fuelled underlying tensions stemming from...

Peter Tremayne
7th July 2020
0 comment

It’s a drive-in Friday as Cornwall’s cinema-goers get the chance of their first movie in three months

By Peter Tremayne Cornwall will host one of Britain’s first drive-in cinemas in the Covid-19 era this week, as The Rocky Horror Picture Show comes to a big screen...

theboss
16th June 2020
0 comment

Wadebridge Post Office saved, as Town Council steps in to provide a temporary Covid-19 home

By Graham Smith Wadebridge Post Office is to move into the local town hall this week, as a temporary measure due to the Covid-19 crisis. The Post Office had...

theboss
14th June 2020
0 comment

RNLI lifeguards to patrol six more Cornish beaches from tomorrow

By Richard Whitehouse More beaches in Cornwall will have RNLI lifeguards patrolling from this weekend. Cornwall Council has announced that from Saturday another six beaches in Cornwall will have...

theboss
12th June 2020
0 comment

Covid-19 disrupts plans to relocate Wadebridge Post Office

By Graham Smith Wadebridge Post Office is to close next week – because Covid-19 social distancing rules prevent the planned move into the town’s Spar shop. The Post Office...

theboss
10th June 2020
0 comment

“We’re in the money!” Penzance in line for a multi-million pound windfall, while North and East Cornwall can only wait for crumbs

By Peter Tremayne Towns in Cornwall have been given details of the financial help they can expect for “regeneration.” Penzance is the big winner – with almost everywhere north...

theboss
31st May 2020
0 comment

EXCLUSIVE: County Hall steps in to rescue Corserv from insolvency

By Anne North Cornwall Council has stepped in with an emergency bail-out loan to rescue its own company Corserv, which was on the brink of financial collapse. The council’s...

Anne North
30th May 2020
5 comments

Outsourcing company which runs Cornwall’s leisure centres asks taxpayers to top-up staff’s wages

By Anne North The company which runs Cornwall’s leisure centres is asking local taxpayers to top up its staff wages, as central government pays only 80% of normal salary...

Anne North
18th May 2020
1 comment

Royal Cornwall Show cancelled – and now planning for next year

By Rashleigh MacFarlane The Royal Cornwall Show for 2020 has been cancelled. The event, which regularly attracts crowds of more than 100,000, had already been postponed from June to...

No school on Monday? Keep Calm, Carry On – Malory Towers is coming to the rescue

By Anne North We might not yet have reached the stage of child-evacuees put on trains at Paddington by anxious parents hoping their offspring can escape Covid-19. But the...

Anne North
21st March 2020
0 comment

Royal Cornwall Show and Flora Day both fall victim to Covid-19 coronavirus

By Anne North The Royal Cornwall Show will not be held in June because of the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis. Organisers have postponed the event until September. With potential exhibitors...

Anne North
17th March 2020
0 comment

Budget cash for Camelford by-pass

By Rashleigh MacFarlane Today’s budget has included funding for a Camelford by-pass. The government has accepted the business case for a single-carriageway to the west of town. The £42.5...

Western Power promises more “flight diverters” after death of a swan at Wadebridge

By Graham Smith Western Power has promised North Cornwall MP Scott Mann that it will install more “flight diverters” to prevent the sort of incident which killed a swan...

theboss
9th March 2020
0 comment

Post Office pledges to stay in Wadebridge

By Graham Smith The Post Office has said it plans to keep a presence in Wadebridge when it leaves its current premises on The Platt. The Post Office will...

theboss
4th March 2020
0 comment

Western Power pressed to replace “swan balls” after bird dies at Wadebridge

By Anne North Residents in Wadebridge are pressing Western Power to replace the “swan balls” on power cables which run overhead at part of the town, following the death...

Anne North
4th March 2020
0 comment

Post Office shock as Wadebridge staff told of redundancy

By Graham Smith The Post Office has promised to clarify the situation at Wadebridge, where its staff were today (Tuesday) given notice of redundancy. Residents have been worried for...

theboss
3rd March 2020
0 comment

Planners vote 9-6 to allow demolition of North Cornwall hotel, to be replaced with apartments

By Richard Whitehouse Planning permission has been granted – by nine votes to six - for the demolition and replacement of a hotel with apartments and houses but only...

theboss
3rd March 2020
1 comment

EXCLUSIVE: Property developers finally throw in the towel at Wadebridge, offering to sell the land for agricultural use

By Graham Smith Residents of a North Cornwall town appear to have won a final victory over property developers who had wanted to build 190 homes in Wadebridge. Nearly...

theboss
1st March 2020
0 comment

Planning officials signal thumbs-up for proposal to demolish North Cornwall hotel and build apartments instead

By Anne North Controversial plans to demolish a North Cornwall hotel and build a block of apartments have been recommended for approval, despite more than 170 objections. The 42-bedroom...

Anne North
24th February 2020
0 comment

How Airbnb is changing the face of Cornwall’s holiday lettings industry

By Anne North Nearly 12,500 properties in Cornwall are registered with Airbnb, the online holiday lettings organisation which traditional tourism organisations and traders fear is posing a threat to...

Anne North
21st February 2020
2 comments

New council homes at Launceston, Padstow and Probus for social rent and shared ownership

By Richard Whitehouse Cornwall Council’s cabinet has agreed to acquire 177 homes which will be made available for local people. The cabinet agreed yesterday (Wednesday) to take on the...

theboss
13th February 2020
1 comment

Labour Parties in North Cornwall and St Ives nominate Emily Thornberry as their leader

By Graham Smith Labour Party members in the North Cornwall and St Ives constituencies have nominated Emily Thornberry to be their leader. Last night’s (Tuesday) decisions means that across...

theboss
12th February 2020
0 comment

Gorse fire damages Cornish nature reserve

By Peter Tremayne A fierce gorse fire has damaged the Rosenannon Downs nature reserve, near Wadebridge. Firefighters from Wadebridge, St Columb, Padstow, St Dennis and Lostwithiel attended. Flames were...

Peter Tremayne
9th February 2020
0 comment

Cornwall’s Anti-Brexit campaign pins its election hopes on tactical voting

By Anne North Cornwall’s anti-Brexit campaigners are being urged to vote tactically on Thursday, with organisers of the Cornwall For Europe organisation believing that three local constituencies are in...

theboss
8th December 2019
0 comment

Liberal Democrat Disability Association files formal complaint about its own North Cornwall candidate

By Julia Penhaligon The Liberal Democrat general election candidate in North Cornwall has come under fire from members of his own party for a series of social media posts...

Julia Penhaligon
23rd November 2019
0 comment

Wadebridge skatepark opens – 30 years after the campaign started

By Graham Smith Wadebridge town councillors braved a chilly afternoon to mark the official opening of their new skatepark. The campaign for a Wadebridge skatepark started more than three...

theboss
15th November 2019
0 comment

Councillor’s advice surgery, and County Hall webcasts, fall prey to general election purdah

By Peter Tremayne The general election has put paid to a number of the “democratic” aspects of public life in Cornwall. Officials appear to be taking full advantage of...

Peter Tremayne
13th November 2019
0 comment

Independents gain Wadebridge West in Cornwall Council by-election

By Graham Smith Independent candidate and former local police sergeant Robin Moorcroft won the Wadebridge by-election to take a vacant seat on Cornwall Council. Mr Moorcroft, also a prominent...

theboss
10th November 2019
0 comment

Labour selects Bodmin’s Joy Bassett as its Parliamentary candidate in North Cornwall

By Anne North Labour took a step towards completing its compliment of Parliamentary candidates in Cornwall last night (Tuesday) when the party selected Bodmin’s Joy Bassett as its choice...

Anne North
23rd October 2019
0 comment

Peace in our time? Most town and parish boundaries look set to remain unchanged

By Graham Smith Some of the more controversial suggestions for Cornish towns to take over their neighbouring rural parishes appear to be heading for the long-grass of “not this...

theboss
21st October 2019
0 comment

Planning inspector says “no” to “60% affordable” housing scheme near Rock

By Rashleigh MacFarlane A government inspector has upheld Cornwall Council’s refusal of planning permission for a housing project near Rock at which more than half of the new houses...

Rashleigh MacFarlane
16th October 2019
1 comment

Five candidates line up for Wadebridge by-election

By Anne North Five candidates are to contest the vacant seat for a Cornwall councillor in Wadebridge. The Liberal Democrats are defending the Wadebridge West seat against what looks...

Anne North
11th October 2019
0 comment

Rock festival gets licence, despite protests from locals, after 7-hour meeting

By Richard Whitehouse A new music, food and wellbeing festival will be held - officially - for the first time next year after being granted a licence. Porthilly Spirit...

theboss
11th October 2019
0 comment

Rock music festival gives councillors a headache as they sift through more than 130 written representations, ahead of Thursday’s decision

By Rashleigh MacFarlane The stage is set for a major licensing battle on Thursday when councillors decide whether or not to permit a rock festival at Rock, near Wadebridge....

Rashleigh MacFarlane
8th October 2019
0 comment

Polling in Cornwall Council by-election at Wadebridge will be on 7th November

By Anne North Polling in the Wadebridge West by-election, to elect a new member of Cornwall Council, will be on Thursday 7th November. Nomination papers must be submitted by...

Anne North
2nd October 2019
0 comment

Plans for a rock festival at Rock again divide opinion

By Richard Whitehouse Organisers of a controversial festival near Rock, which was forced to pull the plug just two weeks before it was due to open its doors, could...

theboss
2nd October 2019
0 comment

Angry villagers prepare to resist takeover by Wadebridge

By Anne North Battle lines have been drawn for a furious row between Wadebridge Town Council and its neighbouring parishes, over who-does-what and how much residents should pay for...

Anne North
26th September 2019
0 comment

Cornwall councillor quits, triggering by-election at Wadebridge

By Graham Smith Cornwall councillor Karen McHugh has resigned, triggering a by-election. Ms McHugh, a Liberal Democrat, represented the Wadebridge West division. The reasons for her resignation are not...

theboss
24th September 2019
0 comment

“We will fight them on the beaches” – town and parish councils go to war over once-in-a-generation boundary disputes

By Graham Smith Local councils across Cornwall are preparing to do battle over which of them should survive the current Community Governance Review, with some vowing to “fight them...

theboss
15th September 2019
0 comment

St Merryn Multi-Use Games Area will have to be torn down, after planners refuse permission

By Richard Whitehouse A holiday park is likely to have to dig up a multi-use games pitch and relocate it after planning permission was refused. The Multi-Use Games Area...

theboss
20th August 2019
0 comment

Chiverton Cross “flyover” for bikes at the heart of new cycle routes West of Truro

By Graham Smith Residents of the St Agnes-Truro-Newquay area are being urged to have their say about new cycle routes. The most eye-catching proposal is a new bridge over...

theboss
12th August 2019
0 comment