St Ives Food Festival (Fri 16 – Sun 18 May) is back for 2025 on the white sands of Porthminster Beach plus food producers market with free day time music family-friendly and masterclasses to keep the whole family entertained The 2025 festival is also introducing much more music, with the launch of the Sunset Sessions – three nights of live music bringing big name artists to the beach 2025’s Sunset Sessions feature Norman Jay MBE For one lucky reader we have not one but four Weekend Sunset Session Tickets – no need to choose between any of the events make a proper weekend of it and come along to them all To enter, just answer this quick question (HINT – the answer is here) and we will pick one winner Our Reader Treats are exclusively available to Muddy Newsletter Readers and Instagram followers Select county-- Select your countyBerkshireBucks & OxonCambridgeshire & SuffolkCheshireCornwallDerby & NottsDevonDorset & SomersetEssexHants & IOWHerts & BedsKentLancs & CumbriaLondonNorthants Leics & RutlandNorfolkScotlandSurreySussexWalesWarks & West MidlandsWiltshireWorcs & GloucsYorkshire What is the support act for Norman Jay?-- SelectBarry and the BiscuitsBarry and the CrumpetsBarry and the Saffron Buns Would you like to be sent news and offers from St Ives Food Festival?(We’ll only ever share your email with your consent) Read our full Reader Treats Terms and Conditions here Don't already know how splendiferous we are? 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Whether you want to leave your feedback, ask a question or need help - click here to get in touch with us Reader Treats Terms & ConditionsRead our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions here A novice painter finds the artistic heritage of St Ives somewhat daunting initially but expert tuition in a dream artists’ studio soon gets the creative juices flowing There was the briefest moment late on Sunday afternoon when What I had produced was by no means accomplished but I was beginning to see what it could become It may sound like a modest achievement, but before signing up for a weekend Discover Painting course at St Ives School of Painting I had not put a brush to canvas since my GCSEs almost 30 years ago so I knew the weekend would push me out of my comfort zone View image in fullscreenThe view from Porthmeor Studios Photograph: Michael Winters/AlamyThe School of Painting is a long-established part of that heritage – and all the painters mentioned above worked here at some point It’s the dream artists’ studio: high ceilings angled Atlantic-facing windows flooding the place with light My nerves were clearly shared by the eight others on the course a mix of men and women aged between about 30 and 60 As we introduced ourselves on Saturday morning we each owned up to varying levels of ineptitude We were not there to create a finished piece Our imagined masterpieces would have to wait It was a sentiment he would come back to several times over the two days whenever he noticed we were taking things too seriously View image in fullscreen‘We created colour palettes that ran from lightest yellows to forest greens from deep reds to vibrant blues.’ Photograph: FreshSplash/Getty ImagesThe school offers a range of courses – from oil painting to printmaking – for all levels The Discover Painting course is described as “a fast track into painting from the heart” and in keeping with this we were at work – or knocking out pencil and charcoal sketches of a still life of pots There was no time to wonder how bad our attempts were as mixing acrylic paints and creating colour palettes that ran from lightest yellows to forest greens Mixing paints was a complete change of pace part of what Ilker described as ‘the Zen part of painting’Mixing paints was a complete change of pace part of what Ilker described as “the Zen part of painting” though by the afternoon we were back to painting rapidly first with a variety of brushes and then creating different textures with palette knives a one-bedroom apartment minutes from the studio I was tired enough to be glad I could order in a pizza View image in fullscreenSt Ives beach offers painters plenty to consider in terms of light and colour. Photograph: thepurpledoor/Getty ImagesBy the second day, after an early morning swim at Porthgwidden beach and breakfast at Porthmeor Beach Cafe We were loosening up as we broke out the easels and moved onto larger canvases drawing together the various techniques we’d practised My still life sketches started to morph into something more abstract close-ups of two sections of pots now beginning to resemble two planets colliding featured trips and local tips for your next break as well as the latest deals from Guardian Holidays A hush descended over the studio in the final two hours contented concentration etched on our faces“You will fail and fail and fail,” Ilker told us cheerfully as he moved between the desks offering small suggestions and encouragement He pulled down a large art book from a shelf to show us the 40 or 50 attempts Henri Matisse had made before getting his painting of a reclining nude “right” It was liberating to feel I didn’t have to be good at something for a whole weekend contented concentration etched on our faces I suspect each of us forgot we had entered the studio on Saturday morning feeling we were frauds who had mistakenly been handed paintbrushes I was even tempted to frame one of my attempts and hang it in my office The three-day Discover Painting course at St Ives School of Painting is £395pp. Accommodation was provided by Aspects Holidays; three-night stays at The Quarterdeck from £466.50 Wyl Menmuir is the author of The Heart of The Woods (Aurum, £16.99), available at guardianbookshop.com for £15.29 This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Read our latest ESG Report here 24 Oct 2024 Property Premier Inn Hotels Ltd has submitted an appeal against Cornwall Council’s planning committee decision to refuse its proposals for a Premier Inn hotel in St Ives.  The appeal has been made to the Planning Inspectorate following the refusal of its application for a 90-bedroom Premier Inn hotel on land at Trewidden Road.  The request has been made for the appeal to be heard via a local public enquiry Whitbread’s planning application was presented by Cornwall Council planning officers to the members of Cornwall Council’s West Cornwall Sub-Area Planning Committee on 29th April 2024 with a recommendation for planning approval.  the members of the committee voted to refuse the application on the grounds the proposed hotel would have an adverse impact on the character and appearance of the wider area including far-reaching views of the site from within St Ives Town Property Acquisitions Manager at Whitbread “We are hopeful that we will have the opportunity to bring Premier Inn to St Ives We believe that a Premier Inn hotel in St Ives will increase choice for visitors generate year-round jobs and help the popular destination to prosper all year-round We await the next steps from the Planning Inspectorate.” prepared by JLL on behalf of Premier Inn Hotels Ltd summarises the benefits of the proposed 90-bedroom hotel.  These included: An economic impact assessment submitted as part of the planning application also calculated the proposed 90-bedroom Premier Inn would contribute £2.2 million in visitor expenditure per year to the St Ives economy The appeal submission can be viewed on Cornwall Council’s planning portal (reference: PA22/11311) the appeal documents have not yet been uploaded to the Planning Inspectorate’s website It is the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to confirm how they wish to consider the appeal Premier Inn and Restaurants journalist enquiries: For all other enquiries, please visit our contact page here We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic so we can measure and improve the performance of our site They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences More information about our Cookie Policy The Cornish resort may be the picturebook seaside town but through a desolate winter and a crowded summer visitors and locals reveal a community in danger of losing its soul herring gulls dive-bomb for ice-cream and rib boats stalk the bay As a child she lived on the hill in her grandmother’s house Her grandmother had five bedrooms and six children: that was her estate None could afford to buy the others out on a native St Ives salary so Lizzy rented in the town: pretty cottages she had money to spend: a good life in a town that looks like a storybook the council told her to go to a homeless shelter insulated it and put a mattress in the back She joined a spa to use the washing facilities You know – those things on wheels?’” All tourists have an obliviousness They park Ferraris in loading bays meant for tradesmen Braver ones wrestle with fish: I met a man on the quay as the flounder he had caught died Lizzy works 12-hour shifts in summer and saves money; she spent last winter in Thailand She wishes she had bought the van years ago It’s given me the freedom to be able to save the money I would have been spending to go travelling and do the things I want to do I’ll probably end up in the future looking at something like a bit of land in Portugal.” She will She wouldn’t inflict her experience of social cleansing elsewhere but St Ives has a powerful lure on my imagination I spent much of the last year driving across the moor Lizzy’s friend moved to Leicester when her rent increased by £400 a month Of the three young people she worked with at a takeaway She wonders if the stress of making rent is killing people because because she parks up on the cliffs: even a caravan on a piece of land can be £600 a month There are tent villages on cliffs and in valleys now – a man camped on a grassy roundabout until his tent was removed by the council and businesses cannot get staff because there is nowhere for them to live I ask her: aren’t you afraid to park on the cliffs The National Trust knock on the van sometimes but a police officer told her just to say she’s tired And” – now she laughs – “I’m a taekwondo master.” who wanted to rule a theoretical Nazi Cornwall from the Treganna Castle resort American academics visit Woolf’s childhood holiday home and They served four families a week in summer and 12 in winter we’re serving an average of 30 families a week in the summer and 60 in the winter because of the seasonal work element and the fact that house prices Demand was high during Covid because pensioners, who are often too proud to ask for help, were afraid. Wallis is worried about them: “What’s happening now in terms of how they’re coping?” The cost of living crisis has led to another spike. Donations rose during Covid; now they have halved. The food bank fundraises, picks up excess food from supermarkets – “end of shelf life stuff” – and works with Gleaning Cornwall who marrows and cabbages (“What’s been left in the fields as being not to the standards of the supermarket They know when it isWallis is also worried about local children “I know from the schools that they have been doing breakfast for the kids because they haven’t had any food before they come Who’s giving them school lunches and breakfast?” He is soothed by the fact that there is more work in the town because it’s summer and parents are cleaning holiday cottages or working minimum-wage jobs in the town Cleaners are scarce and rates have gone up: some get £18 an hour now It’s hard to get donations from visitors because unseeing is essential to a fantasy of west Cornwall If you know local children are living in insecure mould-slaked housing and eating from food banks it’s harder to follow your own paths into its dreamworlds Cornwall is increasingly sold as a wellness destination Wallis says a Swiss couple give £500 each year People ring and ask him to collect excess food from their holiday cottage when they leave At the St Ives School of Painting overlooking Porthmeor beach, in November, the artist Camilla Dixon is teaching a course: observation and abstraction She makes work about environmental activism through the lens of St Ives Later I will see Dixon’s 2024 show Original Rebels in this room Her work Disruption details how Patrick Heron prevented the Admiralty from using the Penwith Moors as a training ground for helicopter pilots A Figure in the Landscape shows how Barbara Hepworth stopped part of the town being made into a car park where Hepworth sat down to prevent the cobbles being torn up for tarmac in 1967: she told the workmen she was valuable and if they touched her Local artist Camilla Dixon and the second-home ownership protest banners she painted to ‘peacefully – but urgently’ raise awareness of the problems it brings I meet a student who is legal counsel for a multinational company in the Netherlands It is his third visit to St Ives and he hopes to live here one day He says he loves the colours and the smells I’m trying to find some kind of way of coping with this without going crazy I’m not seeking to be featured in the Tate gallery She is in St Ives “trying to have new experiences” She says she heard shanty singing this week and followed the singers as they moved from pub to pub: she knew they were not tourists ‘I’m not going to get out my camera or do a video.’” Rather she made a pen and ink drawing in her notebook because to draw something is to really see something; or to change the way you see it I think that is why people come to west Cornwall: to change the way they see the world She is planting yellow flags with red inked messages in the sand on a rising tide Two small yachts in the harbour carry sails that read Holiday Homes Cause Homelessness & Wreck Lives “St Ives and Padstow are among the poorest towns in Cornwall but also have the highest proportion of second homes,” Dixon says “Regulating the change of use of a dwelling house to a holiday home through planning and developing a culture of ecotourism would allow Cornish communities to benefit from I believe we needn’t have a housing crisis but it would require a complete change of attitude to property leisure and the culture of staycation colonialism.” She wants “to raise awareness of the direct connection between holiday homes and homelessness to create stigma around ownership instead of status to open that conversation peacefully – but urgently” She was asked to leave her rental in 2022 and spent 10 months in emergency accommodation she was too frightened to leave her daughter alone in the room Now she has a job with accommodation included: it wasn’t the work she wanted “It’s just a rich man’s playground down here now,” she says “You used to be able to discern different accents – St Ives In February I visit the Penwith Gallery with Ken Turner activist and former teacher at Central St Martins ‘What the hell am I doing?’ I approached the gallery and banged on the door and kept banging Help!’” A woman opened the door and looked at him “I had written on cardboard the words: ‘This gallery Another time he wrapped a piece of cod in plastic presented himself at the Tate – it was closed – and told the guard You’d get lots of fish and chips out of that.” and for this I find him singular and touching He knows it is a dreamscape and he prefers to paint reality who fears tourists are destroying the town I wonder why the paintings have no people in them: are they St Ives in winter “I paint with social themes like climate change “I think it’s necessary for artists now to look at what’s happening to the planet And these paintings are not observing that Because of the conditions of the time: the church The motivation is to produce interesting works “You’re tourists!” he cries at the two women “We’re doing a course at the School of Painting,” they say sadly “It took us an hour and 40 minutes to park.” to celebrate the consecration of St Ia church the town’s patron saint – she crossed from Ireland on a boat made of ivy – the vicar blesses a silver ball All the townsfolk wear ivy round their necks The musicians of Bagas Porthia play the old folk tune Bodmin Riding: the drumbeat of the Earth A procession walks to the church by the lifeboat house and the mayor throws the ball – sterling silver around a core of applewood – to the children of the town “Guare wheg ya guare teg” [fair play is good play] and it is theirs until noon Matthew Pascoe stands on his boat Gemma and pulls lobsters in St Ives Bay. A hundred years ago there were 250 fishing boats here; now there are 20 and in summer they are outnumbered by tourist craft He is from a St Ives fishing family; his father taught him to fish “a long time ago But whether it’s a day’s work or not is a different story.” In winter he makes nets in his loft on Porthmeor beach, which is immune to holiday letting. As part of the alliance between artists and fishers unique to St Ives, the lofts are let to fishers in perpetuity and artists work in the studios above: Ben Nicholson, Heron and Francis Bacon once painted here I wouldn’t do any other job.” Fishing used to be “a collective enterprise You can still earn £500 a day.” Though not every day: the weather ‘It’s dog-eat-dog now’: local fisher Matthew Pascoe and the harbour when the tourists have left He likes to fish at night when the tide permits it’s not very nice at all.” Dolphins keep him company; seals are his rivals rang the police and said the boat was chasing dolphins “I’ve never chased dolphin in my whole life You can’t eat a dolphin” – he looks aghast – “but they’re chasing you.” The gulls dog him: one tried to take a cheese and ham sandwich from his hand one from the front with no intention of thieving “They’re worth nothing.” The brown crab is too small to sell which is blue-black and tiny: “You get bigger prawns than this.” He measures some lobsters He throws back a pregnant one – the eggs are black – and one marked with notches on the tail to denote fertility: the stocks must be preserved Within two hours he has nine saleable lobsters He once caught a vast lobster – an ancient perhaps 70 years old – and threw him back in “you go back.” He excuses himself by insisting such a large lobster would be hard to sell I ask him about the competing fantasies of St Ives where people protested about the removal of trees “were only planted because the gardener couldn’t be bothered to cut the grass 200 years ago That part of the Treloyhan estate was open gardens You look at all the old pictures from whenever it was built But people are up in arms about the woods being destroyed who moved here from Lancashire when she was five and she says she will tell me how St Ives used to be Her parents had a hotel in Fore Street in the 1950s over what is now a Mountain Warehouse shop “but everybody did that.” Richer people bought Victorian terrace houses on the hill for B&B and fishermen’s wives rented out the best bedroom and that same family would come down every year Then the visitors were mostly working-class people Each season would be a carbon copy of the one before “I know people who are in their 90s,” she says we’ve been coming to St Ives for the last 70 years we used to stay with Mrs So-and-so in such a street and then we stayed with so-and-so.’” But it’s not like that now and the holiday lets are usually owned by people who’ve bought them especially for that purpose “Nobody lives here any more out of season,” Rashleigh adds “If you go uptown now you won’t see many people I’ve just walked down from Tesco and I don’t think I’ve met four We’ve got a parking space at the Sloop Inn and most of the people there will be tradesmen because this time of year scaffolding goes up like a forest because everybody wants their work done before Easter Most shops are boarded up except in the summer Most of the cafes have shut down for the winter.” It’s changed completely’: long-time resident Phyllis Rashleigh Rashleigh’s next-door neighbour was Barbara Hepworth “Mother used to say the lady next door was an artist and sculptor We used to lean over the wall and wave to her We used to draw pictures to show her and she’d look at them and draw a bit of smoke coming out of the chimney or something like that And it was in the days when TV was quite primitive.” As she watched with her parents Miss Hepworth is doing her sculpting again.’” She remembers when Hepworth died in a fire in 1975 “The firemen said she was lying in bed looking quite peaceful but black from head to toe.” She remembers Sven Berlin whose novel The Dark Monarch added more myth to St Ives open-top car with a hood like a pram at the back of it He used to park it outside the Union at dinner time and go in for a drink You could do that then because there wasn’t any other traffic.” It is said Crowley performed dark magic at Carn Cottage in Zennor the artist who wrote Zennor: Spirit of Place says he found someone sacrificing a goat at the cottage A local farmer told me he was working nearby and his dogs fled I ask Rashleigh how many people live in Downalong all year round The one with the white gate there: she lives here “You see they’ve all got names on them and no lights on.” The names are gruesome that belonged to Eileen.” She points again You could go on and on and on.” We pass the graveyard: of course “Local people don’t own St Ives any more,” she says I wonder how much that is?” Homes on Downalong cost £400,000 and more We pass council houses built for fishermen after the war said he couldn’t stand the garden birdsong he heard when he lived at the top of the town In answer to the question of how many people live in Downalong full-time Constituents continue to show consistent concern about the distressing situation in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel OF ALL international crises, constituents continue to show consistent concern about the distressing situation in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel; and are anxious the UK government constructively supports peace initiatives, the return of remaining hostages, ending the conflict, and killing, and for a lasting peace. We met many very pleasant Israeli and Palestinian people, medics, Knesset Members, lawyers, human rights campaigners, refugees, as well as many checkpoint soldiers, security guards etc. Seeking a peaceful resolution after decades of conflict can only work if it benefits both Israelis and Palestinians. Achieving this will require a major political change and herculean diplomatic effort. I suggest a “Two Stage Solution” (rather than the “Two State Solution” proposed by others – including me till this visit). There will be no resolution to the conflict until the apartheid state is dismantled and for full democracy to be established for all. It would be based on: Comments Tel: 01566 778213[email protected]Follow us Further Links Owned or licensed to Tindle Newspapers Ltd | Independent Family-Owned Newspapers | Copyright & Trade Mark Notice & 2013 - 2025 A listed building in St Ives that has been closed to the public for 65 years is among seven "lesser-known heritage treasures" that have secured money from National Lottery Heritage Fund this week The St Ives site, the Palais de Danse, was used by sculptor Barbara Hepworth as a second studio between 1961 and 1975. It was built as cinema and dance hall in the early 1900s and sits opposite the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden in the Cornish seaside town which received £2.8m from the Heritage Fund will create an immersive recreation of the artist’s workshop spaces alongside areas for making that inspire creative skills development The Grade II*-listed Palais de Danse was given to Tate by members of the artist's family in 2015 The grant announcement was made on Heritage Treasures Day (14 January) which is designed to spotlight the diverse range of heritage projects across the UK that have been saved using lottery funding over the past 30 years Among the seven other projects to receive funding was Edinburgh’s Old Royal High School an architectural masterpiece on Calton Hill that was given £5m The aim is to create a new venue for music and culture in the building which was designed by Greek-revivalist architect Thomas Hamilton in the 1820s Belfast City Council has secured £768,000 to redevelop the Strand Cinema Northern Ireland’s last remaining art deco picture house.  £4.7m will support the restoration of the Grade II*-listed Canada House in Castlegate Originally built in 1875 as offices for the Sheffield United Gas Light Company the building will transformed into Harmony Works An £8m grant award will help restore and convert the Grade II* Listed Jumbo Water Tower in Colchester making it accessible to the public for the first time as a heritage and events space The Grade II*-Listed Kingsley Hall in Bristol’s Old Market received £4.7m in a project for youth homelessness charity 1625 Independent People A £1.3m grant will help restore and convert the former Marchwell Stables of the West Sussex County Asylum which is credited as the birthplace of art therapy The Marchwell Studios project will create affordable and accessible creative and makers spaces Most Museums Journal content is only available to members Join the MA to get full access to the latest thinking and trends from across the sector By Juliet Morrison2025-03-21T14:47:00+00:00 Tom Highland adds BP St Ives to his filling station portfolio Tom Highland is half way to his target of operating 10 sites by the age of 40 with the acquisition of a former BP/M&S forecourt in St Ives town centre completed on BP St Ives Filling Station yesterday He has also this month relaunched his fourth site an Esso petrol filling station in St Neots The St Ives site was last refurbished in 2014 and a priority will be stamping the Highland Group’s personality onto the 0.9 acre acquisition who has taken the reins of his family’s Highland Group business from his father Stephen says that he aims to make the site more competitive on price in both the shop and for fuel - with the totem taking the Highland Group name Tom plans to replace the rollover car wash and jet wash bay with new like for like equipment and to introduce AdBlue on pump at the Needingworth Road site And like Highland Group’s award winning Childerley Gate Service Station there will be a focus on local food and drink alongside general groceries supplied by Nisa Tom who will become a local when he moves home to the town in the next few weeks, is planning to add the serve-over bakery range of fresh cakes and baguettes “We want to keep the premium feel and to add a local element,” says Tom who is also keen to change the range to reflect that there is now greater grocery competition in the area “We are looking at the range and will only stock products that work for the area which has seen a lot of change since the M&S was introduced here There is now a Morrisons superstore with fuel and an Aldi next door,” he says “People are not doing their grocery shop here We aim to refresh the site and give it a new lease of life to drive footfall.” who was given the Special Recognition accolade at Forecourt Trader’s industry awards last October is now on the look out for further sites in Cambridgeshire and neighbouring counties William Trott says that the St Ives acquisition presents ”a fantastic opportunity for further development”.  ”The site marks a fantastic milestone for Tom He now operates five high calibre forecourts across Cambridgeshire which include the award winning Childerley Gate Service Station and his most recent acquisition to the network Esso in St Neots which has undergone a recent major redevelopment program.” ”These acquisitions once again show the quality of Tom’s work and his vision to continue the growth of his family business.” Highland Group’s other two forecourts are at Potton BP St Ives Filling Station last refurbished in 2014 Register now Site powered by Webvision Cloud Hepworth in the Palais de Danse in 1962 with the plaster prototype for Single Form, which is installed outside the United Nations building in New YorkPhoto: Studio St Ives, © Bowness Semi-derelict and out of use for almost 50 years following the death of Barbara Hepworth in 1975, the former dance hall in which the artist created some of her best known works is set to reopen as an exhibition, learning, event and community space, the latest addition to Tate’s St Ives portfolio. In addition to making the building safe and accessible, preserving the traces of Hepworth’s activities at the Palais is a key component of a capital project costing £8m, of which £2.8m has been granted by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with further support received from sources including The Headley Trust, The Bowness Family, The Hepworth Estate, The Porthmeor Fund and The Bridget Riley Art Foundation. The location of the Palais on one of St Ives’s narrow and impossibly steep thoroughfares, often clogged with traffic, inevitably raises questions about the wisdom of adding another visitor attraction to a town already struggling with overtourism. Andrew Mitchell, an independent local councillor and Tate St Ives Advisory Board member, acknowledges that the museum’s relationship with the town has not always run smoothly. “I think the Tate in the first couple of years really had the wrong attitude and alienated quite a number of local residents with its attitude that, ‘we are the Tate, and therefore we can do what we want’,” Mitchell says. “I think after a couple of years, they realised that they maybe had the wrong people in position, and then there was a change of staff who really reached out to the community.” The Palais de Danse is expected to appeal to local visitors during the quieter winter months, and by positioning it as a community resource, the intention is that it will alleviate rather than exacerbate pressures on the local population. The revival of this much-loved local landmark, used as a warehouse for coal and tea before becoming a cinema and then a dance hall from 1925,may also bring in local people who have previously felt that Tate St Ives had nothing to offer them. Two multi-day public consultation events in 2024 tapped a seam of local history, with people bringing along photographs and memorabilia, and memories. “There were so many stories about people’s parents, or grandparents, even, falling in love at a dance and getting married and then having kids”, Barlow says. “You’ve still got people alive today who remember going there for a dance out on Saturdays,” Mitchell says. “I think that’s just brilliant.” Used by the dance teacher Phyllis Bedells when she came to St Ives during the Second World War, the Palais’s sprung maple dance floor proved ideal for Hepworth’s parties and as a display area. She retained Bedells’ large studio mirror, and created moveable glassine (a type of translucent paper) screens to make the space more flexible. The floor will remain the beating heart of the Palais as, pending planning permission for designs proposed by Adam Khan Architects, it enters its next phase. Under the museum’s plans, the dance hall and adjoining small hall, which features a bar area that will be retained as “a distinct servery area and break-out space”, will be available for private and corporate hire, the fees for which will subsidise use by schools and community groups. The aim is to provide a balance of experiences, with the venue’s layered history sensitively retained, and the Palais restored to the heart of town life. Community consultations have made clear that “people want the chaos of a workshop rather than the order of a gallery”, says Louise Connell, the head of programme management at Tate St Ives; therefore making is at the heart of the venture, with the yard given over to “messy making”. However, Hepworth’s own story is just as important, and features from her time will be retained, with original items such as chairs reinstalled, less as exhibits than as furniture, as well as sculptures. A shortage of affordable housing in the town is a problem for both locals and visiting artists, and a flat will be available for residencies, increasingly in demand among a younger generation of artists keen to respond to Hepworth’s legacy at St Ives. With two-thirds of the required funds now secure, the focus now is on ensuring a viable revenue plan for the anticipated opening of the Palais de Danse in two years’ time. archive1 December 1994The Hepworth papers: why the delay?Despite the sculptor’s wishes Alan Bowness has failed to hand her papers over to the Tate archive31 May 1993In the land of King Arthur, towards the setting sun: Tate gallery, St IvesA third branch of Britain's leading modern art gallery opens with emphasis on the St Ives artistic community Victoria Woodcock selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter It’s a perfectly blue-skied and breezy day when I visit St Ives From the field-turned-seasonal car park perched above the postcard-pretty Cornish town families barrel down the hill armed with bodyboards and beach paraphernalia this once-busy fishing harbour and its constellation of sandy bays has been a holiday hotspot since 1877 when the Great Western Railway’s St Ives Bay Line opened Beachgoers on the seafront of St Ives © Lou Robertson“It was a windy narrow-streeted town; the colour of a mussel or a limpet; like a bunch of rough shellfish clustered on a grey wall together,” wrote Virginia Woolf who spent her childhood summers in St Ives bears a black plaque (the Cornish equivalent of London’s blue discs) but it’s artists not writers that have become synonymous with this seaside spot The spirit of the modernist St Ives School – a circle of painters and sculptors that gravitated around Barbara Hepworth and her husband Ben Nicholson in the 1950s – is still palpable Deck chairs for hire outside Art Space Gallery on the seafront © Lou RobertsonThe minute you open up The trail of creativity winds from the hilltop Leach Pottery – the still operational “birthplace of British studio pottery”, founded in 1920 – to the brilliant Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden where the pioneering sculptor lived and worked from 1949 until her death in 1975 an installation by Cornwall-based Ro Robertson that combines metal sculpture and drawing Tate St Ives above Porthmeor Beach © Lou RobertsonAn installation by Sol LeWitt at Tate St Ives © Lou Robertson“It’s a bit of a love letter to St Ives,” says Robertson – one of many artists working here today “The drawings were made on Porthmeor Beach Robertson followed in the footsteps of Hepworth and relocated from Yorkshire to Cornwall but the light here has completely changed my work – all the blues and greens of the coastal landscape have been coming through.”  Tate St Ives tells “the story of avant-garde modernism in St Ives from 1939” explains the gallery’s director Anne Barlow Nicholson and [Russian constructivist] Naum Gabo first came here with the outbreak of war” Their work is shown alongside paintings by their contemporaries Patrick Heron Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and local fisherman-turned-artist Alfred Wallis who started painting prolifically at the age of 70 (and is often cited as the town’s first ice-cream seller) who strives to “bring that same experimental spirit to St Ives” with the gallery’s contemporary programme BownessThe Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden © Kirstin Prisk the landscape continues to be the first draw Cornwall-based artist Abigail Reynolds collects seaweed and sand from local beaches and uses them to craft glass panels that are incorporated into architectural sculptures Robertson and Reynolds are two of a handful of artists based long-term at St Ives’s Porthmeor Studios when it was used for processing and packing pilchards It was first commandeered by artists in the 1880s – making it “perhaps the oldest working artists’ studios in the country” “Every artist in west Cornwall has worked here apart from Barbara,” he says of a roll call that includes Nicholson this year’s Wilhelmina Barns-Graham residency artist in Studio 9 at Porthmeor Studios © Courtesy Rae-Yen Song“There are splatters of paint from every single artist; this place has a haunting in the best possible way,” says London-based American artist Emma Fineman and recently returned to complete a single monumental painting “There is such a rich community of artists here but the minute you open yourself up to St Ives it floods into your veins.” (She recommends the craft classes at Sloop Studios – and Jelbert’s Ice Cream in Newlyn.) Porthmeor’s 15 studios are more in demand than ever to be used for residency programmes (including one hosted by the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust) and lets “It’s increased enormously in the past year and a half,” says residency manager Alexandra House who credits the uptick to the endorsement of recent inhabitants such as Turner Prize winner Lubaina Himid or Cornwall-born art star Danny Fox Wilhelmina Barns-Graham in Porthmeor Studios in 1947 © Wilhelmina Barns-Graham TrustWhite Cottage, Carradale, c1935, by Wilhelmina Barns-Graham © Wilhelmina Barns-Graham TrustThe views don’t hurt either. The Trust experienced one of its biggest spikes in enquiries when “one of our artists posted a photo of a sunset from his studio”, recalls Hibbert. “It got about 12,000 likes,” he adds of the image by Sam Bassett a St Ives-born painter (and son of the harbour master) who held a studio at Porthmeor for seven years Newlyn had its own school of painters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries who were drawn to the famous light to paint en plein air The Newlyn Art Gallery opened in 1895 and today shows contemporary exhibitions while the Borlase Smart John Wells Trust runs two studio sites in town St Ives harbour seen from Cintra Seafood Bar © Lou RobertsonIce-cream from Moomaid of Zennor on St Andrews Street, St Ives © Lou Robertson“Newlyn has a different buzz to St Ives because it’s a working fishing harbour and port,” says London-based artist Georg Wilson who spent two months earlier this year at Anchor Studio – the 1888-built part-granite-cottage studio used by Newlyn School artists Stanhope and Elizabeth Forbes “You can watch the weather changing across the bay through the vast windows The concentration I had there was like nothing I’ve experienced before.”  the Penwith Gallery – founded by Hepworth et al – can still be found in an old pilchard-packing factory (The Pilchard Press Alehouse is “great for a pint if you’re bored with the view and the people”) “artists came here to work but their market was in London – and I think it’s pretty much the same now.” Pam Evelyn used her time at Anchor to make paintings for her New York debut (opening at Pace on 8 November); Bassett is looking ahead to a show with Toby Clarke at Vigo gallery in London; and Wilson is hoping to head back to Anchor ahead of her London exhibition with Berntson Bhattacharjee Gallery next year Works in progress by Pam Evelyn at Anchor Studio in Newlyn © Pam EvelynRecommended Tate is taking on another project: the “Palais de Danse” The former cinema and dance hall that Hepworth purchased in 1961 – and where she made some of her largest most famous works – will be revived as a space for workshops is expanding both the site and its outreach a government-backed initiative that looks to “enhance” the town even considering that artists now mostly live out of the town itself recalls her teenage pilgrimage to the sculptor’s studio and garden in 1989 “It made me realise that you can make your own world,” she says Whilst our away form may not be as we like there cant be many complaints about the home form Your amazing support really does make such a difference Michael Jones looks to continue the strong home form and make it 5 home wins a in a row as we welcome St Ives Town to Top Field In the reverse fixture in November at Westwood Road St Ives Town secured 3 points in a 3-1 win Hitchin’s only goal coming from Henry Snee On St Ives Town’s last visit to Top Field in August 2023 Hitchin clinched the victory in a closeky contested game which ended 3-2 In this match the Hitchin Town goals came from Isaac Galliford Diogo Freitas-Gouveia and Finley Wilkinson https://hitchintownfc.ktckts.com/brand/match-tickets The online box office remains open until 30 minutes after kick off Remember our flexi tickets are also available This allows you to buy a pack of 5 adult or concession tickets at a discounted rate You can then login to your Kaizen account and decide which league games you want to use these tickets for https://hitchintownfc.ktckts.com/merchandise/hit2425flexi/flexi-ticket-202425-5-matches Mad Squirrel Brewery will now be a permanent fixture at Top Field matches serving a great range of craft beers They will be located adjacent to the main stand Canary Kitchen will be open from when the turnstiles open serving a great range of food and soft drinks including our signature HTFC Pies We look forward to welcoming another big crowd and hope everyone has a great afternoon at Top Field Hitchin Town Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Hertfordshire Our Men's team currently play in the Southern League Premier Central Division Words:  Bea Mitchell Former dance hall was artist Barbara Hepworth‘s studio Tate St Ives in Cornwall, England is to restore and reopen the historic Palais de Danse, a former cinema and dance hall, and artist Barbara Hepworth‘s studio The art gallery has been awarded £2.8 million in funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to restore the landmark building which has been closed to the public for 65 years said the funding “brings us to two-thirds of our fundraising goal and marks a significant milestone in our journey to transform this historic building” “We are excited to be working towards re-imagining the Palais de Danse as a vibrant heritage site that builds on Hepworth’s remarkable legacy and actively engages our local communities,” she added The Grade II-listed Palais de Danse was originally a cinema and dance hall in the early 1900s and later became Hepworth’s second studio from 1961 to 1975 where she created some of her most iconic works Tate St Ives will restore key elements of the building including the grid-marked floor in the lower workshop which still bears the outline of Hepworth’s Single Form bronze sculpture including its 24-metre sprung maple floor and recreated glassine screens designed by Hepworth This will become a “living heritage” space Additionally, the new venue will feature an immersive recreation of Hepworth’s workshop spaces on the ground floor the yard outside will be opened to the public serving as a new workshop and outdoor space for hands-on art making Stuart McLeod, director of England – London & South at the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “One of the things that stood out for us with Tate St Ives and Palais de Dance was the huge impact this project will have on the community and people of St Ives, as well as the wider impact for Cornwall “The project will help boost the local economy and create new spaces for interpretation with creative engagement and focus on developing young people through new skills and apprenticeships.” Get the latest attractions industry news direct to your inbox More from this author Blooloop is taking climate action and is now B Corp Certified speed and the best experience on this site The TimesA pioneering plan to use Britain’s seas to fight climate change has been scrapped because it was considered too expensive Planetary Technologies said it would not be going ahead with a large-scale plan to use Cornish waters to capture carbon from the atmosphere • Meet Hilda, the calf bred to fight climate change Opening at Tate St Ives is a landmark retrospective exhibition of over 200 works and archival drawings of an artist who lived and worked in Cornwall for forty years – but you’ve probably never heard of her Open in Google Maps Show yourself some love: 14 things to do in this month in our alternative Valentine's guide for Cornwall Muddy’s 2025 Cornwall festival guide - avoid FOMO, book early bird tickets! What's on? Cornwall's Arts and Culture Planner for Spring 2025 First Look: Space by Luxmuralis at Truro Cathedral, Cornwall Arts & Culture planner - Cornwall in April May & June 2025 Review: Mermaid of Zennor, The Minack, Cornwall Bookmark this! Best indie bookshops in Cornwall to spend your World Book Day Token Cornwall's stone circles: My fave places, Lally MacBeth & Matthew Shaw, Stone Club Reader Treats Terms & ConditionsRead our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions here. Copyright © 2025 Muddy Stilettos. All images © of their respective owners. Follow all the action from the Etihad Stadium as City and Chelsea go head-to-head You don’t have to leave the UK to experience an amazing time at the seaside I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Britain's stunning coastline offers a wealth of beaches that rival those further afield From tranquil Welsh coves to Cornwall's dramatic shores a staycation offers diverse seaside experiences even if guaranteed sunshine isn't always on the menu Whether you prefer quiet contemplation with a flask of tea overlooking the dunes or the lively buzz of Brighton Pier with traditional fish and chips Often accompanied by charming coastal villages and bustling seaside towns Britain's beaches offer more than just sand and sea along with nearby accommodation suggestions While not everyone wants a small hike (half a mile from Stackpole) to reach their relaxation destination you won’t be disappointed after making the effort to get to this idyllic stretch of Welsh coastline Picnics are welcome here but there’s also a cafe and other amenities if you need them in between taking a dip and sunbathing Just a 15-minute drive away inland sits the town of Pembroke where you will find the Old Kings Arms Hotel & Bar a traditional Welsh coaching inn that has welcomed travellers since the 16th century Recently refurbished double and twin rooms include a fridge and smart TVs while the more economical single rooms are great for a short stay on a budget Read more: The best beaches in Dubai, from family-friendly fun to partying on the sands Less than a mile from the centre of one of the UK’s most famous seaside towns Whitby Sands offers everything you’d want from a stereotypical UK beach White sand and blue sea mix with the backdrop of green hills multicoloured beach huts and the requisite fish and chip and ice cream shops to provide a stellar Northern seaside getaway Set within a magnificent townhouse on Whitby’s West Cliff several rooms at La Rosa offer dramatic views across Whitby Harbour ranging from the interior of an old caravan to the view of Whitby Abbey which is said to have inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula Read more: Out with Santorini, Mykonos and the Acropolis – in with these new Aegean gems for the ultimate Greece holiday With a pier, long stretches of sand and a town and location that is more accessible than many of its Pembrokeshire rivals – due to a well-served train station and close proximity to cities such as Manchester and Liverpool – this northern Welsh beach provides everything for a family or friends’ getaway in the largest seaside resort in the country The Quay Hotel & Spa is a 10-minute drive or train ride from the North Shore and provides a comfortable escape from the town in nearby Deganwy situated right on the harbour and with sea views Read more: Islands with starring roles in films, from The Beach to Star Wars Luskentyre is another one of those beaches that looks like it belongs far from the shores of the UK with emerald waters and white sands more reminiscent of the Caribbean or Spain’s Atlantic coast It is one of the largest beaches on the Isle of Harris with miles of empty sands and grassy dunes that provide serene swimming opportunities and the chance for long walks A 20-minute drive away (or a lengthy hike) from the beach is the picturesque village of Tarbet offering guests 21 individually designed en-suite bedrooms and four suites Read more: The lesser-known tropical island that’s perfect for a winter getaway A similar close-to-town offering in England Tankerton Beach sits just 20 minutes away from Whitstable and could be a good option for those living around the capital who fancy a day (or three) out on the coast This long pebble beach is geologically different to many of the others on the list The Marine Hotel offers amazing sea (or town) views in classically decorated ‘English’ style rooms The location right on Whitstable’s promenade offers an excellent base whether for strolling the town or simply staring at the view from the hotel restaurant Read more: The best beaches in Spain A major part of Porthmeor’s attraction is its proximity to St The magnificent town has lost none of its charm despite increased tourism while the beach itself offers excellent cafes and restaurants and activity hires – think surfing and paddle boarding It’s also (probably) the only beach that you can step off and almost directly into a Tate gallery The St Ives Harbour Hotel is located around 15 minutes away and overlooks Porthminster Beach Stay at this dog-friendly hotel for the best of both beaches – via an excellent walk along the town’s seafront – as well as spacious rooms with an intelligent layout Read more: The best beaches in Australia Perhaps the quintessential UK seaside resort Brighton provides all the charm and activity of the towns on this list but in urban size The beaches are a mix of sand and pebble and are found next to marinas the historic buildings of Kemp Town or the famous Palace Pier but the real attraction here is the city itself a day on the beach can just as easily be the precursor to dinner at one of the excellent restaurants or a blow-out night out or to wind down after a day’s shopping in the Lanes Brighton has a range of hotel offerings befitting of any city but the Hotel du Vin stands out for its proximity to the seafront and city centre as well as its stylish room and bistro The front of the hotel may look Shakespearean but the interiors are modern with a maritime twist Read more: Turkey’s best beaches, as chosen by a local The only beach on this list that still welcomes cars onto its sands the two-mile stretch is characterised by its numerous dunes and picnicking families this is the perfect place for day-tripping families Situated right next to the beach is Port 56 a boutique bed and breakfast that caters for couples groups and families with its range of king- and queen-size beds to bunks in some rooms all with en suites complete with a powerful rain shower Read more: Best beaches in Florida for pure white sands, turquoise waters and rolling dunes Despite being located in arguably the most blessed county in the UK as far as beaches are concerned Porthcurno nevertheless manages to stand out from the competition While the soft sand and clear water are akin to that of other local beaches the combination of dramatic high cliffs (for wind protection) and a quiet scenic location put this beach at the top of an enviable list While there are plenty of campsites and cottages to choose from right next to the beach for those who would prefer to bed down at a hotel may have to look a little further for a wider selection you will find the Old Success Inn at Sennen Cove a historic pub that overlooks another beautiful stretch of Cornwall’s coastline Read more: The best beaches in Scotland to visit this summer The shores of Loch Morlich look like they’ve been plucked straight from the Yukon and placed in the Cairngorms Situated on a lake rather than the coastline this beach has the rugged surroundings of mountains The lake setting means you can enjoy freshwater rather than the salt of the sea and the beach is well-equipped for water sports While camping is a viable option on these shores opt for slightly more comfortable accommodation at the Pine Marten Bar Glenmore Pods These glamping pods offer indoor comfort and warmth just 200 metres from the shores of Loch Morlich with an on-site bar that serves food and drinks with an extensive breakfast Read more: Best secret UK beaches to visit in 2024 for peace and quiet Located between the towns of Croyde and Ilfracombe this two-mile stretch of sand is popular for surfers Woolacombe stands out among a plethora of excellent beaches in Devon due to large untouched areas and the variety of potential activities on offer the Woolacombe Bay Hotel has everything needed to enjoy a stay whatever the weather but the decor will likely be the last thing on your mind here Read more: The best beaches in the US to visit right now While crowds usually flock to the nearby beaches of Bournemouth – another of the UK’s most popular seaside destinations – Weymouth has all the charm without the cramped beach towels All the elements for the classic UK beach getaway are included: think beach huts ice cream parlours and a constant fear of seagulls stealing the salty fish and chips you just bought No.98 is a small boutique hotel that overlooks Weymouth Bay Just two minutes away from the train station the hotel is a good base for anyone wishing to sample Weymouth’s golden swathes Read more: The best beaches in Pembrokeshire Often topping lists of the best seaside towns Bamburgh and its pristine beach with 2.5km of sand have impressed visitors for years which has stood guard on the Northumberland coast for over 1,400 years it certainly competes with the equally spectacular natural scenery along the beach and views out to sea of Holy Island and Farne Island pubs and restaurants championing local seafood offering 20 rooms designed with comfort in mind; the majority have views looking out towards the Farne Islands or the castle Read more: The best beaches in Lanzarote The Isles of Scilly archipelago off the Cornish coast is known for having mild temperatures all year round rarely falling below freezing and seldom experiencing extreme weather the islands feature some of the most stunning coastlines across the entirety of Britain where the pale turquoise waters ebb and flow on the long While there is no booming seaside town that skirts around the bay this makes the beach an ideal spot for a romantic walk or quiet retreat to the water’s edge so it is advised to book well ahead of time If staying on Tresco is a must so you can access Pentle Bay whenever you please one of the 16 rooms at the award-winning The New Inn would not go amiss The hotel provides super king or twin beds a walk-in rain shower and a resident’s lounge with a log burner to keep you cosy Book now Read more: The best towns and villages to visit in the Lake District Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies {"adUnitPath":"71347885/_main_independent/gallery","autoGallery":true,"disableAds":false,"gallery":[{"data":{"title":"iStock-162240761.jpg","description":"St Nicholas Chapel or church at Porthmeor Beach in St Ives, Cornwall","caption":"Porthmeor Beach, St Ives Challenged PM on fiscal policies, advocated for a review of tax rules and closing loopholes to ensure social justice I recently challenged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to review his government’s fiscal rules. Though the PM didn’t accept my proposal, he’ll have to revisit this issue soon. When he became PM, Starmer correctly asserted that “those with the broadest shoulders should bear the greatest burden”, but most of his decisions since have achieved the opposite – not just here in the UK, but also amongst the poorest on the planet. Contrary to popular belief, and Tory mantra, the UK is not especially overtaxed when contrasted with comparable developed countries. Since 1990 income tax and national insurance paid by those on UK average earnings (£12,000 then; £39,000 now) has fallen from 28 per cent of salary to 19 per cent. Quite a reduction. However, in Australia it’s 25 per cent, 24 per cent in the US and 40 per cent Belgium. In politics, you have to use a crisis; not let yourself become a victim of it. Starmer now has the political space to review his fiscal rules, defend industry from the trade war, increase defence spending and restore our public services. The trade barriers Trump is imposing on us make those we imposed on ourselves – like Brexit – increasingly damaging and costly. Now is the time to review all of this and change course. Then there’s the need to close tax loopholes. Last week in the Commons, Treasury ministers agreed to meet me to explore how we could spend less taxpayers’ money effectively fuelling the dramatic shift of local homes into property investment – especially for holiday and second homes. My interest is, of course, not fuelled by the politics of envy, but the politics of social justice. It can’t be right that, in Cornwall alone during the last decade (under the Conservatives of course), over £500 million of taxpayers’ money has been handed to holiday home owners, when we desperately need that money to deliver first homes for locals. [email protected]Further Links