HARBOUR NEWS
WHAT'S AFLOAT IN THE HARBOUR
Here is the latest news about new and ongoing projects in and around the harbour. Just click on the headline links and and the full article will open.
Fishing Net Recycling -
February 2023
During February we have been busy down on the harbour tidying up the Quay. And are pleased to have worked with www.odysseyinnovation.com who are a specialist marine waste management company who pioneered the UK’s Net Regeneration Scheme. I'm sure you will all agree that it is great to see the old nets go off to be created into something new.
Polperro Harbour Trust Annual General Meeting (AGM) Announcement - October2022
This year’s AGM will be held at Polperro Chapel on Saturday 12th November 2022 commencing 10am. All are welcome.
Trustees
If anyone is interested in becoming a Trustee please email polperroharbour@outlook.com , phone 01503 272423 or call into the Harbour Office on Monday or Wednesday mornings (9-10.15) for an application pack.
We would particularly welcome applications from persons with IT knowledge and/or fundraising experience. Please note that the closing date for all applications is 31st October 2022.
Visit from The National Lobster Fishery - February 2020
The Harbour Trust was pleased to host a visit from members of the team from Padstow with a view to exploring potential collaboration between the National Hatchery and those with a an interest in supporting fishing activities out of the harbour. Team members David Lockyer COO and Ben Marshall Visitor Experience and Hatchery Supervisor were taken on a tour of the harbour and village and met local fishermen, trustees, PHT chairman and our harbour master to discuss challenges for the fishing industry and potential future collaboration.
Kitty's Grand Opening -
April 2023
Kitty's Lobster, Crab & Seafood Shack on the Quay in beautiful Polperro Harbour is having a Grand Opening on Sunday 2nd April 2023, commencing with a guest appearance by some of the Polperro Wreckers at 11.30am, for a good old shanty sing song and the Lord Mayor of Polperro, Phil Thomas will cut the ribbon at 12 noon to officially declare the shop open.
There will be photo ops with our Lobster mascot and a photo competition. Best photo taken of Kitty's Grand Opening on the day, posted & shared on Facebook with Kitty's Lobster, Crab & Seafood Shack being tagged, will win a prize. The winner will be decided by Kitty's Management.
Prince of Wales Pier Update - January 2023
Since the last update in October, we had a very useful meeting with the Environment Agency who are looking into whether they can contribute towards the cost of repairs to the Pier. A reminder that we need to raise £900,000 to do this. Their initial view was it would be difficult due to the amount of money already spent on the Harbour Gate, but they will review their calculations for the gate and assess the issues of the Pier against their funding criteria.
South West Water have advised us that they do not consider themselves responsible for any investment in the Pier. We’ve written to them giving details of the repair works associated with the bulge adjacent to their manhole with the associated costs. We’ve asked them to reconsider their position and contribute their share of the costs. They are currently looking into ways they may be able to help.
It’s clear to the Trustees that we will need to raise the money from different sources. From our contact with Sheryl Murray MP, we’ve been directed to two possible sources of Grant Funding and will submit the initial information by the end of January. We also want to investigate other sources of Grant Funding (E.g., Lottery). We’ve also been proactive in setting up our own go fund me page for direct fundraising, we welcome your donations at: https://gofund.me/9908f84f We are grateful to Karena and Mike from the Plantation Café who raised £100 from a quiz before Christmas.
If anyone has experience of Grant Applications / Fundraising or simply an appetite to get involved, we would very much appreciate the help. Please talk to a Trustee, email us at; polperroharbour@outlook.com or call into the Harbour Office on a Monday morning.
In the meantime, the Civil Engineer has checked the various cracks in the Pier and reported some movement but currently we continue to use the Pier. We are grateful for the supportive comments from the October update and welcome your suggestions and help.
PHT Trustees
Photograph provided by https://www.cornishimagegallery.co.uk/
New trawler arrives in the harbour - June 2020
P.H.T. are moving forward with new officers and trustees and are looking to the future. With a new trawler already back in the harbour and hopefully two more arriving this coming winter, fishing is looking on the up. We are pleased to have cleared the top of the fish market, and will offer this space for locals to sell arts and craft products. New lighting along the fish market will be up and running soon. And with the generous help of some locals and ourselves a good spruce up of the harbour will be under way shortly. With these troubling times starting to ease, we look forward to welcoming back visitors to our beautiful village and its sparkling jewelour harbour
Prince of Wales Pier Update - October 2022
The Prince of Wales Pier was originally constructed in 1860. As the outermost pier in the Harbour, it takes the full force of storms particularly when there is a south-easterly gale blowing. It forms part of the Polperro Conservation Area and is a Listed Building.
The seaward face of the pier was renovated in the 1990’s although much of the replacement facing has since come adrift due to storm damage. There is also a bulge in the wall adjacent to the South West Water (SWW) manhole.
The Trustees engaged a Civil Engineer who has extensive experience in Marine structures. His advice is that major repairs are needed. The structure requires considerable reinforcement and concrete facing to the seaward walls. We have progressed this to the design and costings phase. The cost estimate is £900,000 to £1 million. It’s expensive because of the need to work between tides and the cost of getting materials to the site.
As you probably know the Trust doesn’t get any public funding. Our revenue comes from mooring fees, rents, donation boxes and levies on fish landed. We can cover our operational costs, but we don’t have reserves to fund these types of Capital Projects.
We have approached the Environment Agency (EA) and SWW with requests for funding. Both have responded to us but to date have not committed any funds. We have contacted Sheryll Murray MP for support, and she has been helpful as have Cornwall County Council and Polperro Community Council.
Given the current economic climate it feels like we have a challenge to raise the money for the work. We will continue to talk with the various agencies about funding and have started to explore other options (e.g., Lottery, Crowdfunding). Meantime the Structural Engineer has put in place a system to monitor the condition of the pier.
The purpose of this communication is to advise you of the situation. We will update you as things progress. There will also be an opportunity to share information at the AGM on the 12th November (10am at the Chapel).
If anyone has experience in fundraising or is feeling very generous, please do get in touch.