Achillesheel
Well-known member
Has it re-opened? Has anyone visited?
Smugglers Cottage Tolverne, on the Fal
- Thread starter Achillesheel
- Start date
Rigger Mortice
N/A
Visited it once. Nice location but, other than that, not up to much.
AndrewfromFal
Active member
The Tregothnan estate have leased it to a family who are running a boat berthing and gardiennage service from the site. - The cottage will serve as their home.
Its previous long held incarnation as a restaurant / tea garden is dead and buried.
More details at http://smugglersmoorings.co.uk/
Its previous long held incarnation as a restaurant / tea garden is dead and buried.
More details at http://smugglersmoorings.co.uk/
longjohnsilver
Well-known member
The Tregothnan estate have leased it to a family who are running a boat berthing and gardiennage service from the site. - The cottage will serve as their home.
Its previous long held incarnation as a restaurant / tea garden is dead and buried.
More details at http://smugglersmoorings.co.uk/
Well good luck to the new tenants but Tregothnan estates should hang their heads in shame with their almost desecration of an important historical site. Mr Newman, the previous incumbent, whilst being a cantankerous old fart, at least maintained the signs, photographs and other historical memorabilia, and it was a very useful spot to enjoy a cream tea or a pasty, along with a drink, facilities which on the Fal are sorely missing. Then Tregothnan tried to turn it into an up market cafe and failed miserably. And removed most, if not all of the photos and signage along the river. Such a shame.
AndrewfromFal
Active member
Given that in spite of the variable quality of the food and Mr Newman's somewhat, errm...eccentric attitude to customer service, they managed to earn a living from it for several decades; so I don't understand why Tregothnan couldn't. But as longjohnsilver says, they seemed to he intent on turning it into something more upmarket / a wedding venue. On the back of this they seemed to be lobbying hard for the removal of layed up ships from the river in the immediate vicinity, as this was spoiling the view (and that it consequently threatened the viability of the place); although I imagine this got short shrift from Truro Harbour master.
Given the constant emphasis Tregothnan puts on the preservation of heritage, their attitude to the preservation of signs and the fact they did not move to retain the memorabilia when the Newmans left shows perhaps they are more about talking the talk than walking the walk.
It's a real shame its gone......Tolverne is a place I have massive nostalgia for; but I do envy the new tenants to some extent....as a place to live it really is quite something, I imagine.
Given the constant emphasis Tregothnan puts on the preservation of heritage, their attitude to the preservation of signs and the fact they did not move to retain the memorabilia when the Newmans left shows perhaps they are more about talking the talk than walking the walk.
It's a real shame its gone......Tolverne is a place I have massive nostalgia for; but I do envy the new tenants to some extent....as a place to live it really is quite something, I imagine.
doug748
Well-known member
Wonderful place. Grand stretch of river.
A trained ape could make a living out of it. I sense the dead hand of local internecine politics behind this one.
A trained ape could make a living out of it. I sense the dead hand of local internecine politics behind this one.
Achillesheel
Well-known member
Thanks all. We have visited during the previous incumbents' time, and the food was very good. We also visited during the Tregothnan period and were less impressed.
We'll give it a go at the weekend and report back.
We'll give it a go at the weekend and report back.
gjgm
Active member
That must bring back memories to all who ever visited ! Almost became part of the err charm of the place ...
AndrewfromFal
Active member
I remember arriving one inclement evening many Septembers ago, rainy and pretty wild - a swell rolling down King Harry Reach (so it must have been pretty bad), we pitched up in the bar, where there was a fire burning; keen for a pint and some hot food, and being made to feel as welcome as a fart in a Spacesuit....Mr Newman was so obnoxious he had us all cowed into submission in no time; we could have a pint (I won't use the phrase 'we were welcome to have a pint', because that would be somewhat inaccurate), but they were fully booked for food...we should have booked, etc, etc. We supped our pints and then headed back to Falmouth in the dark and the rain, I still remember slamming into the swell off Turnaware on the way back, whilst eating a Pork Pie that had been hastily warmed up in the boat's Flavel......
oldbilbo
...
Serves you right! It's deepest, darkest Cornwall, after all. What d'you expect - civilisation?
AndrewfromFal
Active member
Well this was over 20 years ago, so you could have a point...although ironically I was a local back then, and most of Tolverne's trade was IIRC wasn't as most locals I knew thought it far too pricey for the likes of them......
oldbilbo
...
Here are a couple of out-of-the-way corners of 'deepest, darkest Cornwall'.....
and
I know they each reward a visit. And there are others just like'em....
and
I know they each reward a visit. And there are others just like'em....
jimi
Well-known member
you should have gone up to the Heron
Rigger Mortice
N/A
Yes, we much prefer The Heron.
