We Must Protect Salcombe's Shoreline!

There seems to be a worrying trend creeping into Salcombe's shoreline which could have dramatic consequences if it is not checked.

The owner of The Vinery on Bennett Road has put a planning application in to build a boat house on the foreshore. The proposed boathouse is a world away from the existing one. The same person also wants to build a jetty on the foreshore. These applications if approved will change the shoreline forever and more importantly set a precedent for others to follow, and follow they surely will as money is no object to the owners of these water front properties. Don't get me wrong Salcombe welcomes their money and input into the town and understands that Salcombe may well be a very different place without this "new economy", however development especially along the water side can't go unchecked.

This leads me on to the even more worrying trend concerning our foreshores; namely the beginnings of the enforcement of the "private foreshore" which each house owns. I noticed this last summer for the first time with the owners of Mill Bay who began to try to rope off areas of the beach for their own use, this trend was also apparent in the owners refusal to let the regatta committee use Fisherman's for their fireworks.

The most recent incident came when a father and his 2 sons were stopped on the foreshore near Woodcott and asked if they knew it was private land; apparently this is not the first time this has happened on this stretch of foreshore. This was recently pointed out my a member of the public who attended one of the Salcombe Town Council meetings, this person also voiced concerns that this situation could be even more of a concern once the foreshore began to be developed and the owners started to keep people off the shore and utilise it for their own private use.

Yes, legally they do own these stretches of foreshore but they are not acting in the spirit of the law, these foreshores have been used for decades by the public and the owners of these magnificent water side properties should understand that it is only by default that the foreshore is theirs and respect the use of it by the general public. The last thing we want is for rich second home owners to build their own personal "castles" and make Salcombe even more of a rich mans playground with none of the charm and simplicity that makes Salcombe great...what next private pontoons followed by a marina?

Lets all enjoy Salcombe and ensure that we retain as much of the traditional Salcombe as we can.

Salcombe...Nothing Beats It...

I was going through my camera this week and found a load of photos of Summer 2008 I forgot I had. I decided to share them as I am sure you agree there isn't anywhere that can rival Salcombe...you can keep the Caribbean, Maldives and other fancy places, for me it's Salcombe EVERY TIME!

I think the photo above really captures Salcombe, click on it and see if full size.

See More Great Salcombe Photos...

My 2009 Salcombe wish list...

Sorry for the lack of blogging, I've been to the IOW for a week and the promised internet access didn't work! Great place the IOW, well worth a visit. Cowes made me laugh, it's like Salcombe but bigger and with even more clothes shops! However unlike Salcombe many shops/cafes were closed for the winter...I presume summer trade produces so much money that winter opening isn't necessary...most of Salcombe can only dream about this!

Anyway here is my wish list for Salcombe for 2009, I'd love to hear yours....

1. Pedestrianisation of Fore St in June/July/August.
2. Regatta week is not cancelled.
3. The owners of Millbay don't try to cordon off any more of the beach for their private use! There seems to be a growing interest in control of the beaches by the owners...this can't be good. The owner of Fishermans refused the regatta committee permission to let off fireworks last summer.
4. The harbour office don't replace the chains on the Batson pontoons with stanchions and ruin a beautiful creek.
5. The South Sands hotel opens and is successful.
6. The Marine Hotel development is downgraded and the proposed pontoons are not granted planning permission.
7. The Kings Arms cleans up it's awful dirty and dowdy beer garden, the new terrace is great but the beer garden is horrendous.
8. Salcombe doesn't become a celebrity hang out!
9. The harbour scraps their ridiculous charge for over-nighting on Whitestrand.
10. The sun actually comes out for at least 1 day!

Salcombe's South Sands Hotel to Re-open...

This is a real surprise! The South Sands hotel is to re-open as a boutique hotel with 14 rooms. The hotel closed quite a while ago now and was converted to apartments.

What this means for the Marine Hotel I am not sure as the plans for the conversion are to make it into a boutique hotel...does Salcombe have capacity to support 2 boutique hotels? I can't imagine either will be cheap.

If all goes according to plan the South Sands hotel will have been open for at least 24-36 months by the time Marine hotel has it's plans agreed, shuts down, is rebuilt and finally re-opens.

I think the South Sands hotel could have real appeal, you have one of the best beaches in Salcombe on your doorstep, a very good water sports centre based next door, the best walks in the UK just up the hill (does anything beat the view from the sundial on Bolt Head back down the estuary towards Salcombe??) the there is the ferry service from outside your door into the heart of Salcombe, the Winking Prawn is just a 10 minute walk away and also the pretty decent facilities of the Tidesreach hotel are just the other side of the road!

How to get one over on the Marine hotel hey......you have to smile.