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Welcome to Polperro
Narrow, winding streets and alleys, cottages perched on steep slopes overlooking a tiny harbour- Polperro is everyone's idea of a picturesque Cornish fishing village - visit and like many others you may want to stay - for ever
To explore this website - use the menu at the top of this homepage or visit our Sitemap or follow the links from any of the topics on this page. And scroll down to see all this large homepage! Our Online Forum is fully operational and we have a new Memories & Recollections board - let us know your Polperro memories!
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Good News! Polperro Post Office not on closures list
The Post Office today published its rationalisation plan for Cornwall, which includes the closure of 59 post offices. Polperro post office is not one of those listed for closure. The nearest post office to be closed is at West Looe (in the Spar Shop). Lerryn and Polruan are to be served by "outreach" services. Local post offices which have also survived include two in Looe (Fore Street and the Barbican), Pelynt, Lanreath and Nomansland (Bindown Stores).
   Celebrations in Polperro may be relatively short-lived if the Post Office does not win a renewal of the important contract for accounts for pensioners who do not have their pensions paid directly into bank accounts. The Post Office is up against a commercial competitor which has already successfully taken away significant chunks of the post office's traditional business and there are real fears that if the Post Office does not manage to retain this important contract many small post offices will simply cease to be viable, leading to an almost inevitable further wave of closures. There is now to be a period of public consultation about the rationalisation plan and final decisions are expected later this year.
Bob Tarr - www.polperro.org - news - 15 July 2008
Full details of the Cornwall post offices rationalisation programme
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Shock to local Anglican Community - Polperro's C of E church closes
St John's church, Polperro - photo copyright -  The Parish of TallandPolperro's Mission Church of St John has had to close because of plaster falling from the walls and other defects which were found on survey mean the building cannot now get public liability insurance and needs repair works which would cost well in excess of £10,000 just to make it safe - and very much more to be put the church building into good order. The Vicar, the Rev. Linda Smith, has told polperro.org that with congregations down to less than a handful these days there is no realistic possibility of raising the large sums needed and what is now needed is a debate in the village as to whether a new use can be found for the church which could justify grants and other forms of finance from funding bodies to do repairs and convert it to the new use or uses. The church was built in 1838 to serve the fishing community of Polperro. In more recent times church attendances have declined. The vicar told us that although attendance of services by holiday visitors is quite small, the church has been open all day in the summer seasons and is a quiet place of meditation for visitors which has been popular. There has been an interesting history exhibition in the church arranged by local historian Carole Vivian. Church members will now have to attend Talland church, some 3 miles away by road.
An open letter from the Rev. Linda Smith to the people of Polperro - click here
Read the BBC's news item on this - click here  More about St John's church - click here
www.polperro.org - news - 4 & 6 June 2008
Reminder about Access Restrictions in Polperro
On 1st March 2008 the summer restrictions come into force in Polperro. Can we please remind all residents and visitors to Polperro that after that date there will be no on street parking anywhere in the village centre. The entire villlage centre is subject to an access restriction this means that unless you have a delivery to make within the village or a parking place you should not enter the village. If you have booked accommodation within the village your landlord will be able to advise you about the availability of parking. There are three routes in to the village and the access restriction signs are clearly displayed at the the top of The Coombes, at the top of Talland Hill and at the top of Landaviddy Lane beyond these signs there is nowhere that you can park on the road so please don't take your vehicles in to the village. We will be enforcing these restrictions.
PC Helen Libby, Neighbourhood Beat Officer and PCSO Steve Cocks, Community Support Officer,
Devon & Cornwall Police

This is timely and good advice - there really is nowhere to park or even to turn and SAT-NAV users in particular would be well advised to turn off these devices and use their eyes, read the road signs and be sensible otherwise you can easily end up stuck fast between stone walls in no through lanes narrower than your vehicle. So if you can't come to Polperro by public transport, park in the main car park (well signposted as you approach the village from Looe or Pelynt) and enjoy the walk or minibus or horse tram ride down into the village - it's not a long way and there's lots of picturesque Polperro to see on the way.
Bob Tarr, webmaster, www.polperro.org
The Perils of Sat-Nav in a Cornish Village - The sturdy citizens of Polperro are Even the military can find Polperro streets a problem - click this image to see larger version - copyright Tony White 2007 all rights reservedbecoming well accustomed to witnessing the kami-kase antics of drivers of Jammed JCB - click on this image for larger version - photo Tony White copyright 2007 all rights reservedeverything from private cars, delivery vans & lorries, JCBs and even miltary vehicles as they set out to prove that what their sat-nav systems are telling them is true and that the narrow and precipitous lanes and alleys of Polperro are some sort of virtual reality fantasy. The problem is, of course, that Polperro is real world and sat-nav is fantasy. The owners of body repair shops and clutch replacement services can almost be seen licking their lips in anticipation of the next lucrative job.... But seriously, it is foolhardy to ignore the road signs - narrow in Polperro means NARROW (like less wide than your vehicle) and steep means STEEP (like steeper than your engine/clutch/gearbox can endure) - so switch off the sat-nav, read the road signs and ask the locals!
Most of Polperro village is subject to a seasonal traffic prohibition regulation - there is a reason for this - Polperro's streets are mostly narrow (and they tend to get narrower the further you go!) and some are also very steep and there is virtually nowhere to park or manoeuvre or even turn round in the village (but there is a large car park as you approach the village and minibus and horse-bus services to take you down to the heart of the village if you can't manage a 500m walk.
Click on images to see larger versions.
Report & photos courtesy of Tony White
Visit our Jammed page which documents just some of the many who have come a cropper putting blind faith in sat-nav instead of learning how to read road signs and interpret ordnance survey maps - and those who managed to get stuck even without sat-nav to help them.
Cornish Fishing Luggers - an introduction by local author and ex-lugger crewman Paul Greenwood. Also details of his new definitive book on Cornish luggers, which you can buy locally or on-line - more
Ryder Lifeboat's starring role
The Ryder Lifeboat disguised as the "Admiral Sir George Back" 2007. Richard A Derrick © 2006/2007
Disguised as the Lizard Lifeboat "Admiral Sir George Back", the historic Ryder lifeboat has recently starred in the film And Every Life Was Saved, a reconstruction of the rescue of 525 souls from the wreck of the White Star liner SS Suevic in 1907 - visit our Ryder page for more about the history of the Ryder lifeboat and the new Ryder website for the full story and many photos of the filming and of the other recent, modern-day exploits of this historic restored lifeboat. Photo above - Richard A Derrick © 2007
Edmund Curtis, Polperro fishermanThe last of the old Polperro fishermen - a tribute by Tony White to Edmund Curtis, who died recently, aged 85 - click here
  Bounty from the sea - teak houses, even teak stables - a new story of a Polperro shipwreck in 1849 - of the barque Shepherdess - more
Do you have family connections with Polperro? You might have! Check out your family name on the Polperro Family History Society's pages - click here Tony White's 'Bits & Pieces' 
Nobody knows for sure where he gets his information, but he is the village postmaster, he does get to work very early, and he has got an electric kettle, so maybe he steams open all the letters? Anyway, wherever he gets it from, he's the best informed guy in Polperro - and he shares it all with us in his "Bits & Pieces"
Bilge Rat - Reporter Extraordinaire - an irrascible character of a sea-faring temperament, Bilge Rat is constantly seen around and about the village collecting material for his very politically incorrect columns of reportage. But is the fact that he is only ever seen by ex-mariner & village postmaster Captain Tony White at all curious? Can the non-PC rantings of Bilge Rat be distinguished from those of our benign and hearty village postmaster? Read them and make up your own mind - click here
Overheard conversations - click here
The Loo with a viewThe Loo with a view
We knew that property in Polperro was expensive - but £30K for a tiny old public loo? Read the full story
Seen a flashing light out to sea from Polperro?
Tony tells all on our Eddystone page
Polperro's floods - now just history? more info & photos
Stay Safe on the Beach
Get yourself a copy of the excellent RNLI leaflet Your Guide to Beach Safety if you are going swimming, surfing, or even just paddling, playing, rock-pooling or walking on the beach. You can get a copy at Polperro Post Office, or from RNLI lifeboat stations, telephone 0800 328 0600 or visit the RNLI website at www.rnli.org.uk/beachlifeguards
Polperro fireworks 2004 - photo copyright Alex Ramsay 2004Small village - big fireworks displays. Find out what you've been missing - More
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The Claremont Hotel, Polperro - click on this image to visit our website or telephone 01503 272 241
Click here or on image to visit our website
or telephone 01503 272 241

Click on this image to visit our website which has full details of the many holiday cottages and houses  we offer in Polperro and elsewhere in Cornwall
         The Cottles - Polperro
The Cottles Guest House, Polperro - click image to visit our website
           A guest house with a difference
           Tel: 01503 272 578 or e-mail
Click on photos below for larger versions
Late October dawn in Polperro - photo by Brian Shepherd - copyright 2007 all rights reserved - click on image for larger version
Picturesque perfection - Polperro. Photo: R J Tarr, copyright 2004. Click on this image for larger version Photo: 31 July 2004 R J Tarr - copyright - all rights reserved. Click for larger version
So, you thought your move was difficult?
Moving house in Polperro - copyright
Moving house in Polperro - the full story
Poperro Heritage Press logo - click this image to visit our website Local history and a good read - visit our website to buy online any of our many Cornish & other titles
Looe Fim Society logoThere is no cinema in Polperro but a local charitable body Cinema by the Sea shows films at Looe Primary School about once a month, using state of the art digital projection, a huge screen and surround sound system. The full programme of screenings can be found at www.looefilmsociety.org.uk or by email from: info@looefilmsociety.org.uk
Public transport
Especially in the summer season there is quite a lot of bus services to and from Polperro. But how do you find out where and when they run? Two ways - online at www.cornwall.gov.uk/buses - and you can print out the individual timetables you need or, if you are going to be using public transport a lot, they publish a comprehensive timetable book twice a year which covers, all bus, train, ferry and scheduled coach services. There is also also an excellent free public transport map and frequency guide published by Cornwall County Council. Copies are available from bus stations, libraries and tourist information centres. There is also a Traveline enquiry service - telephone 0871 200 22 33 or go to www.travelineSW.com.
Website Statistics: Hits Pages Visitors
Jul 2008 655,686 100,501 27,215
2008 (7mths) 3.4m 533,901 175,811
Year 2007 3.5m 754,471 372,454
Year 2006
2.4m n/a 387,733
POLPERRO FORUM
Do you have memories of holidays in Polperro? If so please post them on our new Memories & Recollections Board - click here.
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