Newquay Conservation Area

30/09/2026

A great example on Fore Street of why we need to protect the surviving historic shopfronts in Newquay.

Stephen’s Café - Confectioners & Caterers, with its lovely original shopfront and decorative details, alongside the building as it appears today with little change!

The Cornwall Shopfront Design Guide for the town was produced for Newquay Town Council in 2018, specifically recognises the importance of Newquay’s historic shopfronts. It highlights the town’s range of surviving architectural detail and warns that much of it has been lost, altered or hidden by modern signage. The guide calls for “no further loss of historic fabric” and encourages restoration.

https://newquayplan.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Appendix-2-Shopfront-Design-Guide.pdf

24/09/2026

We’re delighted to be supporting the Newquay Heritage Trail — a community project celebrating the people, places and buildings that have helped shape Newquay’s history.

Led by Newquay Museum Group along with Newquay Old Cornwall Society and the Newquay Conservation Area Group, the project has been made possible through grant funding from Newquay Town Council.

A series of 3D-printed heritage plaques featuring QR codes will be installed around the town, allowing residents and visitors to explore the stories behind some of Newquay’s most interesting historic places.

If you would like to get involved or support the project, contact Newquay Museum Group at [email protected]

Newquay Heritage Trail The Newquay Heritage Trail is a project led by Newquay Museum Group. Working alongside Newquay Conservation Area Group and Newquay Old Cornwall Society it aims to celebrate and share the town's rich history. A series of heritage plaques will be located on buildings and sites t...

17/07/2026

The project aims to create a comprehensive record of Newquay's historic buildings, documenting their history, architectural features and surviving historic fabric. This research will enhance the Cornwall Historic Environment Record (HER) by providing new information on buildings that have received little or no detailed assessment.

It will create a robust evidence base to support our principal aim of establishing a Conservation Area for Newquay's historic town centre, identify buildings suitable for inclusion on a local list of heritage assets and, where appropriate, support applications for statutory listing. By recording, understanding and promoting Newquay's architectural and historic significance, the project will help ensure that the town's heritage is recognised, protected and conserved for future generations.

What is a Conservation Area? Conservation areas exist to manage and protect the special architectural and historic interest of a place in other words, the features that make it unique. Every local authority in England has at least one conservation area and there are

17/07/2026

2–6 Fore Street, Newquay

Originally Jenkins Store built in around 1911, this is an excellent example of Edwardian Tudor Revival architecture. The building retains a remarkable amount of its original fabric, including its corner clock tower with copper dome, original mechanical clock and hands, decorative timber framing, leaded windows, original shopfront framework, and cast-iron rainwater hoppers and downpipes. Occupying a prominent corner site, its distinctive clock tower has made it one of the most recognisable buildings in the town for well over a century.

However, there appears to be very little information about the building's architect. If anyone has any information, original plans, photographs or historical records relating to its design or construction, we would be very interested to hear from you.

Newquay Old Cornwall Society Newquay Museum Group

30/06/2026

The blocking of the long-used path across Glendorgal Headland has prompted widespread concern.

This is not the first time access to the headland has been disputed. During our research into Newquay's history, we came across an article published in Truth magazine in 1881, which records a dispute over access following the purchase of the Glendorgal estate by Arthur Pendarves Vivian. The article demonstrates that the people of Newquay strongly opposed attempts to restrict access, showing that this has been an issue of local importance for well over 140 years.

Following the Vivian family's ownership, the estate was purchased by the respected Tangye family. Throughout their ownership, the route between L***y Glaze and Porth remained in use and became a well-loved part of Newquay's coastline, enjoyed by generations of residents and visitors.

Today, the footpath is once again at the centre of debate following the owners redevelopment of the former Glendorgal Hotel site.

The Glendorgal Headland is not only one of the town's most spectacular coastal landscapes but also an important archaeological site, with evidence of prehistoric activity that forms part of Newquay's rich historic environment.

The Newquay Conservation Area group supports the Glendorgal Coast Path community group and their campaign. We believe this historic route between L***y Glaze and Porth should remain accessible. We hope a solution can be found to ensure that this coastal path can be reopened and continue to be enjoyed by future generations.

Pictures: Historic England (Aerial), Newquay Old Cornwall Society Collection

Newquay Old Cornwall Society
https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/porth-coast-path-battle-rages-11033600

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590193302706

15/06/2026

Today marks the opening of the NICI (formerly the Hotel Victoria), ushering in an exciting new chapter for this iconic Victorian landmark. The restoration and refurbishment have been completed to a high standard, breathing new life into one of Newquay's most recognisable buildings.

15/06/2026

Cornwall Council has confirmed that an appeal has been lodged with the Secretary of State against the Council's refusal of the planning application for proposed demolition of 19 St Michael's Road and construction of mixed use building, consisting of new offices, 9 No residential units, parking, 2 new vehicular accesses. [PA25/06466]

Last year, the Newquay Conservation Area, residents of Ennors Road and the wider public objected to the application, citing the loss of part of the historic boundary wall of church path and concerns that vehicles crossing the public footpath to Ennors Road would harm the neighbourhood, posing risks to pedestrian safety and increasing traffic.

Anyone wishing to submit new comments to the appeal can do so by 13th July 2026.

Comments can be submitted online: https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/enter-appeal-reference

Please quote the appeal reference: 6010836

10/06/2026

Today we have been looking at some historic maps at Kresen Kernow, found an interesting map of the town in 1868! 🔎

20/05/2026

York Buildings on Bank Street is an impressive Edwardian building. It replaced an older cottage owned by T. A. Hubber, who ran a greengrocers.

The building features an attractive granite ashlar façade with symmetrical gables and tall multi-paned sash windows. At its centre is a carved granite stone bearing the date 1909 and the initials “F.S.”, referring to the owner, Mr Frederick Snell of Victoria Terrace, who ran a butcher’s shop on Fore Street.

Mr Snell acquired the site and commissioned the construction of York Buildings, which was designed by Ennor & Bladen architects (E. J. Ennor). Architectural historian Nicholas Pevsner described the building as an Edwardian ‘bombast’ with huge corbels.

Sadly, Mr Snell died only a year after its construction however, it is wonderful that above the shopfronts, the façade has remained unchanged, and the original-style windows also survive, preserving the building’s historic character!

The Newquay Museum Group and its archive have supported our research into the history of the many buildings on the town’s high street. 📜