Fine Folk #8

Mr Goulden
49
Penzance
Hairdressing salon owner
Penzance's finest feature: The cosmopolitan nature of the people who live here. 

 

Words © Dee and Gerard Ivall. Images © Nik Strangelove

Interior decorum

Many of our small businesses are run as a labour of love, but few can be such a passionately personal creative project as Venton Vean bed & breakfast on Trewithen Road in Penzance.

These days, with advice and opinion from advertising and social media constantly fighting for our head space, it's a rare and pleasant moment when we stumble upon a great thing by chance. We found Venton Vean on a stroll. It caught our eye and made us think we'd discovered something out of the ordinary. Once home, a quick browse of the website confirmed our first instincts.  

Opened in September last year, Venton Vean joins the traditional ranks of Alexandra Road guesthouses, but we believe the approach of the owners of this particular establishment sets it apart. David Hoyes and Philippa McKnight were both successful London lawyers, but after having had a truly fair crack of that whip, they felt that their true purpose in life lay elsewhere. If TV programmes like Celebrity Master Chef have demonstrated anything worthwhile at all, it's that people are capable of making a mark in more than one area of life. If you're a top London lawyer, can you be an outstanding interior designer too? Yes, it appears you can.

Design is what strikes you first at Venton Vean. The interior decoration of this proud 1870s villa is simply beautiful. It is the epitome of the prevailing taste in period home design. Painstakingly restored original features, balanced with carefully selected furniture and ornaments from more contemporary decades are blended together by a delicate palette of heritage paint shades. But this is no cliché. There is a strong personal stamp being made; the couple are avid collectors of fine art and design.

When in London they would spend weekends trawling the markets of the East End, but now they're down here they find they can satisfy their cravings for vintage pieces just as easily by taking a trip to Chapel Street. Their pang for contemporary fine art is comfortably fulfilled here too; the rooms features work by Cornish artists such as David Whittaker, Virginia Bounds, Daphne McClure, Jyll Bradley, Margaret Mitchell and the late David Holmes. It's at this point that we realise that these are not so much proprietors, as curators. It's an important part of the identity of the place; those guests who are drawn to the area because of the local art scene are excited to find works of the artists they love hanging in their room. 

While many visitors clearly share the couple's passion, it's not a necessary requirement for booking, most just see the place as a beautiful house to pass a few days. After spending a year and a half getting the house just as they wanted, the care of their guests is now the whole focus, and they normally restrict the number of bookings at any one time to be able to give their residents the attention they deserve. By picking up the special touches from boutique guest accommodation around the world, they've crafted their perfect B&B experience. As well as providing exquisitely appointed ensuite rooms, they do a great line in breakfasts. David is the keen cook and has taken the morning menu to unfamiliar territory by adding dishes with titillating Mexican and Spanish flavours. He also makes his own jams and usually has around five different kinds on the go. Evening meals are also on offer to to guests who require it. David has totally embraced the local providers of ingredients and raves about Ian Lentern the butchers and the Newlyn Fish Company down at Stable Hobba. 

Living their dream of becoming B&B owners is still a pretty new experience for David and Philippa, and while it's certainly hard work, they really weren't expecting to enjoy it quite so much. Getting to know their temporary housemates has been a particular pleasure; they're always keen to share their own love of the area by helping them make the most of their stay, providing guests with 'must see' lists of local highlights. They got genuinely excited when we chat about the local galleries, the gigs they've seen at the Acorn Theatre, the independent shops and swimming in the sea. It's good to see that our humble local habitat can hold the interest of people who are used to the creative chocolate box that is London.

They've been openly welcomed by neighbours and the wider local community, and fellow local B&B owners were a great ally in the early days. They all recognise what this couple have done, and that is furnish Penzance with a real asset. This area needs the financial investment, yes, but what it benefits from more is the investment of spirit.

http://www.venton-vean.co.uk

Words © Dee and Gerard Ivall. Images © Nik Strangelove

Who is Daisy Laing?

Daisy Laing is not a person, but rather the newly-born retail baby of Kate Jones, and a welcome addition to the Chapel Street family. Tucked in among the huddle of commercial units at the upper end of the street, Kate's tiny shop, the former home of Dishotay, is a carefully curated boutique of vintage furniture and objets d'art. The aroma of coffee and exotic teas is now supplanted by the equally beguiling perfume of wood and bee's wax.

Kate's passion, and the shop's product focus, is classic pieces from the 50s and 60s, which nicely complements other sellers on the street. In fact, this increasingly popular genre has been underrepresented in the area, with the bias being on Antiques (with a capital 'A'). Those with a penchant for the simple beauty of G-Plan, Ercol and decorated ceramics will be delighted that they have a new retail sanctum in which to browse, covet, fondle and procure. It's a style that divides, like Marmite, but nevertheless there does appear to be a strong market, and the business is ticking over nicely. Kate also stocks a good selection of vinyl, a niche area of her trade that is surprisingly buoyant, with the shop attracting record collectors of all ages.
 

Inspiration for the shop stems from Kate and husband Jamie's time spent living in New York's East Village, where the vintage scene is a fanatical one. On their return to the UK, and their flat in Liverpool, they pined for the pizzazz of the Big Apple and sought a fresh lifestyle challenge. Many folk feel a strong connection with Cornwall, stirred by rosy memories of childhood holidays, but few make the leap to set up home, and shop, here. Kate's love of past eras and a need for a more Bohemian existence turned her in this direction, and the final push came when Jamie was offered work in the county. They moved to Newlyn in 2008, along with Martha, who's seven.

Both of them had careers in television production, but Kate was already had a successful sideline buying and selling vintage items on Ebay. While this online business is set to continue, the progression to upgrade the enterprise into a physical shop format seemed to be part and parcel of their new life plan. After a few initial enquiries into spaces were thwarted, she was suddenly presented with the opportunity of the unit she now inhabits, and she took it, almost without thinking. 

 



The shop space is small, but Kate likes it that way. Resisting the temptation to cram, she makes considered selections from the stockroom downstairs and gives each piece room to be appreciated. This way the shop changes weekly; as items are sold they are replaced. For locals, this regular revitalisation is crucial to hold interest. And locals, it turns out, are her main buyers, which bodes well for her long-term livelihood.

When any empty shop space is taken, we cheer. But when the new enterprise dovetails so neatly with our other independent shops and generally enhances the town, we jump for joy.

We did ask Kate the origin of the shop's name. She told us, with reluctance, on the condition that we kept it to ourselves. Sorry.

http://www.daisylaing.co.uk

Words © Dee and Gerard Ivall. Images © Nik Strangelove

New kids on the block

We kept hearing about a new gallery project with the strange name of LETH, and when we probed we were pleased to discover that it's the enterprise of Penzance Post personality, Sam Bassett.

The project currently known as 'Leth' (Cornish for 'milk') is housed in two previously unused Newlyn premises: the rooms above the charity shop on Jack Lane, and the gallery space on Badcock's Block. The former acts as the office and is referred to as 'Leth Office', and latter is used as the main public gallery and is, as yet, untitled. 

Penzance and Newlyn are hardly short of art galleries, but this is special because it's independent, and because it's run by a working artist rather than a businessperson or committee. As Sam reveals his motives and plans, he convinces us that his mission to showcase new and unrepresented local contemporary artists is pure, but that it's also about having fun. It's this tangible irreverence that makes it feel like an underground project, but at the same time, because of the high-profile gallery space, it comes across as entirely professional in its outlook.

The gallery was launched to coincide with the Newlyn Fish Festival and the buzz surrounding it was audible. On the day, Leth Office was also opened up to let us watch Alex Higglet and Georgina Hounsome making festival-related screenprints and Mat McIvor muralising.

Newlyn needs this. The main Newlyn Gallery is an excellent focal point, but it's shows are few and long, and it's artists are normally well-established and rarely local. Sam's project feels fresh and relevant; the current summer show is a deliciously discordant but joyous chorus of artistic voices and, in the main, the artists are based in Newlyn and Penzance or are working in this county. One of Sam's goals is to exhibit the best work from the colleges, as a way of crystalising the ambition of local students to follow the call of fine art as a realistic career.

We were also interested to learn that Sam is collaborating with another one of our featured persons, Henry Garfit, the founder of the Newlyn School of Art. Sam's vision and boundless drive is unquestioned, but Henry has already set up two successful art institutions and his experience will undoubtedly bring much credibility to this new venture.

It transpires that the Stevenson empire is involved too, being the landlords of the premises. In fact, one room of the gallery will be home to their exhibition of Newlyn's fishing heritage, which Sam will help curate by making it more of a interactive affair, with artists using the archive materials as inspiration for new works.

Overall then, rather than an exciting flash in the pan, this project looks set to become part of the fabric of the community – intrinsically tied to Newlyn's past and future.

http://www.lethoffice.com


Words © Dee and Gerard Ivall. Images © Nik Strangelove

Fifty shades of summer

Benefiting from a liberal dousing of rain, our urban hedgerows have been cheering us up of late with a display of brilliant colours: vivid pink and purple hues of Hydrangea, Buddleia and Valerian, fiery orange Montbretia and, of course, the mighty blue Agapanthus.

Words © Dee and Gerard Ivall. Images © Nik Strangelove

For the love of books

Since the repeal of the Fixed Book Price Agreement in 1995, the fate of the independent bookseller was seemingly sealed. But why, then, did James and Rachael Howorth go out on a limb to open The Edge of the World Bookshop in Penzance? How could they hope to take on the mighty Amazon and the high-street giant WHSmith, a branch of which stands across the street as if to challenge them? 

Is it because, like art, literature is loved in our county? The romantic scenery and the history mixed with legend make a fitting backdrop for reading and writing alike, and Cornwall is certainly a haven for authors of both prose and poem. The numerous annual literary events must surely confirm the local love affair with books.

Partly thanks to this regional characteristic, Books Plus on Market Jew Street had been run successfully by David and Barbara Mainwaring, but after 20 years of hard work building a loyal and loving customer base, their career finally ran its natural course and the shop went on the market earlier this year.

With an art background, James Howorth has had a varied career, which latterly led him to work at the Tate Modern bookshop, and then to manage a secondhand and antique bookshop in the West Midlands. His wife Rachael had been a researcher for BBC Radio 4. Not uncommonly, it was the allure of the laid-back, seaside lifestyle that led them to look for a change of location, but it was their mutual passion for books that found them browsing Google for vacant bookshop premises. Just one option came up: Books Plus. They viewed it, and within weeks they were moving to Cornwall with children, Leila and Finna, in tow. We spoke to James about their decision and ambitions.

James is inspired by the bookselling culture in France and Germany where shops are regarded as special places, where the book selection is curated by passionate owners, where knowledgeable staff enthuse and guide, and where the environment is carefully designed to enhance the experience. As well as all this, James' personal vision features a more open, interactive experience; rather than a shrine, his dream bookshop is alive with literary happenings for all ages. And these have already begun with book signings and readings in the shop, and by taking a pop-up version of the shop to outside events. 

People love bookshops because they're inspiring places, and James knows this is his most powerful weapon against the Goliath-like web retailers. He explains: "The population of Penzance really embrace independent shops – we have customers who search for books online and then buy them from us, just because they want to keep an independent bookseller in town – and I can't ask for more than that". James's opinion of our independent shopping scene is insightful: he says, "Shop owners have taken a leap of faith to open in a place like this, and in this economic climate, and they're really go-getting because of that – they've really got to pull out all the stops – which might lead towards everything that is in Penzance being of a higher standard".

One of the joys of a bookshop is stumbling upon an obscure title that you could never otherwise find. So part of the trick is to hold onto the character of a true indie bookshop, while still offering breadth for a wide audience. The shop stocks bestsellers next to short-run books on niche topics, and literary greats next to self-published local authors – and there's a particularly good children's section. James has his own prized books, of course, and he proudly shows us a collection of exquisitely bound and illustrated classics.

Their vision to create a more engaging experience led them to change the name of shop. "We wanted a name that sounded like a book title, something that had a romantic charm and would capture the imagination of children too". The Edge of the World Bookshop is also their own tribute to the location and their perception that West Cornwall is a separate, magical place, a world apart from the rest of the country.

Along with the new name comes an eye-catching fascia and, to follow, a fresh interior fit-out, new window fittings and an old-style swinging shop sign. Plans on the distant horizon include conversion of the cavernous meat cellar (the shop was once a butchers) into an events space or reading room.

Loyalty is another key to being a local retailer, and past Books Plus fans will be glad to know that the loyalty card scheme is still in good working order.

The couple's genuine love for the area, enthusiasm and determination to create a good thing for Penzance has endeared them to the local community, and they've been overwhelmed by support and encouragement. They've even been given helpful advice from competitors, like Ron Johns who runs the Falmouth and St Ives Bookseller. All this points to a promising future for the shop and we wish them well.

So, if wet weather drives you off the beach and you're heading for the shelter of the town, here's one fine place to spend a happy time indulging or reigniting your love of books.

The Edge of the World Bookshop

23 Market Jew Street

Words © Dee and Gerard Ivall. Images © Nik Strangelove

Fine Folk #7

Mr Manning

48

St Just

Mechanic & musician

Penzance's finest feature: Chapel Street

Words © Dee and Gerard Ivall. Images © Nik Strangelove

Folk Art: Life after death

Artists who make use of found materials are to be commended for their sustainable methods, but those who work with natural resources in situ, raise the concept of green art to a new stature.

Surrounded by houses, a high-rise block of flats and the hospital on St Clare Street, Penzance's mysterious totem pole appears absurd. Yet, while it is seemingly besieged by the modern world, its spellbinding peculiarity and pagan symbolism has an unassailable strength. Skillfully carved from a lifeless tree, insects crawl around its trunk, branches metamorphose into wild dogs and rabbits, fossilised in mid-leap, and the fearsome green man stands sentinel at the foot. 

With no plaque or signature to be found, we're left wondering about its maker, their inspiration and their message. Nevertheless, it's a formidable reminder of our primitive origins, as well as our remote and rustic setting. And, to our minds, the resonating idea is that fresh purpose and lasting beauty can be created from the decay of life.

Words © Dee and Gerard Ivall. Images © Nik Strangelove

Fine Folk #6

Miss Isitman

18

Sweden

Student & waitress

Penzance's finest feature: The coast path to Marazion

Words © Dee and Gerard Ivall. Images © Nik Strangelove

Folk Art : Blessed are the sign makers

Signs create visual pollution in the modern environment, and the blot is even more noticeable on our tourist-beckoning landscape. However, a hand-crafted sign has an intrinsic charm that speaks to us in a way that computer-inscribed, factory-produced signage could never do; the connection to the creator is tangible and the human imperfection is endearing. Born of the need to make public messages at scale, and on a shoestring, the homemade style appeals to our sense of nostalgia by evoking the naive simplicity of a bygone era. Today's backyard sign makers work in a long and fine tradition, and this timeless art form sits well in our rural context. 

Words © Dee and Gerard Ivall. 
Images © Nik Strangelove