Latest news with #Corserv
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
New owners sought to renovate former derelict pub in St Austell
Organisations interested in buying and refurbishing a derelict former Cornish pub are being asked to come Council said the General Wolfe, a former pub, and the adjoining former Globe Hotel building in St Austell town centre had fallen into cabinet member for housing Peter La Broy said some people wanted the building to be demolished while others wanted it to be protected."We appreciate there are a lot of strong feelings in the town about the future of this building and the fact that little progress has been made over recent years," he said. He added: "It is time for a decision to be made on the building's future and, as part of this process, we want to understand if there are any community groups or other organisations out there with a vision for the site."The council said the building was converted into 13 flats more than 20 years ago, and, despite being bought by Cornwall Council contractor Corserv in 2020, with the aim of renovating the building to provide much-needed housing, the renovation costs were "unviable" for the company and local authority said the projected costs of undertaking the work had increased significantly, with the latest estimates at more than £ Dwelly, cabinet member for economic regeneration and investment, added: "With its key location in the town centre, there is an opportunity here to bring the building back into use and create an attractive gateway to the high street."The council said it was inviting expressions of interest from groups with plans to bring the property back into use, adding the deadline was 11 August.
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Cornwall private car parks are a bad look
Plans for a private operator to manage about 20 car parks in picturesque parts of Cornwall will give a bad impression to visitors, a councillor has saidCornwall Council said the sites would be handed over in July and it argued a private firm could use cameras to improve enforcement and increase councillor Kate Ewert said having private car parks was a mistake and would give Cornwall a bad council said it wanted to ensure the car parks were managed fairly and would monitor them to ensure fines were being correctly issued. Corserv, which was chosen to operate the car parks on a five-year lease, said it would manage them fairly. 'Essentially mercenary' The previous administration decided to bring in a private operator because, unlike local authorities, they are able to use automatic number plate recognition cameras for enforcement. Nearly 20 car parks, including ones in Newquay, Tintagel, Porthleven, St Ives and Fowey, will come under new management. However, the council's car park in Cawsand, in Ewert's division, will not be transferred following a campaign by councillor, who represents the Rame Peninsula, said: "We all hear these stories of private operators that are essentially mercenary and the way they reach after people for non-payment of fees even if they've gone over by 30 seconds or they've put in a digit wrong on their number plate."It doesn't make Cornwall a very welcoming place if people are coming to some of our tourist towns and villages and then getting fined extraordinary amounts." Ewert said the car parks should remain under the council's control. "It's a mistake for us to give over any of our assets to private operators - we should not be doing that," she said. Robert Niblett, who lives in Nottingham and has visited Cornwall for the past 55 years, was cautious about the change."It's a bit disheartening," he said."You've got the cameras and intimidation of that going on. It's a bit threatening and a bit worrying at times." 'Managed fairly' A Cornwall Council spokesperson said: "The car parks have been leased to Corserv for a five-year term with a break clause after two years. "Working with Corserv, we will monitor the car parks during the contract. Any decision around bringing the car parks back under Cornwall Council management would be for Cornwall councillors to consider."A spokesperson for Corserv said: "We want to ensure our car parks are managed fairly and enforcement only carried out when it is clear drivers have not paid the appropriate fee for parking or adhered to the terms and conditions in place. "Any service provider operating on our behalf will work within this criteria and we will monitor the contract to ensure parking charge notices are correctly issued."
