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Rebranding cool Cornwall 1

In this unit youll find out how investment in rural areas can help regeneration.

6.10: Rebranding cool Cornwall

R E B R AN D IN G P L AC E S

Background Objective One funding turning 20 000 into 320 000!

The need to rebrand

Together with the Eden Project, a lot has been done in recent years to regenerate Cornwall and rebrand the county. But why should Cornwall need to rebrand itself? Cornwalls rural economy is suffering from a collapse in farm prices. It needs to diversify by creating a year-round economy, not just one that thrives in summer. Cornwall has for years been a favourite holiday destination for families and the retired, but what about young adults who might normally holiday overseas? As Units 6.8 and 6.9 have shown, problems of low economic growth and seasonal, part-time, and low-paid jobs, have led to a brain drain of young people out of the county. Many of them think Cornwall has too little entertainment, especially in winter. Now there are serious attempts to rebrand Cornwall and attract new tourists. The main concept is destination tourism, where people visit a place simply because of a single attraction. The hope is that they will then visit others. The Eden Project is an excellent example of this. Two factors have helped to rebrand Cornwall and promote destination tourism: A individuals, such as TV chef Rick Stein, whose seafood restaurant at Padstow in north Cornwall has led to large numbers of tourists who are interested in his restaurants and food shops. Now local people refer to Padstow as Padstein! B the expansion of Newquay Airport by the local council to accept flights from UK cities such as Leeds, Manchester and Edinburgh, as well as Londons Gatwick and Stansted airports. This has helped to reduce Cornwalls geographical isolation.
Family holidays in Cornwall but what opportunities are there for young people?

In 1999, Cornwall was successful in gaining EU Objective One funding, designed to boost the local economy. Objective One aims to reduce social and economic differences within the European Union (EU). The funding comes from the EU and is granted to areas where the gross domestic product is 75% of the EU average, or less. It aims to encourage investment to boost local economies.
Local councils (e.g. Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Council)

Who are the key players in Objective One?

Private individuals who invest their own capital

Development agencies (e.g. the South West Development Agency who use government money to stimulate and regenerate the economy)

Business interests (e.g. Cornwall Farmers Ltd, Eden Project, Cornwall Tourist Board)

Objective One key players

Education interests (e.g. Combined Universities in Cornwall, University of Exeter, Cornwall FE Colleges)

Central government and its agencies (e.g. Arts Council, Countryside Agency, Heritage Lottery Fund, Jobcentre Plus)

Environmental groups (e.g. Cornwall Heritage Trust, English Heritage, English Nature)

Watergate Bay, near Newquay Airport, now advertises to Londons City workers to leave the office at 4, be on the beach by 7.30. In this way, weekend groups are attracted to come to Newquay for short breaks or special events, such as stag and hen weekends.

How does Objective One work?

Investors have to start the process, and then apply for equal amounts of money from other sources, called match funding. This might come from public sources, e.g. local councils, or from private sources, e.g. banks. So, investors can: set up 20 000 of their own money get a bank loan for another 20 000, making 40 000 ask local councils to match it to make 80 000 bid for the South West Development Agency to match it to 160 000 finally, bid for Objective One funds to match it, creating 320 000.
How successful has it been?

had varying success from the greater-than-expected success of the Eden Project, to failing schemes like South West Film Studios (see page 279). But Professor Peter Gripaios of Plymouth Business School criticises it. He claims that it was wrong to give Objective One funding to some projects. By 2007, Objective One had backed 580 projects in Cornwall with 230m, but Mr Gripaios claims that the jam has been spread too thinly on too many projects.

Helped by Objective One, the Cornish economy has grown faster than the UK average. It is still the weakest economy in England, but from 1994-2004 it grew at 5.8% per year, ahead of the UK average of 5.4%. In 2003, the Cornish economy showed the greatest improvement of any region in the EU. However, its schemes have

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Rebranding cool Cornwall 2

R E B R AN D IN G P L AC E S
The projects included here were all funded by Objective One. Some are focused on places along Cornwalls coast, perhaps its greatest asset.

6.10: Rebranding cool Cornwall

Using Arts and Culture

To attract Arts tourists, Fowey holds an annual Du Maurier Festival in May, named after local author Daphne Du Maurier. It hosts authors, musicians, and broadcasters for 11 days. Investment in Arts and Culture in Cornwall has grown from the museum dedicated to sculptress Barbara Hepworth in the 1970s, to the opening of Tate St Ives in 1993. Theatre, music and dance are now available at Hall for Cornwall in Truro, which opened in 1997.
Fowey, home of the Du Maurier Festival

The Extreme Sports Academy at Watergate Bay

The Extreme Sports Academy at Watergate Bay, near Newquay Airport, is targeting a younger age group. It offers courses in surfing, wave skiing, and kite surfing. The owners also run the Watergate Bay Hotel, overlooking the Academy and the beach. The hotel has a new restaurant, bar and accommodation. They are open all year, employing 50-60 people year-round in 2006, compared to 15-20 in 2003, as a result of increased trade.
Surfing at Watergate Bay

But some fail South West Film Studios

In 2002, South West Film Studios proposed Cornwalls first film business at St Agnes on Cornwalls north coast. Many films have been made in Cornwall, e.g. Die Another Day, but no studio facilities existed. The 5.7m complex received nearly 2m from Objective One. Two film studios were built. It was expected that the company would create 200 permanent jobs and would bring millions of pounds into the economy.
Over

Jamie Olivers Fifteen restaurant

In 2006, TV chef Jamie Oliver opened the Fifteen restaurant, overlooking Watergate Bay. The 100-seater restaurant trains local young people in catering skills. Thirty 16-24 year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds are selected each year. Fifteen of them work in the restaurant, training at Cornwall College from January and in the kitchens from May, supported by professional chefs. Profits fund further training and development.
Jamie Olivers Fifteen restaurant, overlooking Watergate Bay

In 2004, the studios went bankrupt. Building work was never completed and re-financing was sought, caused by increased building costs. Investigators claim that they found no accounts concerning the studios finances. The owner, Alex Swann, was arrested for fraudulently obtaining money from Objective One and jailed in 2007.

to you
2 Now reach an agreed order which are the best

1 In groups of four, select one of the following projects

each Extreme Academy, Fifteen, Combined Universities of Cornwall, and the various Arts festivals. Copy the table, and assess how successful you think your project has been.
How well does it rebrand Cornwall? How well does it attract new tourists?

projects? Present your order with reasons to the rest of your class. 3 Discuss whether you think there was ever a market for a film studios in Cornwall.
On

your own

CUC stopping the brain drain?

To increase university courses and develop a knowledge economy, University College Falmouth and Exeter University joined forces to create the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC). CUC helps graduates set up businesses or secure jobs in knowledge-based companies in Cornwall, trying to cut the brain drain of graduates leaving Cornwall. Examples include: Sixixis which shapes Cornish timber into handmade furniture Neutralize, a computer company helping top clients to improve their placing on Internet search engine results, e.g. Londons Stock Exchange.
It is exciting to set up your own business, and we all love it in Cornwall. The quality of life down here is excellent. Chris Jaratt, Sixixis

4 Define these terms from the text: diversify, destination

How well does it bring: a) economic benefits? b) social benefits? c) environmental benefits? Does it: a) provide year-round employment?
Its no disadvantage to be here, most of our communication with clients, for example, is done by e-mail anyway. We were in London before, but it was too expensive; I grew up in Cornwall and wanted to come back. Edward Cowell (co-founder of Neutralize)

tourism, Objective One, match funding 5 How well do you think Objective One benefits Cornwall? Write about 400 words, using examples from this study. A Cornish MP said: We could have taken all the Objective One money and given 20 000 a year, for 5 years, to the poorest 5% of the Cornish population. Would that have been better?

b) improve incomes? c) make good use of Cornwalls environment? d) help to stop the brain drain? e) improve Cornwalls lack of entertainment?

What do you think

What new businesses say about Cornwall

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