Locals in upmarket town fume as new owner paints shop bright blue

22 February 2024 , 19:15

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The shop which has irked locals in St ives (Image: Greg Martin / Cornwall Live)

A business owner new to an idyllic Cornish seaside town caused a row when he painted his shop blue.

St Ives is known for its white-painted houses and shops, granite stones and moss-covered rooftops. When the new owner of a camera shop took over, he decided to do up the outside in a vibrant blue colour - much to the chagrin of locals.

However, because he had not sought planning permission for the repaint, the town council also waded into the debate. Several people debated the new colour on a local Facebook page.

One upset local said: “What the hell have they done to the old camera shop? How on earth did this pass planning?" Another said it was not the best choice of colour for the area, adding: "It’s disgusting. It sticks out like a sore thumb. It's getting to look like Benidorm."

St Ives Cornwall councillor Andrew Mitchell said the town council met with the new owner to discuss the matter. He said: "Some people will say it's my property I can do what I want with it, but it is in a conservation area and there is a palette of colours people can choose from. Either this blue is on the list and you can do that or it is not."

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He said the vilification the new owners of the blue house had received on social media for the act of painting their property was "way beyond the pale". He added: "I personally do not like it but painting a house is not a crime. It's not like they have murdered everyone's first born. It is a conservation area and we are in discussion with the owners who have moved to St Ives and acquired a property to open a business. We want to welcome them to St Ives but seeing the reaction their choice of colour has caused, they might wish to change it or see the planning process through."

Last year the So Sweets sweets shop nearby the camera shop also fell afoul of the rules when they painted their property a bright candy pink when they opened last year. In the end the company was made to repaint the façade to white, Cornwall Live reported..

After meeting up with the new owners today (Thursday, February 22), town councillor Johnnie Wells, Mayor of St Ives said: "Town councillors have met with the new tenant and had a very positive dialogue. As a designer, their intention was to put their own creative stamp on the frontage, but they are also keen to respond positively to local concern and views. As a result, they have confirmed that they will be repainting the frontage white as soon as dry permits and no later than early March.

“Now the planning constraints on this area of St Ives are more fully understood, any future changes will be subject to a planning approval."

Greg Martin