Britain's 'prettiest' village where each day is like living on a film set

30 July 2023 , 19:37

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A fishing village with views like being on a film set has been named Britain's "prettiest" (Image: Shutterstock)

A fishing village named Britain’s “prettiest” attracts thousands of visitors each year for the scenery which is like being on a film set.

Polperro, on the Cornish coast, is made up of narrow streets and built around a small harbour which is the heart and soul of the village. Beautiful cottages cling to steep hillsides with spectacular views of the sea.

The picturesque scenery make it a dream location for artists and there are plenty of galleries displaying local work as well as many independent shops,cafes and restaurants which add to the charm of the cosy seaside community. There are quirky local stores in a mix with some well known high street shops.

The village which is less than five miles from Looe has just 1,554 permanent residents but there are around five million visitors a year and has welcomed 25,000 a day. Earlier this year it was named top of the list of 50 coolest places to live with people falling in love with a place with views that are like living on a film set and it has attracted TV productions including Hairy Bikers and Echo Beach.

Thousands of people visit Polperro each year (Getty Images/Collection Mix: Subjects RF)

Health and fitness supplement brand Naturecan set up the survey to find the prettiest place in the UK by calculating the number of likes that locations received on Instagram. In the poll of 5,000 people, a list of 50 “coolest” places were listed and Polperro was at the top, reported the Express.

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Polperro was described as “one of Cornwall’s prettiest villages”, with most people backing the town ahead of some of the UK's most famous towns and villages. Naturecan cited the town's picturesque vistas, especially its shops and restaurants "clustered around the harbour".

Naturecan’s chief executive Andy Duckworth said: “Polperro in Cornwall is the coolest place to live in the UK, narrowly beating Wells-next-the-Sea in Norfolk in second place. All the 50 places on the list would have been worthy winners and show why the UK is such a beautiful place, loved by film-makers and tourists from all over the world.

Polperro is made up of narrow roads and cottages around a harbour (Getty Images/Westend61)

“What is interesting is how influential Instagram has become in boosting tourism in many of our top 50. It is a massive help for visitor numbers, too, if a popular film or TV show uses a town as a location. Hidden gems which are largely only visited by local tourists can find themselves being showcased throughout the world if they are pictured by the right influencer or featured in a movie.”

Ex-Mayor Mike told Cornwall Live that, while there are second homes, they aren't such a significant issue as permanent residents work together and contribute. He said: "When I first arrived in Polperro and got chatting to people in the pub, no one asked me what I did.

"People label you by who you are and what you contribute to the village, not by what you carry. There's no feeling of separatism, everyone works together. It's a beautiful community."

Tim Hanlon