Disappointing St.Austell (St. Austell in General)

Member Name: Karael

Product:	St. Austell in General
Date:	20/01/01 (63 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Nearest sizeable town to south-east Cornwall coast.

Disadvantages: Poor range of shops and facilities.

St.Austell is the largest town in Cornwall but it must be a disappointment to visitors.

The town has empty shops and Aylmer Square, just off the main Fore Street, has an hotel that is empty and is fast becoming an eyestore.

For many years self centered and short sighted traders kept out the big stores thinking this would restrict their own businesses. Unfortunately the opposite has happened. Now locals shop in Truro when they want to go on a 'shopping spree'.

The good points of St.Austell are the church, the White Hart Hotel (carvery at lunch times, excellent value at £5.50), The Thin End Restaurant (best coffee in town - though has recently changed ownership), and the Market House (very old). Otherwise perhaps you'd like to visit the charity shops! Always a sign of falling trade.

With the Eden project now virtually completed on the outskirts of St.Austell the town should be geared up to the additional visitors this will bring, but it isn't.

The good news is that there are plans for a big redevelopment of the town. The bad news is that the final plans are still undecided. So could be ready in 2003 or later.

Unfortunately I couldn't recommend holiday makers to have a day out in St.Austell - try Truro with it's cathederal instead, much more interesting.

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