Aspects of Looe that are not seen by TV viewers

IF you recall BBC's Poldark series, Cornwall became a hot-spot for tourists, due to the 'Poldark effect.

- LEE TREWHELA

Now it appears that history is repeating itself in Looe with another BBC drama, Beyond Paradise.

Although, on the surface, Looe may appear flawless, it has issues, just like any place else. Many coastal towns in Cornwall struggle with housing, poverty, social problems, declining fishing industry and even loneliness.

Unique to Looe are landslides (four in the past five month),) a hole in the town's coastal path, and notorious floods that are a headache for local shopkeepers.

Armand Toms, who has spent his whole life in Looe and has served as an independent Cornwall councillor for 21 years, can outline the good and the bad about living in the town. In the council chamber in Truro, he is known for his passion and protective nature for the Looe area.

The Herald met him at the town's harbour car park, where he said: "It's a brilliant community during Covid there were 200 volunteers helping people, that legacy has carried on." Mr Toms took me further up the road to The Haven, which serves as a base for Boundless, a trust that is doing lots of things to help folks from all walks of life in Looe.

The Haven, run by Barney and Sara Barron, is a welcoming space that offers a community larder on Mondays and Thursdays. It also hosts a children's club and youth club on Wednesdays, a knit and natter for older residents on Thursday mornings, and Boardmasters, an adults' board games club, on Thursday evenings.

On the last Wednesday of every month, it provides a community meal at the Millpool Centre. Not only that, but Boundless, run by the Barrons, organises meal deliveries throughout the community on Wednesdays and Sundays. Volunteer drivers deliver hot food to around 50 elderly and infirm residents.

The project also works with Liskeard and Looe Foodbank. The Haven, which has a lovely view of the harbour, has a community fridge/freezer filled with food donated by the Co-op. "Anyone can come and get it," said Barney.