Heartlands businesses say trading 'not sustainable'

Some businesses still trade at Heartlands, and Cornwall Council is seeking a new partner to run it

A business trading within the Heartlands site in Cornwall has described trading as "not sustainable".

Nearly three months after closing the mining heritage attraction, landowner Cornwall Council is now fully in control of the site in Pool, between Camborne and Redruth, and the Heartlands Trust, which used to run it, has been formally wound up.

Shop manager Jackie Blakeway said trade had been an "uncertain situation" recently.

Cornwall Council said it was "committed" to maintaining public access to the site and it was seeking a new partner to run it.

Based around part of South Crofty tin mine, the centre opened in 2012 after an investment of £20m in National Lottery funding.

All of the museum displays, the soft play area and the café are now closed.

An auction of assets owned by the former operating trust is due to take place on Saturday.

Jackie Blakeway runs a crystal and gift shop at the site

Jackie Blakeway, who runs a crystal and gift shop that is still open, said: "I hear people walking past the door saying it's a shame about the businesses closing and I tell them we're still open.

"Its a very uncertain situation. Something has got to come back because it's not sustainable at the moment."

Ms Blakeway said she was also concerned about low-level anti-social behaviour and vandalism that had taken place.

Asked if she was confident it would open again, she said: "It's going to take more than a few months to sway public opinion back to visiting us again.

"We've kind of gone into death consciousness."

Cornwall Council is inviting bids to run the Red River café

In a statement, the council said: "As the owner of the Heartlands site, the council remains committed to maintaining public access to the parks and gardens.

"We are now formally able to undertake things like grass cutting and maintaining the grounds, repairing outdoor play equipment, emptying bins and undertaking essential maintenance to the buildings.

"The Registration Service and commercially-let shops and offices have remained open."

Cornwall Council said it was also inviting bids to run the Red River café, which still retained all its fixtures and fittings for a new operator.

Cornish language bookshop and cultural centre is still open for business

Emma Jenkin, who manages a Cornish language bookshop and cultural centre at the site, said recent trading had been "very quiet".

"There a few people around when the sun is shining, but, through the winter, it's been pretty dead," she said.

"We're still here trading as normal, but the publicity at the time of the closure wasn't great because it assumed that all of the units were shut."

Bob Drew, chairman of Carn Brea Parish Council, has been involved with the project since it was set up.

He said: "Unfortunately, I think the commercial potential of Heartlands didn't really take off."

Mr Drew said Cornwall Council was hoping for one operator "like the National Trust or English Heritage" to take over the site and run it.

Asked if he was ambitious about the site, he said: "You bet I am, this place could be a really fantastic location.

"It could become the level of the Eden Project."