Should we visit Cornwall in July

I think if places are open, then I would go (with caution)
I don't even know what "the rules" are anymore.

Can I give a perspective from someone who lives just 20 mins from Padstow please?

I'm 70 and DH is 71. Mainly online shopping until 2 weeks ago with the doctor bringing out DH's medication every 3 weeks.
We have seen no-one else until son-in-law visited last Sunday and we chatted outside at a distance. Rest of the family stayed at home,

I am pleased the B&Bs and restaurants are opening up again, mainly because the employment is needed. Unemployment here has soared.

I watch the local news SPOTLIGHT and listened to someone from St Ives a few nights ago. He had opened up his shop but was extremely worried about keeping social distancing. He remarked that it is impossible to walk down the streets without getting very close to someone when you pass them, especially when there's traffic as well, (shoulders touching). Most of the shops, as well as the streets, in places like Padstow are very tiny.

I worry that our R rate could soar when the County gets its usual number of tourists who come from all over the UK. We only have one hospital with a limited number of ICU beds. R rate is currently 0.6 - 0.9. Sounds like have kept yourselves very safe but none of us can predict if someone will bring the virus with them. I suspect, as numbers increase, there is a high probability that more than one person will bring it into the County.

On the positive side the hotels and B&B are doing all they can to keep their guests safe. Pubs+restaurants are only doing table service and many (out into the countryside) have outdoor areas. I've heard of a few employing extra staff to monitor and keep the toilets clean.

If you do decide to come, I hope the weather is better so you can spend as much time as possible outside. Very showery and cold the past week and next week doesn't look much better. Sorry.

So if you do come, stick to the coastal walks with perhaps a walk on a beach like Constantine (close to Padstow). It's too early to say what impact 'opening up' on 4th will do to Cornwall.

I was to celebrate my 70th with 3 days on Isles of Scilly last April.. We've rebooked for next April. My daughter and GD (live near Warrington) are due to stay with us. We are thinking maybe August, before GD goes back to school. As I've said, we should know what impact opening up has had by then.

I would be surprised if any British tourist destinations will welcome visitors as soon as July. However much the economy needs boosting, people need to be WELL and I think it is much too soon to be thinking of going anywhere away from home for non-essential reasons.

We were due to go to Cornwall on 5th July, we cancelled following discussions with the hotel and rebooked for next year.

If the B and B are happy to have you and confirm they are following the guidance, then I would go and support their business. Be sensible, wear masks if likely to get too close to people inside anywhere, go for long walks in the countryside or quiet beaches, and enjoy your weekend.

It really is a conundrum, businesses in tourist areas need tourists for their income and many thousands of jobs are reliant on tourist returning.

On the other hand, they are aware that an influx of people could push up the "R" .

I am nervous of going away whether it is UK or abroad, DH is chomping at the bit to get away.

Thank you for your replies.
@WOODMOUSE49 I said to DH that the streets are very narrow in Padstow as in St Ives which is somewhere else we like to go. Apparently St Ives are planning on closing the roads to their traffic at sometime so people have more space to walk.
Our B&B only has 3 rooms. They're going to stagger breakfast so we will eat on our own. We intend to spend as much time as possible outdoors it's just the pubs and restaurants which we worry about. We'll have to eat somewhere, perhaps find pubs with gardens then, are there any in the town?
As I said, I've been quite excited at the prospect of having a holiday but it's worrying at the same time. It must be very worrying for the locals as they need the business but don't know what people will bring into the county.

We have cancelled all holidays this year, abroad, cottage and caravan . Although we are still due to go to Cornwall next Monday. We will be in our own touring caravan so have all our own facilities. Will not be using restaurants or pubs but hoping to enjoy a few walks and quiet visits to picturesque places. We are still dithering about going though.

What a lovely place to visit kathy. If meals are your only concern, for lunch you can probably find a farm shop selling pasties and sandwiches which you could eat outside perched on a bench somewhere. If Rick Stein's is your main evening event, could you manage the other three with takeaways?
I would have thought pubs with gardens will have it all well thought out.

Our local towns (not Cornwall) are closing the centres to traffic or installing lights to make the streets one way to enable pedestrians to self-distance.
This could bring its own problems, of course, as other roads could become congested.

I think the B and B owners will be taking all precautions, too and you could be the only guests. You could phone them and ask what the latest situation is then decide.

The Council has suspended all parking along the length of our seafront to enable people to walk along safely socially distanced.

The cars are now single lane only and no cycle lanes. It has worked well, I feel safe walking along as the majority of people do keep to the 2M rule.

It's a tough one. I live in a Cornish town usually inundated with tourists and shockingly there have been plenty here even since lockdown - presumably staying in second homes. Even so we have avoided a peak of the virus so far. We do need the income from tourists but I personally would leave it longer before visiting, certainly until after the school hols, when there will be fewer people generally trying to eat out and find cafes. It said on our local news that Rick Stein's restaurant in Padstow wouldn't be reopening??? Check it out. But if you decide to come, enjoy the bigger beaches. I was going to add the Coast Path but that could be difficult as it's so narrow. Hope you make the right decision for you!

Chattykathy. This is a part of Cornwall I know very well as we had a holiday home in Polzeath for many years which we sold two years ago.
When in Padstow you should visit Choughs. They sell the best pasties and you should then head up to the headland where you will find a row of benches where you can sit and eat your pastie (yum) and enjoy the lovely view across to Rock?⛵️.
Haven’t been to Rick Steins for a few years. Whenever we’ve been to Padstow it’s been shoulder to shoulder (that’s why we head up to the headland) as it’s always heaving so you’ll need to be very careful indeed. Social distancing is as near as possible I would say so be sure to wear a mask.
We’ll be down there soon.

I’ve been dithering and dithering as we have a cottage booked in July.

I’ve done as much reading as I possibly can and in particular looking at research on survival of virus on surfaces from cloth to wood to stainless steel plastic etc.

I have finally decided that the risk whilst not nil is absolutely minimal. I will of course take all the necessary precautions when we arrive using bleach, alcohol rub, soap etc. even though the owners will gave done the same.

We will then relax and enjoy. Safe distancing of course which for us is easy as we are walkers and often entirely alone.

We will eat in.

My home village is near your holiday area. Polzeath my home beach. It used to be almost empty when we went down there as children!

Oh Polzeath. The best teenage holiday ever!

My grandson says the same Illte

We were due to go to Mousehole at the end of August - I spoke to a lovely friend who is in Penzance and she said that basically although they are desperate re economy and should welcome us - we’d be best to stay away ? so tried nearer option - Anglesey- I’m thinking the whole island and surrounding areas may be in local lock down soon ☹️ So Out of respect for all local inhabitants it’s ‘Ourgate’ for us til this is over

whitewavemark.
Complete opposite now with Polzeath. Jam packed at peak season.

Once the campers and caravans are here the supermarkets will be struggling to cope. Normally they’re packed as well !

Can’t think of any places in Padstow with big gardens.

All takeaways around us only take bookings. Ring first, order and pay, then you’re given a time slot to pick up. Pasty And sandwich shops, you queue.

I would go for sure.
Social distancing will be in force so i daon`t see what your dhis worrying about but you could always go alone.

I do think that local folk have a point worrying about tourists though.

I think to be fair you should make your footprint as small as possible.

Another thing to bear in mind and very important, will the public loos be open. If I thought the loo at Daymer Bay wasn’t open I don’t know what I’d do as psychologically I always think I need to go?. You might have great queues as it could only be one in-one out. It could take all day in the one in Padstow, a total nightmare.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/councils-reveal-plans-reopening-public-4190037.amp

Check this for news about public toilets.

timetogo2016

I would go for sure.
Social distancing will be in force so i daon`t see what your dhis worrying about but you could always go alone.

We’ve no idea what impact 1m will have. We also don’t know what impact bars etc open along with influx of visitors into Cornwall from around the UK will have.
Social distancing will not be easy in many villages and Towns.

I Live in Cornwall and visit Truro regularly and in peak season it’s almost shoulder to shoulder on the pavements. They can’t stop the traffic through the city to give pedestrians more space.

No more trips to Truro or our favourite restaurant “Sam’s” with their one toilet till I feel that R rate here is steady.

We’ve one hospital in the county taking Covid-19 patients and, I think, 12 ICU beds

2m social distancing hasn’t been followed with many people visiting already and by some of our youngsters too. Cornwall like other counties, doesn’t have enough police to enforce this.

WOODMOUSE49. Thanks for the link. We were thinking of going down a bit later or maybe to Wales for a change but I’m going to hang on and think about it. We have some friends going down to Polzeath soon so will hear from them what it’s all like. Wherever we go a lot of our time is going to be spent queueing so we might decide to stay at home.