Can you visit Clovelly Deveon for free?

aloiseb

I was going to write something sarcastic as I am so appalled at the idea of being charged so much to enter a village.

But no, there's obviously a conspiracy going on, to stop the march of tourists through the streets which must annoy the locals.

So all I will do is suggest that people go somewhere else instead. I believe Polperro has quite a nice hill, and lots of gift shops.

(and btw since when did anyone want to watch an award-winning film about a village???? On holiday????)

leveller2911

If people like cobbled streets and quaint looking house then try Rye in East Sussex.They have them in abundance and its free all year round.

http://www.visitrye.co.uk/pages/aboutrye.aspx

Ian-H_4

I've been to Rye, I'm originally from Sussex, I think Rye is a great place and would agree with you in recommending it to anyone, it is well worth a visit.

The difference with Rye (and 99.9% of places) is that the council (and so its taxpayers) pay to keep it in its beautiful condition. Because Clovelly is on a private estate, it does not benefit from any services which most of us take for granted. So there is no refuse collection, no recycling, no street repairs automatically carried out. All this has to be paid for by the owners to private contractors. That is another reason why the tourists' contribution helps the village to survive, which it would not without it.

Paying to get onto a private estate is nothing unusual or outrageous. I think people are just being selective about which private estates to vent their frustration at. There is no mention of anything unfair when you pay £10 per person to visit nearby Hartland Abbey, yet £5.95 to visit Clovelly and have several small extra attractions thrown in for good measure is seen as a rip-off?

Also worth mentioning is that Clovelly is not like most private estates i.e. administered from afar by a board of trustees who know nothing about the place and its history/culture and are only doing it for the money. The owners of Clovelly Estate are themselves part of the community and only charge the visitors and tenants what is needed to break even and continue to keep the village in the way that it has been for centuries i.e. traditional building techniques and materials, which are more expensive; to keep the cobbled street that it is famous for, rather than going for the easy option and replacing it with tarmac, and keeping all the houses (not selling any - if they were interested in money they would do that and they'd make millions), and demanding that they are lived in by the tenants (no second homes) to keep the community alive.

nickj_2

aloiseb wrote: »

I was going to write something sarcastic as I am so appalled at the idea of being charged so much to enter a village.

But no, there's obviously a conspiracy going on, to stop the march of tourists through the streets which must annoy the locals.

So all I will do is suggest that people go somewhere else instead. I believe Polperro has quite a nice hill, and lots of gift shops.

(and btw since when did anyone want to watch an award-winning film about a village???? On holiday????)

what bit about clovelly being a private estate don't you understand ?, you are not paying to enter a village but the owners private land , btw you are not forced to watch any films

Tarry

nickj wrote: »

what bit about clovelly being a private estate don't you understand ?, you are not paying to enter a village but the owners private land , btw you are not forced to watch any films

That film made me laugh when I had to watch it I just remember there been this guy wearing these dodgy pants

I've been to Clovelly and it's lovely and I didn't mind paying after it all owners private land.

leveller2911

Ian-H wrote: »

I've been to Rye, I'm originally from Sussex, I think Rye is a great place and would agree with you in recommending it to anyone, it is well worth a visit.

The difference with Rye (and 99.9% of places) is that the council (and so its taxpayers) pay to keep it in its beautiful condition. Because Clovelly is on a private estate, it does not benefit from any services which most of us take for granted. So there is no refuse collection, no recycling, no street repairs automatically carried out. All this has to be paid for by the owners to private contractors. That is another reason why the tourists' contribution helps the village to survive, which it would not without it.


Fair comments Ian.The upkeep like you say is paid for by the local taxpayers so although I think Clovelly is picturesque why would people pay to visit it when they can go to every other "Picturesque" Town and village and pay nothing?.The only "unique" thing about Clovelly is that you have to pay to visit it......

Ian-H_4

I don't know why people choose to be unfair on Clovelly and the family who own it. They are only doing what thousands of other private landownders all around the country and the world do - charge the public to enter their land. Why is the criticsm so selective? Paying to visit Clovelly is exactly the same as paying to visit any other private estate. And if you don't want to pay you don't have to go there, no-one is forcing you to.

I'm not arguing that it's right or wrong to charge people to enter your land, but the focus on this one place is unreasonable, as thousands of landowners do it but no-one criticises them. Clovelly just bears the brunt of these frustrations and it is unfair.

pinkpig08

There was a bit about Clovelly on CountryWise last week - did anyone see it?

hcb42

I havent been here since about 1987. I dont remember paying, perhaps it was more affordable then!

ellay864

I'm staying in Clovelly in June so I'll get in free