Penzance Chamber of Commerce

Penzance Christmas Lights

The Brighter Christmas Volunteers are holding a meeting at the Bath Inn on Thursday 27 January at 7.30 pm. Thanks to all those who helped with this past Christmas lights and activities. This year, they urgently need help and suggestions for Penzance Christmas Lights 2000. Only eleven people helped with the Christmas lights in 1999.

More people need to become involved this year to help those already involved with setting up and taking down the lights. A Town Lighting Group is needed, and will be discussed at the meeting.

Traders from Market Jew Street, Chapel Street, Causewayhead and Alverton, members of Penzance Chamber of Commerce, Penzance and Penwith coun-cillors should come to the meeting, along with anyone that wants to help. It is in everyone's interest to be involved and make sure the Christmas lights happen this year.

Penwith Local Food Directory

At the December Chamber of Commerce meeting, we heard from Frances Truscott, representing the Penwith Environment Centre, who are producing a directory of local food producers called the Penwith local Food Directory. Food products bought locally, either from farms or from shops, mean that money spent by the customer stays in the area. The local economy then benefits, as delivery costs are lower, and less freight traffic comes into the area. Tourist businesses and restaurants use local food as a selling point. The aim of the directory is to provide consumers with information on how to obtain locally produced food and encourage consumers to keep spending within the local economy.

The Penwith Local Food Directory is modelled on a similar scheme taking place in the Forest of Dean, called the Forest Food Directory. According to their eval-uation report, there is now up to £25,000 more being spent within the local economy in that area.

The first edition will be available locally in the summer, and will be free to consumers. It will be available through retail outlets in Penwith, as well as through the producers, from consumer groups and at tourist hot spots.

There will be no charge to producers for inclusion in the Directory. Those appearing will be asked to provide information about the means by which their food product is made, and must also be avail-able for visits from customers either by appointment, or through open days.

Contact Andrew McDouall, Coordinator, Penwith Local Food Directory on 01736-350831 or Frances Truscott on 01736-333066 or pengreen@trustall.demon.co.uk

MEP at Truro

Dr. Caroline Jackson, Conserva-tive MEP, is attending a meeting at the Great Hall, Alverton Manor Hotel, Tregolls Road, Truro on Friday 11 February at 7.30 pm. The meeting is being organised by the City of Truro Chamber of Commerce. Representatives from all Cornish Chambers are invited to attend what should be a lively and constructive meeting.

Newlyn Laundry Restaurant

Reputation established for excellent food and service

The Newlyn Laundry restaurant and wine bar began trading last year in a converted laundry in Newlyn. The building conver-sion and interior design required months of hard work. The restaurant has just enjoyed its first Christmas and has already built up a good reputation for excellent food and service.

Head chef, Adam Ashbourne came to work in the restaurant when it first opened in August 1999. After working in restaurants in Bristol, and then on the Isles of Scilly, his love of cooking fish brought him to Newlyn. He changes the menu each month to make sure there is always something new for regulars to try.

Last month's Christmas menu was a big success, with the restaurant drawing in local family groups, as well as business groups celebrating their Christmas parties. This month there is a bigger menu offering customers a choice from various dishes rather than the traditional three courses.

There is, as always, an extensive choice of local Newlyn fish dishes, such as scallops with a lemon and chive butter sauce, or roast monkfish, wrapped in Parma ham with tomato and haricot bean cassoulet. There are native Falmouth oysters that come from local suppliers the Duchy of Cornwall.

Vegetarians are also well catered for, with var-ious home made pasta dishes, such as spinach, ricotta and pasta roulade with sage butter. The selection of meat dishes includes Aberdeen Angus beef fillet with stilton and leek sauce and potato roast, which is one of the most popular choices. All the desserts in the restaurant are home made. There is an excellent choice of coffees that come with or without home made chocolate truffles.

Manager Kelly Jane McKeowan has also been with the business since it opened. She is hoping to build on the good reputation already established. A new wine list has been written to accompany the menu, and hopefully it will encourage people to try something different when they come for a meal, or a drink in the wine bar.

The restaurant already welcomes a good base of regular customers who keep coming back to enjoy the excellent food and service. The wine bar and restaurant are light, airy and modern in design, but still manage to keep an intimate and cosy atmosphere. The restaurant is preparing for what will hopefully be a busy summer. There are set price menus available for special occasions coming up in the near future, such as Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. To find out more, or to book a table, come to the restaurant or give them a ring.

Belerion Walks

Belerion Walks for walking, sightseeing and learning

Science has proved Helen Shapiro right - walking promotes happiness -and now tour guide Bryony Rylett hopes people will find that feel-good factor on her walks. In October last year, Bryony started Belerion Walks, a busi-ness offering guided walks of West Cornwall's towns, villages, coast and countryside. "I realised there was a gap in the market. Visitors were not always seeing the most inter-esting parts of West Cornwall and In particular Penzance," said Bryony.

Tour guiding is a career change for Bryony, a former reporter with Cornish Weekly Newspapers. Bryony left jour-nalism to have her family. She has two young daughters and she and her husband live in Penzance where Belerion Walks is based. Because she wanted to offer a high quality service before starting the business, Bryony spent a year studying for NVQs in tour guiding and business management. This year she will be studying for the Blue Badge guiding Award sponsored by the Westcountry Tourist Board. "Belerion Walks is for people who love walking, sightseeing and learning about what they see but who don't have the time or the inclination to read all the information on places" said Bryony.

Belerion Walks offers three regular tours - two of Penzance and one of Newlyn. "Ghosts and Galleons" Penzance) explores the old port and seafront. "The Art and Crafts Movement" (Penzance) is for those who want to discover the many and varied outlets for art, craft and antiques in the town with a little local history. "Pilchards and Painters" (Newlyn) explores the quiet, cobbled back streets and the harbour.

The trails are designed for safe, easy walking, are circular and take approximately 90 minutes. Walks take place all year In all but the most severe weath-er. Bryony advises booking, since numbers are limited to 20 people for walkers' enjoyment. Tours can be arranged for groups and discount is available for 10 or more people. Discount is available for Belerion Walks customers at some local museums, galleries, cafes and shops on walk days.

During the summer Bryony will be offering some special walks - watch this space. Leaflets are available from tourist information offices or by calling Bryony on 01736-362452.

Chamber Annual Dinner

The Chamber of Commerce annual dinner is being held on Saturday March 25. The venue will be decided according to the number of people wanting to go. Anyone who want to meet business colleagues in a social setting should come along.

February Meeting

The next Chamber Meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 1st at the Queens Hotel, Penzance at 7.30 pm.

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