Property & Places – St Ives

By Emma Goodwin

From Barbara Hepworth and JMW Turner, there’s a reason artists and creatives have been drawn to St Ives for centuries. The light, the colours, the feeling, for me, is unlike anywhere else in the UK. So much so, in fact, that I frequently entertain the fantasy of upping sticks to a sleepy Cornish cottage to spend my days looking out to sea and writing my soon-to-be bestselling novel. On a vintage typewriter, of course.

At risk of sounding a little clichéd, the town of St Ives, on the northern Cornish coast, is a novel-worthy place. Cobbled streets, quaint higgledy-piggledy homes, a rugged coastline and stretches of golden sandy beaches, complete with palm trees and azure blue waters (on most days anyway…), there’s something about St Ives that feels equal parts quintessential British seaside town and a tropical paradise a world away from the generally grey UK.

It’s no surprise then, that the town’s properties are, well, hot property. As one of the UK’s most popular staycation spots – even before the pandemic – St Ives has seen a huge influx of investment buyers in the last few decades and in 2016, it was estimated a quarter of the dwellings in the town were holiday lets or second homes. As a result, that same year, after a local referendum, rules were put in place meaning new build properties in the town can be only bought for ‘full residential use’ – meaning no second home ownership or holiday letting.

The dynamic of the town, naturally, changes during the summer season as tourists from across the country, and beyond, descend on its narrow streets and beachfront promenade.

For the seagulls, the summer means abundant opportunity for snacks (namely the theft of pasties from the hands of unsuspecting tourists), but for some of those who live and work in the area year-round, the story isn’t quite the same.

While many local jobs do rely on tourism, the skyrocketing desirability of the town and investment opportunity of a St Ives home has driven property prices out of reach for many local residents – though the question remains on whether the second homes restriction is a wise idea long-term in a town which relies so heavily on tourists visiting. 

For me, the summer season in St Ives isn’t when it’s at its most beautiful. Instead, the depth of winter is my favourite time to visit. Head out early morning and you can wander down empty streets, with only the seagulls to wish a good morning, and while you might not be able to spend the day sunbathing on the beach, you can still enjoy the beauty, culture and creativity of the town – but without the hordes of other people. It’s also the time you have most opportunity to chat with the people – who are an integral part of what makes the town quite so special – from the coffee shop owner who opens when he feels like it (mainly when the weather isn’t good enough to surf or kayak) to those who spend endless hours stacking stones on the beach in true Cornish tradition.