Cornwall tourism chief slams 'unforgivable' sign telling visitors to 'turn around and f*** off'

The county is split between those worried about a second wave and others fighting to replenish the tourism economy 
Ewan Somerville6 July 2020

The Cornwall tourism chief has denounced an “unforgivable” sign reportedly held up telling visitors to “f*** off”.

A picture shared widely on social media claimed to show three people draping the sign from a bridge at Bodmin on the A30, the county’s arterial road.

The banner, reading “turn round and f*** off'”, emerged as the county expected 80,000 visitors when lockdown was eased on “Super Saturday”, permitting pubs and restaurants to reopen, and overnight stays.

Malcolm Bell, chief executive of Visit Cornwall, told Cornwall Live: "I don't like to see signs like the one we saw on the A30 yesterday. It is being offensive to a large group of people.

"I find it unforgivable. It's accusing people before they even arrive."

Roads were gridlocked into Cornwall at the weekend, with dozens of caravans pictured filling the bays at Taunton Deane Services on the M5 as early as 5.30am on Saturday.

Some locals have raised fears that Cornwall, which asked tourists to stay away during earlier relaxations of lockdown, lacks the resources to handle an influx of visitors this year.

Caravans packed out the car park Taunton Deane Services on the M5 on Saturday morning
PA

The South West’s R number - the rate of infection - is among the lowest in the UK. Chaotic scenes of crammed beaches in Dorset have already sparked fears it could rise.

Meanwhile, in Dawlish, Devon, a man dressed in a Grim Reaper costume held a “Welcome holidaymakers” sign as he greeted visitors on the Exeter Road roundabout, close to a large holiday park.

But local businesses and tourism chiefs are desperate to welcome back visitors and reboot the county’s tourism economy, estimated to be worth around £2.4 billion a year.

"We are battling to save thousands of jobs," Mr Bell added. "Let's welcome our customers, who will share their money to keep Cornish people in jobs."

Super Saturday - in pictures

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One local resident posted on Twitter at the weekend: "Here we go, they descend upon my poor county of Cornwall, twice as many as normal and a lot more permanently closed shops.

"Who knows what these million holiday makers are bringing down with them and our single hospital."

Toby Slade, associate medical director at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, said the easing of lockdown was a "high risk time" for Cornwall as "coronavirus hasn't gone away."

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