A royal visit to Mousehole in July 2022 (Image: Getty )
Waves of tourists have replaced the fishing industry and community that once thrived in this seaside village forcing some locals out of their homes.
With a quirky name and legendary history, Mousehole – pronounced Mowzel - is a picture-postcard example of a Cornish fishing harbour.
But the former pilchard port now relies on tourists rather than fish for an economy and many of the historic stone cottages have been snapped up as holiday lets or second homes.
Spend a couple of hours wandering around the village and residents will tell you there are concerns about second homes and Airbnbs - a universal worry around the coastline of England’s peninsula county.
Legend has it Mousehole, which is named after a rodent-home-looking rock formation nearby, was once home to Dolly Pentreath, the last reputed speaker of the Cornish language.
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Royden Paynter, the local harbourmaster (Image: Greg Martin/ Cornwall Live )
The Mousehole Cat, a popular award-winning children's book written by Antonia Barber and illustrated by Nicola Bayley was set in the settlement.
But upon surveying the stunning harbourfront it's easy to see how much Cornwall has changed in recent times, with the village shop and post office closed last year to make way for a gift shop, while neighbouring Mousehole Deli & Kitchen and No 2 Fore Street have introduced stylish dining to the harbour.
Deputy harbourmaster Bill Johnson previously told CornwallLive: "Mousehole is no longer a working harbour, it's a resort. Pedestrianisation will never work. We have one of the best bus services in the county, which could be affected. People who stay in holiday lets often bring two cars with them - how will they get to where they're staying?
"With the village shop now closed, people have to use their cars to get provisions. To ask them not to use their cars is impossible."
A feasibility study had been commissioned by the local council to make Mousehole less busy when it comes to tourist traffic.
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Mousehole is home to a stunning harbour (Image: Getty )
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It's looked at improving traffic flow and parking issues. The village could be playing its part in Cornwall Council's bid for the Duchy to be carbon neutral by 2030.
Harbourmaster Royden Paynter, said income from the parking pays for the harbour, he said: "People ain't prepared to go the four-mile trip around Mousehole. Income from parking runs the harbour. I do know it's a nightmare in the summer though."
Royden was born in the village 73 years ago and knows better than most how much Mousehole, which has around 600 residents, has changed. A change that was reflected in Mark Jenkin's BAFTA-winning film sensation, Bait, which was filmed in the village.
He added: "I wouldn't be surprised to find that 80 per cent of the properties here are second homes and holiday lets, it's become a retirement and holiday place really.
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Mousehole is a much-loved destination (Image: Getty)
"Some of the houses are a ridiculous price to stay in. There's one place that's basically two garden sheds, which is ￡4,000 a week. The local shop and post office went last year. There are plenty of delis, cafes and galleries, but nothing much for the locals really. You have to travel somewhere else if you even want a paper.
"It will never go back to what it was before - it's not going to be quiet anymore. Mousehole is one of the busiest places to visit in Cornwall now, but it still has a sense of community."
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