A COMEDIAN'S fond recollection of Carlyon Bay has galvanised protesters to demand developers to clean up their act.
Developer Commercial Estates Group (CEG) is being called to return Carlyon Bay to its former glory.
The protest takes place today (Wednesday) at Beach Road in a declaration that after ten years of "destruction and demolition" townsfolk have had enough.
The protest has been ignited by Kernow King's – aka Edward Rowe – spoof of ITV's Cornwall With Caroline Quentin.
His film is homage to the once iconic premier music venue Cornwall Coliseum; now a decaying wreck. The tongue-in-cheek sketch also reminisces about the heyday of nightclub Gossips and the beach. Since it was posted on YouTube in January it has had over 50,000 hits.
Pressure group Carlyon Bay Watch are not claiming responsibility for the protest but have said they support what appeared to be a 'spontaneous combustion' of the idea via the internet.
Across Facebook people have been posting their support for today's gathering.
Protest supporter Ally Watkins, said it seemed right to strike now when the strength of feeling was strong.
The popularity of Kernow King's video had reflected the general mood, she said.
CEG recently admitted the development, finally granted permission in 2011 after a long-running planning and legal saga, was "on hold" because of the economic crisis.
Cornwall Coliseum – a premier music venue for megastars including The Who, and Iron Maiden, is a crumbling hulk. Eighties pop star Alison Moyet used the venue to shoot her smash hit, Is This Love.
Now the destination is a sad shadow of its former glory days punctuated with metal barricades and rubble-strewn spots.
Mrs Watkins, 46, said: "If someone was living on a council estate with that much **** in their garden the council would enforce them to clear it up. Our very best beach has been destroyed. We want them to clean up their mess."
Ed, who worked as a lifeguard and at Gossips, told the Cornish Guardian he is backing calls for the beach to be cleaned up.
"I think a lot of us thought that the development would happen and we'd all be back on the beach in a year or two. Ten years down the line, it's a mess, both on and off the beach," said the comic, who is originally from Roche
"I think putting pressure on the developers is sensible – it shows we care and want to see things change."
He added: "There are a few that like to rant and rave behind computers and I really think it's important that we all take a lead on anything that affects us in Cornwall – be it pasty tax, flags flying, 40,000 new homes or our favourite beach looking like ****", he added.
Although St Austell MP Stephen Gilbert was due to meet residents Gloria Price and Frances Taylor to discuss footpath issues at the scene, he said "diary pressures" meant they would have to meet at his office, along with St Austell Bay Cornwall Council's John Oxenham.
"We need to get on with it and bring the beach back into use by the local community and visitors," said the MP.
Michelle Sammons, a CEG spokesman, said they understood people's frustrations and were listening.
