Millendreath Waterside Complex, June '08

After reading an old news report online about a fire on this site, I thought it may be worth a look, if only to revive a few old childhood memories of times spent at the location during the summer months.

As I was in the area last weekend I made a slight detour to do a quick recce, and after driving down the winding road towards the beach things started to look familiar, I remembered it as a thriving little beach resort, with static holiday appartments cutting up the hillside, a busy car park, a three story building with a beach shop, cafe, bar and watersports centre, on a hot Sunday in June this would normally have been a hive of activity, car park crammed so full you'd end up parking on the street, kids running around dripping ice-cream everywhere, playing in the park on the seafront, making sand castles on the beach or paddling in the sea pool, the parents sunning themselves, belting around the surf on jet-ski's or even paracending.

Today, things were different, the caravans were all still there, most of which being privately owned now, pulling into the car park there were plenty of places to choose from, the swings etc. in the park area had been removed, the grass overgrown, rent-a-fence dotted around everywhere, on the sea-front I could see the complex, boarded and burnt, and the beach almost empty...

The complex seems to have closed down around 2004/5 due to lack of cash, an unopened can of drink with a sell-by date of May '05 added a bit of weight to this, but in March this year fire crews were called as the top floor had been set alight, believed to be arson...

A few pics from the recce...



Notice how empty the beach is?



View from the side showing fire damage to the top floor..



Consulting with MrB we both decided it was worthy of a closer inspection, so packed the kit and ventured off, (thanks for driving yet again bud). MrB will be adding to this post so make sure you scroll down for some wide angle shots.. but here's a few more of my pics...

I've kept the pics quite small as there's quite a few of them, starting on the ground floor, this was an ice-cream shop and fish & chip shop...



Net curtains still in place, the rest of it trashed...







Broken glass everywhere, literally...



Crockery left in the chip shop...



Holes in the walls, hopefully workmen...



England - Germany match advertising!



Corridor behind the gents toilets...



Paint peeling from the ceilings...



Up to the first floor, this was more of a clubhouse, with bar, seating, tiny dance floor, pool table area and hot food..

Large outdoor seating area...





The bar...



Fire damage from upstairs...



And up to the fire damaged top floor, again with a large outdoor seating area...



The rooms inside completely gutted...







Work has begun on developing the area, all of the 70 acre site is now under one ownership and plans have been submitted, although I couldn't say what they are, they are reported to 'be huge!'.
It was a shame to see the site in such a bad way, with the cornish tourist industry being what it is I hope it's not long before this place is filling kids heads with happy memories once more...
Thanks for looking everyone, and thanks again for MrB for his part,
'till the next one...

Lycos.

Well I really enjoyed this, thanks to Lycos for a good find.

From the outside, looking across to the 3 storey leisure complex.
Bottom floor was home to Ice cream retailers and a cafe/fish & chip shop and Toilets/Showers/Changing rooms
Second Floor was a small Nightclub / Bar / Lounge. Housed a small dance floor and pool tables. Large Bar Area and sun terrace
Third Floor looks like it might have been offices. They were pretty tucked up out the way.

Main Outside view


Inside the Lower level. Front lobby - Entrance to Cafe and Ice cream shop


Ice Cream Reatil hatch


Hot food preparation area


Inside the fridge


Chinaware left behind


Food Cellar and Stores




Before departing lower level and heading oustisde and upstairs


Ladies Toilets and changing room


Mens Toilets and Changing room.
Quick stop off before heading upstairs


Second story. Fairly untouched vandalism wise




Inside the main lounge / bar area


Remains of the bar


Evident top story fire damage shown from the second floor




Leftovers of the Cellar






Quick refreshment stop before some upstairs and outside shots


Cheers!


Spotted this on the way out near the fire damage


Outside again, looking at the now empty retail unit, evidence of a sale


Top Story. Lots of fire damage and would have been unsafe to venture in so observed from outside


Looking down the the large outdoor sun terrace on second story


Few leftovers kicking about up here


A few random shots from along the way

Nice work Mate! Really enjoyed this one

Excellent explore guys. The building complex looks really interesting. Definitely has that 'holiday' feel to it, especially with the view from the second story.

Thanks Foxy, it was a really interesting site. Lots of variety.

I only ever wnt there once or twice but Lycos spent quite a bit of time there in the past

Neat.
Liked the photos there *MrB*

Cheers Spacepunk

Random complex but class report chaps!! Nice one!

I bet the drinks were refreshing!

Scrub2000 said:

Random complex but class report chaps!! Nice one!

I bet the drinks were refreshing!

Click to expand...

Yes mate definately. It was either the half bottle of beer or 7up from 2005. I didn't want to be greedy and have both

i went there on my jollies with the kids the year before it closed in 2003 (the week when it hit 100 degrees) had great fun.
bar was a bit tacky tho but who care with the local supermarket beer prices.
I'd heard a hotel group wanted to put a building up, probaly go the same way as the indoor pool that was closed when we were thee and already demolished by these pics.
was thinking of going this year, pleased we changed our minds

stevejd said:

i went there on my jollies with the kids the year before it closed in 2003 (the week when it hit 100 degrees) had great fun.
bar was a bit tacky tho but who care with the local supermarket beer prices.
I'd heard a hotel group wanted to put a building up, probaly go the same way as the indoor pool that was closed when we were thee and already demolished by these pics.
was thinking of going this year, pleased we changed our minds

Click to expand...

Thanks for the extra info Steve. Our guess on closure time was not too far off it would seem.
We had heard also that the place was sold for redevelopment.
Not worth going next year...unless you wanna explore the ruins of this place or the building of the new place!

the chippy used to be at level 3 set against the cliff when we used to go there with mum and dad as kids. I was told in 03 that a landslip took it away, had its chips so to speak.
used to be above where the reinforcing boulder cages are in the last pic, the left hand end of the level 3 terrace.
Must admit tho didn't go there for the amazing facilities but for the beach which was very popular because its sheltered, south facing and very flat. great for kids and a suntrap


oh and a cheap holiday

King Al said:

Great looking place that, I would spend a day there, the atmosphere in the bar looks electric!. How much was the beer there?
Good stuff guys

Click to expand...

Hey Al, the place really was buzzing . Beer was cheap as, in fact I didn't pay a for a drink all night

Excellent place, it's a shame its been left like that, and the fire damage too. I'm surprised it hasn't been snapped up, done up and opened again. Did it used to have an outside pool in the past? It would make a lovely spot to go in the holidays.

Excellent,

Cheers,

Sal

smileysal said:

Excellent place, it's a shame its been left like that, and the fire damage too. I'm surprised it hasn't been snapped up, done up and opened again. Did it used to have an outside pool in the past? It would make a lovely spot to go in the holidays.

Excellent,

Cheers,

Sal

Click to expand...

Hi Sal, yeah it is a shame cos it is a lovely spot, one of the locals said the fire was set by 'druggies', the only outdoor pool was a walled off area on the beach, which filled with the tide creating a 'safe area' for the kids to play without fear of being swept out, it has been 'snapped up' and I'm still trying to find out what the plans are, a friend has access to a database of all developments in the local area but he needs a kick every now n then to get him motivated, might have to get my boots on n pay him a visit!

there was a shut down indoor pool next to the ramp going to the chalets when I was there in 03, now demolished by the look of these pics and there is a sea pool by the quay

Cheers for the extra info on it lycos and stevejd.

Sal

millendreath in defence of....

[it is with great sadness i read your report its is not a reflection of a poor man who ran out of money but a fact of a conman letting a running concern go into delapidation believing that having done so the local planning comittees will encourage unscrupulous developers to ride roughshod over the wildlife and green corridors by building 270+ residential units, houses shops and bars a 110 bed hotel etc .We are residents of millendeath and would wholeheartedly encourage a redevelopment of the existing holiday village but the plans are NOT to do so. It is to fill up every available space with housing, to desecrate the whole valley. So you see this derelict place has been man made to fill a scammers pocket. Please dont be fooled by false talks of a wonder village of knocking old buildings down and building new. this is not true. etcQUOTE=lycos;54597]After reading an old news report online about a fire on this site, I thought it may be worth a look, if only to revive a few old childhood memories of times spent at the location during the summer months.

As I was in the area last weekend I made a slight detour to do a quick recce, and after driving down the winding road towards the beach things started to look familiar, I remembered it as a thriving little beach resort, with static holiday appartments cutting up the hillside, a busy car park, a three story building with a beach shop, cafe, bar and watersports centre, on a hot Sunday in June this would normally have been a hive of activity, car park crammed so full you'd end up parking on the street, kids running around dripping ice-cream everywhere, playing in the park on the seafront, making sand castles on the beach or paddling in the sea pool, the parents sunning themselves, belting around the surf on jet-ski's or even paracending.

Today, things were different, the caravans were all still there, most of which being privately owned now, pulling into the car park there were plenty of places to choose from, the swings etc. in the park area had been removed, the grass overgrown, rent-a-fence dotted around everywhere, on the sea-front I could see the complex, boarded and burnt, and the beach almost empty...

The complex seems to have closed down around 2004/5 due to lack of cash, an unopened can of drink with a sell-by date of May '05 added a bit of weight to this, but in March this year fire crews were called as the top floor had been set alight, believed to be arson...

A few pics from the recce...



Notice how empty the beach is?



View from the side showing fire damage to the top floor..



Consulting with MrB we both decided it was worthy of a closer inspection, so packed the kit and ventured off, (thanks for driving yet again bud). MrB will be adding to this post so make sure you scroll down for some wide angle shots.. but here's a few more of my pics...

I've kept the pics quite small as there's quite a few of them, starting on the ground floor, this was an ice-cream shop and fish & chip shop...



Net curtains still in place, the rest of it trashed...







Broken glass everywhere, literally...



Crockery left in the chip shop...



Holes in the walls, hopefully workmen...



England - Germany match advertising!



Corridor behind the gents toilets...



Paint peeling from the ceilings...



Up to the first floor, this was more of a clubhouse, with bar, seating, tiny dance floor, pool table area and hot food..

Large outdoor seating area...





The bar...



Fire damage from upstairs...



And up to the fire damaged top floor, again with a large outdoor seating area...



The rooms inside completely gutted...







Work has begun on developing the area, all of the 70 acre site is now under one ownership and plans have been submitted, although I couldn't say what they are, they are reported to 'be huge!'.
It was a shame to see the site in such a bad way, with the cornish tourist industry being what it is I hope it's not long before this place is filling kids heads with happy memories once more...
Thanks for looking everyone, and thanks again for MrB for his part,
'till the next one...

Lycos.[/QUOTE]

millendreath in defence of.......

I inadvertantly posted my reply under Quote iam sorry about this but do ask you to read this as I feel it should be said.