Locals in Cornwall reveal anger over G7 summit

Residents living in Cornwall have revealed their anger over the G7 summit taking place in their home town.

Delegates from the seven nations including the US, Germany, Japan and the UK are meeting in the southern beauty spot of Carbis Bay from 11-13 June. They’ll discuss how to tackle coronavirus, climate change and other political issues.

However, people living in the nearby town of St Ives are unhappy about the arrival of the nations’ leaders.

“It could all be done online”

Andrea Hodgson, 78, said it was “pretty awful” the G7 is being held in Cornwall this year.

Hodgson told the PA news agency:

It’s totally inappropriate, it’s not climate-friendly, it’s a total waste of money. They’ve closed our hospital, they’ve closed our police station and they are wasting millions and millions of pounds for international people to have a party.

It could all be done online. I’m really angry about it – the number of people that are coming down all through lockdown. We’ve been locked away here so we can’t even go outside of our front door.

She added:

The people are being marginalised here – and the G7 is making it worse.

Disruption

Other residents in the town showed their displeasure at the high-security event happening on their doorstep.

One sign, hung on the side of a shop, read: “G7, what have you done today to make you feel proud?”

Some local businesses have also been closed deliberately for the event. Burger takeaway bar, Blas Burgerworks, had a sign in the window which read: “We are now closed due to G7 from Monday 7th to Wednesday 16th. Reopening Thursday 17th June”.

Resident Andi Grimes, 55, told PA she felt like the event was not going to be a huge benefit for the community:

It has been quite disruptive for the local people – delivery guys can’t park anywhere, the road closures, the train station is closed.

Anyone living in Carbis Bay, they rely on the bus to come down here for work or to go to shops, it’s a problem.