Plymouth’s tourist hotspot that is becoming the ‘new era’ of the Barbican

A neighborhood in Plymouth, just minutes away from Cornwall, has become a hotspot for tourists and locals. The area has undergone many changes in recent years, but a ‘great community’ remains.

Located on the edge of the sea, East Stone house is home to several independent businesses including pub, The VOT on Cremyllstraat. Manager Owen Kressinger-Dunn also lives nearby and he said “the area is booming.”

Owen, 25 years old and “born and bred” in Plymouth, said there is some local presence and some tourist presence in East Stonehouse. He thinks the waterfront is becoming a “great alternative” to the waterfront Barbican.

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The 25-year-old manager said: “I think this area is slowly becoming a new era of the Barbican. If you want to grab a bite to eat, people tend to go to the Barbican and then have a drink.

“But I think in the back of people’s minds the Royal William Yard and Stonehouse are starting to settle in as an alternative.”

A seasonal foot passenger ferry takes passengers from the Barbican to the famous Royal William Yard (RWY) – it runs from April to November.

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Another ferry, linking this part of Plymouth with Cornwall, has been described as a “lifeline” by 27-year-old Phoebe Gale, who grew up in the Cornish village of Millbrook.

She said: “The ferry is a real lifeline. When the ferry changes from summer service to winter service and stops running at 6pm, you can really feel cut off if you live on the Cornish side. It’s great to have the ferry, I went to school in Plymouth so I took the ferry every day.”

(Image: Katie Oborn)

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Lily Luscombe, aged 30, runs a business in Royal William Yard called LS online marketing. She and her two sons love living in the area because there is “so much going on.”

The family said there is a “great community” in this part of the city on the waterfront, but there is also “a lot of trash” on the streets and Lily and her children often go out to pick up trash.

Lily said: “We collect the rubbish to make it look cleaner. However, there is a good community here and lots to do. Plymouth is a big place, but everyone seems to know each other in this particular area. It also feels nice and safe, we can walk around with the dog in the dark.”

(Image: Katie Oborn)

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Tourists, Patrick and Donna Colder ‘love’ Plymouth and have been holidaying in the city for years. They met in 1989 in a bar called The Street in Stonehouse, the pub is no longer open but was on Union Street in the 80s and 90s.

Patrick, aged 54, was based in Plymouth at the time as he was in the Royal Navy. The couple live in the Peak District but visit the South West several times a year. They said they can sometimes feel ‘boxed in’ in central England.

Donna, 57, said “people are friendly” in Devon and Cornwall and they like being close to the sea. Of course, Plymouth holds a special place in their hearts because they first met in the city.

Donna said: “We just love it here and try to get down as much as we can. The people are so nice here and there are lots of different things to do. Cornwall is very accessible and there are many walks along the South West Coast Path. We always visit RWY and take a ferry to Cornwall from there.”

(Image: Katie Oborn)

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