Cornish brace for Storm Goretti as pubs stay open

Storm Goretti Impacts Porthleven’s Seafront

Porthleven’s seafront streets are emptying as Storm Goretti hits the Cornish coast. However, one pub’s open mic night continues.

The Met Office has issued a rare red warning due to fears of extreme weather. Emergency alerts have been sent to local phones.

This warning, which includes Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, is effective from 4 PM until 11 PM.

The Mussel Shoal Remains Open

The Mussel Shoal, a brewery in Port Severn, remains open for locals willing to brave the storm. Owner Kelvin Bacc told Metro, “We’re quite used to storms down in Port Severn because we’re the only westerly facing harbour in the whole of the UK.”

Bacc added, “It is really howling. But because we’re in the shipyard, it’s not been too bad. We’re just setting up for open mic night, and you can hear it rattling around in the roof.”

He noted, “The storm has really, really got a hold of Cornwall, that’s for sure.”

Local Reactions to the Storm

Only 30 minutes after opening, the brewery had about 25 customers enjoying drinks despite the storm. Primary school teacher James Kitto, 57, watched massive waves crash into the port from a “safe distance.”

Kitto said, “It’s getting pretty wild out there. All the Cornwall schools were closed early today, and the children and staff were sent home.”

He described the waves as “huge” and mentioned that he received warnings from family and friends to stay safe.

Advice from Locals

Kitto plans to stay indoors, stating, “The wind is just getting stronger and stronger. I just had to tie down my wheelie bin.” He warned others to “stay indoors, stay safe.”

He added, “It is as bad as I have seen for years. We had one enormous storm where the timber beams that protect the inner harbor were broken like matchsticks.”

Impact on Local Businesses

The owner of The Ship Inn told Metro, “It’s real bad; there have been reports of waves being a hundred foot offshore. We’ve all had to close down.”

He noted that staff had to go home and locals were locked in. “We can’t take any money because the locals said that the phone masts are down,” he said.

Pubs like The Ship Inn are uncertain about when they can reopen.

Future Outlook for Restaurants

The director of The Square at Porthleven restaurant is hopeful about reopening tomorrow, weather permitting. He stated, “We’ve shut the restaurant down.”

He explained, “It’s really windy; all the tables and chairs in front of the restaurant had blown away, so we made the call to shut the restaurant.”

Staff have been sent home, and they are on standby for tomorrow but remain uncertain about the situation.