Coverack beach bistro voted best (From Falmouth Packet)

Coverack beach bistro voted best

7:10am Saturday 2nd June 2012 in Helston

A Coverack bistro is surfing a wave of support after being voted ‘best beach cafe’ by a national magazine.

Harbour Lights cafe and bistro won the category as part of the Coast Awards, held by Coast magazine.

Owners Clive and Fiona Wilson went to the London awards ceremony to hear the results of 40,000 votes by the magazine’s readers across the UK – and were delighted when they collected the award.

Mr Wilson said: “We are thrilled to have been recognised in this way, for ourselves, our staff who have given so much but also for Cornwall – and the Lizard in particular – because it puts us on the map as a destination worth visiting.”

Set directly on the waterfront, with a view across Coverack Bay, it has been a cafe since the late 1960s.

Mr and Mrs Wilson took the business over in June 2009.

“With the support of a great team of staff we have worked hard to breathe new life into the building and business.

“Our ethos has been ‘keep it simple and do it well,’ using the best local produce we can find.

“Our nomination for the award reflects the fact that we serve local produce, e.g. mackerel and lobsters caught in the bay, crab that has been landed locally and hand-picked at the Lizard, River Fal Mussels, sausages made in the next village and bread baked in Helston.”

A panel of ten coastal experts including TV presenter Ben Fogle, Olympic sailor Ben Ainslie and a director of Visit Britain joined Coast editor Clare Gogerty to nominate the businesses they felt had “shone” during 2011, with readers obviously agreeing over Harbour Lights.