‘A-listers are making our lives a misery’: how Mawgan Porth became Cornwall's ‘Hollywood-on-sea’

Even on a blustery October morning, the beach at Mawgan Porth was abuzz. Children were running in and out of the sea, carrying bodyboards that flapped to and fro in the stiff wind. Dogs scampered across the sand as their owners ambled along behind, wrapped up snug in padded coats and carrying cups of hot coffee. A couple of lifeguards stood atop a liveried RNLI pickup, surveying the foaming swell.

Some 40ft above them, atop a rocky cliff at the beach’s northern end, grey wooden hoardings stood starkly against the sky. Ramblers passing by on the South West Coast Path looked up bemusedly at the signs plastered all along the wooden barrier, warning trespassers to keep out, and threatening prosecution to anyone foolish enough to disobey. 

Behind the hoardings was a building site: a large, half-finished house, criss-crossed with scaffolding and surrounded by heavy-duty construction machinery. For all that the scene below was one of wholesome (if somewhat frigid) family fun, it was a vivid reminder that not all is well in this quiet corner of Cornwall.

The half-acre site belongs to Cate Blanchett, the Australian actress who has won acclaim – and two Academy Awards – for her starring roles in big-budget Hollywood blockbusters. Having bought a humble cottage here for £1.3 million in 2020, Blanchett and her husband, the screenwriter Andrew Upton, proceeded to tear it down to create room for a five-bedroom eco home. It’s a source of ever-increasing frustration and resentment for the locals, a number of whom have expressed their bitter frustration at three years of incessant drilling and hammering.

“The whole thing’s just a bit of a shame really,” said one local I spoke to, who asked to remain anonymous. “I suppose she’s technically our neighbour, but you wouldn’t really know it. It’s not like we’ve ever stopped to have a chat in the street. She’s just a face off the television still, despite having a home here.” Others have claimed that the ongoing building work is “making our lives a misery”.

For their part, the architecture firm behind Blanchett’s redevelopment project, Watershedd, has leapt to the defence of their clients, releasing a statement denying any suggestion of aloofness or lack of consideration 

“Throughout the whole process, together with our clients, we have been in regular communication with friendly and accommodating neighbours to ensure that they are aware of our construction program, and even paused work during peak season holidays to minimise anticipated construction noise and disturbances,” it said.

For all the flak that Blanchett is receiving, there’s a sense that the furore surrounding her holiday home is really just the tip of the iceberg. She is far from the first celebrity to break ground in what some now waggishly refer to as “Hollywood-on-Sea”. To either side of her property, a dozen or more villas sprawl across the clifftop: angular structures conceived in black stone and black timber, with great panoramic windows facing out onto the bay. Most were dark and lifeless when I visited on a cold, grey autumn morning, giving off the unmistakable aura of holiday homes abandoned for the off-season. 

These are the Cornish holiday retreats belonging to an unlikely assortment of global superstars. Their comings and goings are discreet, although locals have become accustomed to seeing their famous part-time neighbours down on the beach from time to time: David Beckham, Kate Winslet, Chris Martin, Noel Gallagher, Stanley Tucci, Jason Statham and Rosie Huntingdon-Whitely. Jason Momoa, the star of the Aquaman movie franchise, is the latest to have bought a home in the village, having reportedly fallen in love with the village’s laid-back vibe while filming up the coast at Saunton Sands in Devon.

On the face of it, Mawgan Porth seems like an unlikely place to attract popstars, Premier League footballers and Hollywood A-listers. Like many of the settlements that line Cornwall’s northern coastline, it’s not pretty in any conventional sense, although there’s a pervasive charm here all the same – a chilled surfer vibe of the sort that undoubtedly appeals to celebrities looking to escape the spotlight for a week or two.

The village itself is strung out across a wide coastal valley, cut in half by the River Menalhyl as it flows out to sea. At its centre is a hotch-potch of clapboard and stucco buildings facing out onto the wide sandy beach. There’s a pub, the Merrymoor Inn, alongside a newsagent, a couple of surf hire shops and a handful of cafes and restaurants. All were doing a lively trade as I walked past, and gave off the subtle but unmistakable air of prosperity.

On the slopes that rise steeply to either side are sporadic clusters of housing. Amidst the gleaming modernist houses of the super-wealthy are more modest dwellings – family homes built in the mid-20th century, many of which have been lived in by the same families for decades. In the last few years, their value has rocketed past the million-pound mark.

Down on the beach, I fell into conversation with a local man out walking his dog, and asked for his view on the influx of celebrities.

“It’s a beautiful part of the world, so of course we understand why people want to come and live here, even celebrities,” he told me, glancing up at the black villas silhouetted against the hillside. “And it’s always quite exciting seeing someone famous down here.

“All the same, it’s sad to see houses being bought up for so much money, only for them to be knocked down. Then, when the fancy new homes are built, they’re left empty for most of the year. It’s sad to see what it does to the community. Locals can’t afford to live here now.”

Stay here

The Scarlet (01637 861800; scarlethotel.co.uk) is hands down one of the smartest hotels in all of Cornwall: a bayside retreat with 37 rooms (from £235 per night), all facing out towards the sea, as well as a superb restaurant. Its chief selling point, though, is the luxuriously appointed spa, with its saunas, steam rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, and enticing clifftop hot tubs.

Where to eat and drink

The aforementioned restaurant at The Scarlet is excellent, but you should also try Catch Seafood Bar & Grill (01637 860372; catchmawganporthbeach.co.uk). This little surf ‘n’ turf joint specialises in local produce, particularly seafood dishes sourced from Cornish waters. The quality is top-notch and prices are refreshingly reasonable.

A walk along the coast

The South West Coast Path passes straight through the village. South will take you towards Newquay via Watergate Bay, but it’s better to head north instead. This will take you first to Carnewas at Bedruthan, where huge pillars of rock jut out from the sea. Those feeling fit and fresh should continue on towards Trevose Head, which commands spectacular views out over the Atlantic. Be warned though, the distance is just shy of 10 miles, and the terrain is not all too forgiving.