10 years with a pair of rusty shears… The Story of a thriving rural Cornish Café
Fat Apples Café and wild campsite marks its 10th Anniversary in 2023
As a family Jacci, Ed, Hector, and myself (Phoebe Jourdan) crossed the border from Devon to Cornwall to make a fresh start. We had suffered the closure of a 150-year-old family business which was lost in the 2009 recession. Jacci and Ed purchased a courtyard of old farm buildings, The Old Vineyard, Porthallow, Cornwall, alongside five acres of woodland. The property had been on the market for five years and uninhabited for five before that.
With help from one pair of rusty shears and support of people along the way, we opened the Café in August 2012 hoping to attract walkers from the Southwest Coast Path. Little did we realise that ten years on we would welcome over 20,000 people a year!
The former Porthallow Vineyard
Before Fat Apples
Porthallow Vineyard was previously owned by Ted and Sheila Jeffries, who were creatives, interested in the spirit world and ancient history of the Lizard Peninsula. Their connection with nature led to the planting of many beautiful trees which cover the site. These include, Eucalyptus, Cornish Apples, Cherry, Damson, Willow, Ash, Hazel, Sycamore, Japanese Maple, Field Maple to name but a few! They also grew Alsace grapes for wine, and there is still one vine left in the yard.
Starting the Café
We had one winter to open the Café, and a £3,000 conversion budget. Ed worked away to cover costs, Jacci, (Ed on his days off), Hector (then aged 18), myself (then aged 14), and Freddie the famous rescue terrier started work to create the Café.
We worked to pull the building back to life. With local support, walkers on the coastal path, and holiday makers alike footfall has grown ever since.
The Café now
The Café has 30 indoor covers and can seat up to 100 outside in the Garden, on benches or underneath two bespoke stretch tents. The menu focuses on home cooked, seasonal, and local ingredients.
From its humble beginnings, we still work together as a family and have one full time member of staff, and five part-time. We are open throughout the year and are supported by the local community. As a café we are mostly known for our Full English Breakfast, five daily fresh salads, teas and cakes served on donated eclectic vintage china.
We also host local and visiting groups, have summer music nights, Proms with St Keverne Brass Band in the old yard, talks, workshops, and art exhibitions on the Café walls.
Fat Apples Café today.
Wild Campsite
The woodland campsite is unspoilt, sheltered, and bursting with wildlife. The camping area is only accessible by foot.
Through landscaping, cutting paths and removing about an acre of brambles, it is now accessible to groups, walkers, and families alike. Five freshwater springs run through the woodland which once provided Porthallow with drinking water. We have recovered the pond, which is home to Runner Ducks, wild Ducks and Moorhens.
New Accommodation
The semi converted Honeysuckle Hut was bought in 2019, when it was spotted for sale outside a house in Redruth. It was towed into its new home and reformed into a quiet space for people to come and stay in the woods. In 2021 the old milking barn adjoining the house was converted into a stunning B & B room, called Rose’s Loft.
The Future
Fat Apples Café is now rated on TripAdvisor as one of the top ten Cafés in Cornwall. We hope to further project work in the beautiful five acre woodland, encouraging more local and visiting groups to use our site.
Many customers ask us about what we have done, and the Phoebe’s News page will record anything notable the Fat Appler’s are up to currently.