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JEREMY HUNT, SHADOW SECRETARY OF STATE FOR CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT VISIT TO ST IVES

Monday 12th April saw a fact finding visit to two of St Ives’ key cultural establishments by Jeremy Hunt, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport accompanied by Derek Thomas, Conservative Prospective MP for St Ives. Mr Hunt’s first port of call was the Leach Pottery to learn more about the efforts being made to build on the pottery’s growing reputation as a high quality visitor attraction. While there, the party was shown around the museum, the original pottery and displays, and also met two young trainee potters, Kat Livesey from Tennessee and Midori Endo from Japan.

 At the Tate St Ives, Jeremy Hunt and Derek Thomas met with Executive Director, Mark Osterfield to discuss the needs of the gallery and its expansion plans. After the visit, Derek Thomas said, “The added value that both the Leach Pottery and the Tate St Ives have brought to the region and the area is immense. It is estimated that the Tate alone contributes some £15 million to the South West economy. At a time when we are competing on an international stage, both the Tate and the Leach put the South West and St Ives firmly on the map.

“At a more local level, sorting out the traffic problems in St Ives is really an essential ingredient in the further development of tourism and tourism related businesses in the area.”