William Telford

Plymouth Cricket Club has grown substantially since 2023 after struggling during the Covid-19 period. Based at Discovery Road in Mount Wise, the club now has four men's teams, a mixed midweek side, four women's teams and 17 youth teams serving around 140 young players. Chairman Bill Martin and coach Tim Cresswell attribute the revival to renewed organisation, sponsor investment and a strong voluntary, community-focused culture. The club's first XI is competing in the Premier Division of the Tolchards Devon Cricket League and is seeking a crucial result against Bradninch and Kentisbeare to help secure its position.

Drake’s Island in Plymouth Sound is being marketed for offers above £2 million after the receivership of owner Plymouth Sound Properties Ltd. The 6.4-acre site includes around 30,000 square feet of disused historic buildings and active planning consent, subject to conditions, for a 43-room hotel. Sales agents Carter Jonas say the island could support tourism, education, events, research and conservation activities; previous tours, filming, performances and adventure days generated about £590,000 in gross income in 2023. The sale follows secured lending by Expert Lending Ltd and the appointment of receivers, while planned tours remain suspended pending safety inspections.

A campaign to save an endangered maple tree in Plymouth’s Sir John Hawkins Square has raised more than its £1,600 target from over 60 donors. Plymouth Tree People is negotiating with contractors to remove a two-square-metre area of tarmac around the trunk and replace it with wood chippings, with permission from Plymouth City Council. Local businesses support adding seating around the tree, although further consent may be required. The article also notes that plans to rename the square, linked to John Hawkins’s involvement in the slave trade, remain under review.

Plymouth Tree People is urging residents to water city trees during a severe drought, warning that many could die after only three days of rain since early July and a second hot summer in succession. Young trees are considered most vulnerable, but mature trees are also suffering. The charity recommends using recycled household water, with around 10 litres several times a week for young trees and up to 50 litres every two weeks for larger trees. Despite a hosepipe ban and forecast rain, the charity says the baked ground may prevent sufficient absorption. It warns that losing urban trees could have long-term health consequences because tree canopies help reduce heat-related deaths.

Lakeland will open its 56th store at Endsleigh Garden Centre in Ivybridge, near Plymouth, on August 21, backed by a six-figure investment and creating six jobs. The launch will include discounts, free pegs for the first 500 customers and product giveaways. The opening is the kitchenware retailer’s fifth location within Blue Diamond Garden Centres and its first new store of the year. The expansion follows Lakeland’s 2025 sale to Hilco Capital after falling revenue and an £11.3 million loss in 2024.

David King, who founded Princess Yachts in Plymouth in 1965, has died aged 84 after a period of illness. The company praised his role in building a globally respected luxury yacht manufacturer, creating skilled employment and strengthening Plymouth's position as a centre for yacht construction. Chief executive Will Green said King's values of craftsmanship, innovation, humility and belief in people would continue to guide the business.

Plymouth is being described as a city on the rise after city-centre footfall increased 21.5% year on year in the week beginning 20 July, far exceeding rises across the South West and the UK. The growth follows the £30 million Armada Way revamp and the opening of a £25 million Community Diagnostic Centre. Labour MP Luke Pollard also highlighted planned investment, including Babcock International moving staff into the former House of Fraser building and the £47 million Civic Centre redevelopment into flats and a City College Plymouth campus. New restaurants, retailers and leisure businesses are opening or expanding across the city centre, while further developments are expected to sustain its momentum.

The Comedy Store is partnering with Plymouth’s Comical Entertainment to stage six comedy events in Plymouth and six corresponding shows in Launceston between September 2026 and October 2027. The first Plymouth performance will take place on September 18 at the Quad Theatre at Plymouth Marjon University, featuring three comedians and a compere, although the lineup has not yet been announced. Organisers say the shows will showcase emerging comedians from the London circuit rather than local talent, building on The Comedy Store’s reputation for launching performers including Dawn French, Jimmy Carr and Sarah Millican. Tickets are already on sale, and the partnership could continue beyond the initial six-event commitment.

Plymouth City Council will return eight bus services to Royal Parade from the end of August after passenger complaints and petitions opposed their relocation to Mayflower Street. Routes 8, 9, 27, 28, 30, 31, 35 and 35A were moved during the £7.5 million Royal Parade improvement scheme. The council said Royal Parade is more convenient, particularly for elderly passengers and people with mobility difficulties, while other route and stop changes will be made to accommodate the returning services.

Thousands of people are expected to attend the free West End Carnival in Plymouth city centre on Saturday, August 29, 2026. The event around Plymouth Market will feature live music, samba bands, the Plymouth Rock Choir, Taiko drummers, circus acts, workshops, street food, arts and crafts, and activities inside the market. Organizers say the carnival celebrates the West End’s diverse independent businesses and community. Last year’s event coincided with a 42.5% increase in city-centre footfall, providing a significant boost to local traders.

The rebooted detective series Bergerac is filming its third season in Plymouth, using Central Park near Plymouth Argyle’s Home Park stadium as a production base and reportedly filming at the University of Plymouth. The university and other Devon locations were also used for the first two seasons, with the show’s previous filming spanning sites including Exmouth, Hope Cove and Torquay. Starring Damian Molony as DCI Jim Bergerac, the BBC series is set in Jersey and has featured guest actors including Philip Glenister, Adrian Edmondson and Lesley Sharp.

Plymouth City Council is seeking specialist assistance to identify the source of hazardous asbestos contamination at Mount Batten and determine how to remove it safely. The beach was closed on July 10, and restrictions were later extended across parts of the peninsula after testing found potentially dangerous asbestos fibres in sand, although air-quality tests detected no airborne asbestos. Conservative MP Rebecca Smith has launched a petition calling on the council and UK Government to act quickly, while residents, businesses and watersports users seek answers. The council advises the public and boat users to avoid affected areas as testing and risk assessment continue.

A petition launched by Conservative MP Rebecca Smith calls on the UK Government and Plymouth City Council to obtain specialist expertise to investigate asbestos contamination at Mount Batten beach and accelerate its safe reopening. The beach was closed on July 10 after hazardous asbestos fibres were found in sand, with further waterfront areas later restricted. Air-quality tests have found no airborne asbestos, and the council says it does not expect immediate health problems, but warns the public to avoid closed areas. Asbestos-containing material was previously removed from the beach after contamination was discovered in 2019, yet fibre levels have since risen again.

Plymouth has launched a two-year Government-backed rental e-scooter trial operated by Beryl, Plymouth City Council and Bikespace. The initial fleet of 50 scooters is expected to expand to 200 across 68 docking locations, with rules including a minimum age of 18, a valid UK driving licence, designated parking and restrictions on pavement riding and passenger use. Supporters say the scheme could reduce car journeys and improve connections with public transport, while readers question enforcement, road conditions, illegal private scooters, pavement use and potential safety risks. The trial will be monitored through March 2028 as the Government evaluates the future of rental e-scooters in the UK.

Plans to rename Sir John Hawkins Square in Plymouth remain on hold after years of petitions and legal challenges. Plymouth City Council proposed the name Justice Square in 2023, but restarted the process after another challenge and is now reviewing its street-naming policy following changes introduced by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023. Separately, Plymouth Tree People is fundraising to protect a large maple tree in the square and install a bench around it.

The Silver Hill housing development in Tamerton Foliot, Plymouth, has remained unfinished since construction stopped in 2024 after Halsall Construction collapsed owing about £33 million. A replacement company, Tamerton Silverhill Ltd, also entered administration after contractor BuildX (SW) Ltd reportedly left the site. The estate was sold by a receiver for just over £1 million, but almost all proceeds went to secured lender Inspired Lending, leaving roughly £5,400 for unsecured creditors claiming £968,000. BuildX is owed £412,000 and Plymouth Community Homes £300,000, with each expected to recover only about 0.5p per pound. The identity and plans of the new buyer, including whether the remaining 15 homes will be built, remain unclear.

Plymouth has begun a two-year government-backed trial of rental e-scooters, with 50 vehicles initially available at Beryl docking bays and up to 200 planned across 68 sites. The scheme, operated by Beryl in partnership with Plymouth City Council and Bikespace, will run until March 2028 and assess safety, performance and the role of e-scooters in greener transport. Riders must be at least 18, hold a valid driving licence, use the Beryl app, start and end journeys at designated bays, and follow restrictions including a 15.5 mph maximum speed and 3 mph geofenced zones in busy areas. Privately owned e-scooters remain illegal on UK public roads and pavements. Beryl’s existing e-bike scheme has generated nearly 298,000 journeys in Plymouth and reportedly replaced more than 74,000 car trips, although its operator Smidsy Ltd recorded an after-tax loss of over £8.1 million in the latest year and about £24 million over four years.

Saltram East Country Park in Plymouth has opened to the public, adding 32 hectares of free-to-access green space to the National Trust’s Saltram estate. A new 2.5-kilometre accessible trail connects with existing paths to form a route of about 10 kilometres, while wildflower meadows, habitat restoration and a biodiversity programme aim to increase wildlife by at least 10% over 30 years. Future plans include planting up to 12,000 trees for a community forest. The site is accessible on foot, by bicycle and from Saltram’s main car park, with some temporary path restrictions and seasonal dog-lead requirements.

CDS Superstores, the Plymouth-based parent company of The Range, Wilko, Homebase and Bathstore, has secured a £190 million asset-based revolving credit facility from Wells Fargo Capital Finance, with HSBC and Citi involved in the arrangement. The facility is more than twice the size of its predecessor and will fund working capital, store expansion, technology, digital capabilities and supply-chain investment. The group is continuing to convert former Homebase locations into The Range stores, expand its Homebase and Bathstore formats, and invest in digital infrastructure, including an online marketplace, AI-powered search and Amazon Web Services support. Founder and executive chairman Chris Dawson and executives Jamie Messham and Alex Simpkin said the funding would provide flexibility for continued growth and retail transformation.

Plymouth Community Homes has appointed a design and consultancy team led by Building Design Partnership to redevelop Devonport’s 14-storey Marlborough House. The planned £45 million replacement will provide 100% affordable social-rented homes designed to high energy-efficiency and building-safety standards. Design work is under way, with public consultation planned so residents and other stakeholders can help shape the proposals.

Mount Batten Beach in Plymouth has been closed for several months after asbestos fibres were found in most sand samples, with additional sandy foreshore areas on the peninsula also restricted. Plymouth City Council says asbestos has been washing ashore since material was first identified in 2019, but recent testing indicates a potentially greater inhalation risk than previously assessed. The source remains unknown, and the council is conducting further sampling, air-disturbance testing and investigations with specialist advice from the UK Health Security Agency. There is no identified immediate risk to recent visitors, pets or people using the water, concrete slipways, pontoon or watersports centre, but the public is urged to avoid marked sandy areas. The beach will remain closed until testing is complete and the results have been reviewed, a process that may take several months.

Plymouth City Council has approved Capital&Centric’s £47 million redevelopment of the Grade II-listed Civic Centre. The scheme will create 144 build-to-rent homes managed by Ollo, a Blue Green Skills Hub for City College Plymouth, and a redesigned public courtyard with waterside seating, planting, a pool and a sculptural staircase. Works include new lift cores, staircases, cladding, glazing, a glazed roof and improved public spaces, with initial cladding removal expected to begin in summer. The project is supported by more than £47.4 million in public funding, while Capital&Centric will finance the residential fit-out; the scheme includes no car parking but more than 200 cycle spaces.

Plymouth city-centre footfall reached 268,073 in the week beginning July 20, up 21.5% year on year and substantially outperforming the South West and UK high-street averages. Good weather, school holidays, tourism, University of Plymouth graduations and the newly regenerated Armada Way were cited as key drivers. The increase coincides with new openings and expansions by food, retail and leisure businesses, while further projects—including Civic Centre redevelopment, new Babcock offices and a Community Diagnostic Centre—are expected to support future investment. Steve Hughes of the Plymouth City Centre Company said the city was bucking wider trends and expressed optimism about attracting more national retailers.

Super Tramp Plymouth in Plymstock will reopen at 9am on August 1 after closing temporarily on July 23 during ongoing lease negotiations with its landlord. Owner Mark Schofield said the short-term agreement should allow the trampoline park to operate for at least a month while negotiations continue, with bookings restarting soon. The venue is part of Schofield’s expanding Jet Sports Ltd leisure business, which operates several indoor attractions and manufactures trampolines.

Plymouth City Council has closed additional sandy foreshore areas on the north side of the Mount Batten peninsula after testing found potentially hazardous asbestos fibres in sand. Mount Batten Beach was already closed following similar findings on July 10. The council says the asbestos appears to be washing ashore with the tide, but its source is unknown; air-quality tests found no airborne asbestos. People are advised to avoid the marked areas, while concrete slipways, the pontoon and the Mount Batten Watersports and Activity Centre are not considered at risk. Further testing is under way.

A 14-member Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board has been established to guide up to £20 million of regeneration funding for Devonport, Mount Wise and Morice Town over the next decade. Chaired by Rev Sue Nicholas and including residents, councillors, schools and voluntary organisations, the board will develop a local plan focused on high streets, community hubs, green spaces, youth services and safety. Labour MP Luke Pollard said the investment would give residents control over local priorities, while the board will consult communities before initial funding is distributed.

Plymouth’s Battle of the Bands will return at the Maritime Inn on the Barbican, with 12 groups competing across four heats beginning July 31 and a final on August 28. The winning band will receive a cash prize and an opportunity to perform for thousands at Plymouth’s Barbican Christmas lights switch-on in November. Last year’s winners, 3 Days of Wonder, are cited as an example of the event’s opportunities.

Super Tramp Plymouth in Plymstock has temporarily closed while owner Jet Sports Ltd negotiates a lease extension with the landlord. Owner Mark Schofield expects the venue to reopen and is directing customers to the company’s larger Adrenaline Adventure Park in Derriford. Schofield said the business remains committed to Plymouth despite difficult conditions for indoor leisure operators, including high prices, energy costs, taxation and prolonged hot weather.

Plymouth Tree People is raising £1,600 to remove tarmac surrounding a large maple tree in Sir John Hawkins Square, which campaigners say is restricting water access and threatening the tree’s survival. The appeal had raised more than £660 from 22 donations. Plymouth City Council has approved the tarmac removal without requiring planning permission, while a proposed bench around the tree may need additional planning approval. Local businesses and the Straw tree-protection group support the project, which also includes plans for volunteer-led improvements to the square.