Michael Caines buys former Rick Stein Restaurant in Porthleven, Cornwall
Caines, who owns Lympstone Manor in Exmouth in Devon, will also launch The Cove at Maenporth in Cornwall at the weekend, the business which he took on at the start of the year.
"We are delighted to have the opportunity to pick up where Rick and Jill Stein have left off, taking over this wonderful property in Porthleven," he says.
"We are looking forward to working with Trevor Osborne, the owner of Porthleven Harbour & Dock Company, to continue to grow Porthleven as a destination and develop a restaurant that warmly welcomes both locals and visitors through its doors.
"We’re looking forward to sharing details of this exciting new venture in due course."
Caines was also due to open a casual dining restaurant in Exmouth, Devon, next month but says the project has been delayed by the Coronavirus pandemic. The intention now, he says, is to open it in Spring 2021.
Destination Devon
The chef restaurateur is also behind a new website encouraging holidaymakers to enjoy a staycation in Devon to help support Devon businesses and boost the county’s local economy.
His new website, Destination Devon, will feature guides, reviews, tips, advice and a whole host of other information for holidaymakers, which he hopes will encourage those who would usually be planning a foreign break to look closer to home.
Caines, who owns Lympstone Manor in Exmouth in Devon, has teamed up with publisher Nick Cooper, behind food and drink magazines and websites, including Food Magazine and The Trencherman’s Guide to highlight some of the best places to stay, eat and spend leisure time in the post Covid-19 environment.
He says the opportunity the UK tourist industry now has, as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, with many people unwilling to holiday abroad this summer, was the catalyst for launching the site.
“Because of the Coronavirus, people do have a fear of travelling beyond the UK – the staycation may well be for certain people a better option,” he says.
“It has given the tourist industry a welcome boost, but with it comes a cocktail of dilemmas - between keeping staff and people safe and also ensuring local communities feel relaxed and comfortable. We need to recognise that people need to feel they have the ability to get out and about after lockdown and see something different.”
“We all know the landscape has changed significantly in the past few months and, as a result of that, holidaymakers will be looking for a very different experience.
“We will be looking to support those business who can offer great standards of service, cleanliness and good outdoor facilities. We want to do all we can to help businesses emerge from this crisis."
A study conducted by the website CabinBookers in May 2020 suggested that staycations are set to boom this year, as many Brits look for alternative holiday options due to closed borders and travel restrictions. Ninety per cent of participants said that they plan to holiday in the UK once the restrictions are lifted, with 44% stating this was due to the pandemic leaving them with tighter budgets.
Caines says the new website will not just look to promote single businesses but communities within Devon to encourage people to visit and then stay within the county.
“People want to stay longer in one place and discover things, they are nervous about moving about,” he says.
“Nobody is really talking about Devon as a collection of experiences, where there’s more to just staying at a hotel. We want it to be informative and story led and promote a community rather than just individual places. We hope it will make a difference.
He says the website will be “invitational” and cover everything from hotels and Airbnb venues to shops and art galleries. "We hope it will attract people to the county of Devon rather than passing through it to Cornwall or the Cotswolds.”
