When people think of Cornwall, their minds often drift to golden beaches, idyllic fishing villages and fresh seafood. But just a short drive inland lies a town that tells a very different story – a community grappling with poverty and crime. Camborne is a place that rarely makes it to a tourist’s destination list, and now I know why. After a fleeting morning in picturesque Penzance, I hopped in the car and drove through the beautiful, winding countryside, passing by ample green fields with farmers working away.

The sun was shining high in the sky and the smell of the seaside still lingered in the air. However, my scenic journey was abruptly interrupted when I arrived at Camborne’s high street. The town was lined with shuttered shops, many of which have been left empty, and numerous discount stores. Camborne’s decline from its days as a bustling mining town stemmed from the collapse of the tin industry was apparent. 

Despite being home to just over 20,000 people, Camborne’s town centre is small, comprising just one short high street. I parked outside a closed M&Co and walked its length in under 10 minutes. I spoke to a few locals who mentioned the same thing: crime and drugs have made people wary of going out after dark.

All of a sudden, a panicked man approached me having spotted the camera and urged me to head down the road to Chop The Barber Shop. Its door had just been smashed.

When I arrived, the scene was shocking. A manhole cover, an incredibly heavy item, had been hurled through the shop’s front door. Shards of glass crunched underfoot as Alice Cheal, the shop’s owner, swept up the wreckage.

“It’s the fourth time,” she told me with exhaustion in her voice. “Last time they did exactly the same thing. They got a drain and shoved it through another shop window. It’s a pattern.”

A float with around £100 had been stolen, but Ms Cheal believed nothing was likely to be done about it. She said that in a previous incident, the culprits were released after a single night in custody.

“There’s a lot of homelessness. There’s a car park where the homeless and addicts all hang around. It’s a poor area. But it didn’t used to be like that,” she said. “It used to be busy, full of shops and a popular town. But it’s a lack of funding from the council.”

Upon election as MP for Camborne and Redruth, Perran Moon, acknowledged the depth of the issue, claiming it’s “blindingly obvious” that Camborne has an urgent problem with crime, antisocial behaviour and addiction. However, there seems to have been little improvement since July last year. 

Just days before my visit, Devon and Cornwall Police had issued a full closure order on Soul Bar, a venue on Cross Street described as a hotspot for violence. According to the force, disturbances frequently spilt out onto the street, where passers-by were verbally abused and alcohol-fueled fights became routine.

Perran Moon MP and Camborne Council have been approached for comment.