Cornucopia, the food and drink visitor attraction planned for St Austell – which will also feature the UK’s first ever interactive showcase for the Cornish Pasty – has appointed a creative team to develop the concept and prepare detailed designs for its exhibits ahead of its launch next year.
The core theme of the attraction will be a celebration for Cornwall’s food and drink produce – bringing together the modern-day with the hundreds of years of rich heritage that the county has become famous for.
WMC Retail Partners Plc, the company behind the venture, has engaged the services of Ben Lumby, the exhibitions and interpretation specialist from Falmouth to oversee its design.
With experience gained from delivering hundreds of interpretation projects over a 15-year period, Lumby’s work includes the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.
He said: “This project is a unique challenge, in that it is combining visitor attraction elements with a modern food hall experience. The two together aim to deliver not just great tasting experiences but also the heritage of Cornwall’s famous food and drink.
“And the most important thing for me is to keep it Cornish. And by that I mean it has to pass muster with our locals first and foremost, since when it comes to the Cornish Pasty no one is more passionate than the Cornish.”
Meanwhile, St Austell-based creative studio, Leap, has been added to the team tasked with delivering a brand identity that will communicate the attraction’s vision to visitors.
WMC chief executive, Malcolm Ball, added: “We are delighted to be able to add the creative talents of both Ben Lumby and Leap to our already impressive development team.
“With the wealth of experience offered by Sam and Emma Sixton from the popular food and drink brand Sam’s Cornwall and the pasty-baking excellence of Marion Symonds and her company Portreath Bakery, our team is really taking shape and looks set to create something truly special that our county can be really proud of.”
