A tale of two Cornwalls: Food banks amid luxury holiday lets

Tourists are drawn to the British county’s rugged cliffs and beautiful beaches, but locals face poverty and deprivation.

A remote corner of Britain is an unusual place for seven world leaders to congregate for a global conference. But Cornwall’s rugged cliffs and sprawling coastline proved a scenic stage for three days of political deliberations at this year’s G7 summit. Cornwall – or Kernow to a traditional tongue – is Britain’s not-so-hidden gem. The country’s southwestern tip is beloved by both locals and tourists for its bounty of beaches, market towns and olde worlde culture. Visitors might liken the golden shores and crystal waters to the Caribbean – if only the sun shone more often. But, in early June, the weather did Britain a service. Picture-perfect images from Carbis Bay, the centre of the summit, captured politicians smiling on a podium in front of the Atlantic Ocean, enjoying Cornwall at its finest.