Luke and Victoria Donovan have run Kynance Cafe and Cottage as a family business since 1999 when the National Trust purchased the premises. In the 20 years since, much has changed: at first there was no electricity, running water or any toilet facilities. Since then, with help from Objective One funding, Cornwall County Council and South Of England Regional Development Agency, the National Trust have installed mains electricity and water, allowing Kynance Cafe and Cottage to flourish.

Photo voltaic solar roof tiles have since been installed on both the cafe and the cottage, which generate enough electric to run the new toilet block and produce hot water for the cafe - even supplying additional energy that feeds into the National Grid. Kynance Cafe is the first National Trust property to be roofed with photovoltaic tiles which generate more than five thousand kilowatt hours of electricity a year – that’s enough to make 45,550 cups of tea!

With the welcome changes brought by the National Trust, the running of the business is much smoother nowadays, for which we are incredibly grateful. We look forward to sharing this special corner of Cornwall with you.