Totally tropical The Coconut Chy on Newquay’s Towan Beach

Tropical!

The sun always shines on The Coconut Chy in Newquay

If, as a well-known song goes, you like pina coladas, get yourself down to Newquay’s Towan Beach. The Coconut Chy opened in mid-June and serves non-alcoholic pina coladas in hollowedout pineapples, as well as fresh coconuts for drinking and eating, all from a cheery brightly-coloured hut.

Owner Alison Ballard hopes to bring the taste of the Caribbean to Cornwall, to which end you are more likely to hear reggae over the speakers than Rupert Holmes’ cocktail-related hit. “Whether you are on holiday in Cornwall or simply on your lunch break, I want you to feel as if it’s hot and sunny all the time, even when it isn’t,” she smiles.

In fact, the sun is shining today; the tide is out and Towan Beach is lively with families, surf schools, dog walkers, rockpoolers and sunworshippers. A steady stream of customers come and order: a pina colada with two cardboard straws for a pair of teenagers to share, a fruit salad served in a half-pineapple, and a coconut for a young lad who returns at Alison’s instruction to have the top sliced off so he can eat the white flesh inside.

The name is Cornish as they come: the word Chy means house in Cornish in Kernewek, so this play on words from the traditional fairground coconut “shy” means the Coconut House. You can also indulge in smoothie bowls served in coconut shells, watermelon slices, barista coffee and home-made cakes.

Alison started the business following a change in personal circumstance. "I was working in an admin role while running my own business making vintage-style clothing, but last year I started to have a lot of problems with my eyes,” she explains. “By January, I was partially sighted and unable to drive or look at a computer for long periods. I had to quit my job and was unable to run my own business online or take on any festivals, which were a large part of my income but required driving.”

The hunt was on for a different kind of work. When job applications to cafés brought no response, Alison decided to set up her own. "Ever since visiting Sri Lanka in 2016, I had thought of selling coconuts on the beach. When I saw the building, I knew it was perfect, so I emailed the landlord and viewed it the very next day. By the end of the week, it was mine! I could see it would be beautiful painted up, and it was right next to the beach, so ideal. Towan is dog-friendly all year round, and has good, flat access.”

Within nine weeks, Alison had transformed the run-down space (with the help of her DIY-handy dad), got her Food Hygiene Certificate, trained to be a barista, designed the menu, found staff and suppliers, created a logo and more. Much of the equipment and furnishings were acquired second-hand. “It’s higgledypiggledy, but I didn’t want it to be perfect – I wanted it to feel like the kind of shack you’d find in the Caribbean,” says Alison, sporting a tropical print apron that matches her bar stools. “It’s tiny, but that’s all I need.”

For the uninitiated, a pina colada is a mix of pineapple juice, coconut water and lime juice, with the scooped-out flesh frozen and blitzed to create a smoothie-like consistency. You might add a tot of rum elsewhere, but Alison doesn’t currently have an alcohol licence and prefers the inclusivity that offers. “This isn’t a bar, which means you can come here with your kids, or on your own. It’s for everyone.” Fresh stock comes from Fresh Point in Newquay, including juicy Costa Rican pineapples and ready-prepared drinking coconuts. Alison’s dad knocked up a nifty contraption to punch a hole in the top for a cardboard straw, and a knife to slice off the top. “It’s not quite the machete I saw traders using in Sri Lanka, but I don’t think I’d be allowed that on Towan Beach,” she laughs. “I’ve never seen anyone else in the UK doing this. It’s fun and a bit different – and it’s healthy.”

With no need for crockery, it’s also sustainable, not to mention highly Instagrammable. Canny Alison’s ability to dress her wares has brought the selfie crowds flocking. “You can take them down on the beach, or snap them here on the decking with the island house behind,” she explains. “So many people do the PR for me, and then more people come down.”

The shack comes complete with a kennel for Alison’s British bulldog, Holly, who loves to be made a fuss of. Four-legged friends are more than welcome, and the menu includes a “pupaccino” - frothy milk with whipped cream and a bone dog biscuit.

Alison’s eyesight has improved following an operation, but The Coconut Chy is here to stay. While pineapples and coconuts are decidedly summery, Alison plans to remain open throughout the year, serving hot spiced pineapple juice and eggnog, and gourds for Hallowe’en.

“There’s a lifeguard from Brazil who says it feels like going home,” she beams. “That’s the ultimate compliment. l

The Coconut Chy, Towan Beach Promenade, Towan Beach, Newquay, TR7 1DU G A @thecoconutchy