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 Plymouth
Location: Devon, England, UK
Population: 241,000
Tourist Information Office: Plymouth Tourist
Information Centre, Island House, 9 The Barbican, Plymouth, PL1 2LS
Shopping: Completely rebuilt after the Second
World War and largely pedestrianised in the early 1990's, Plymouth is
traditionally the leading shopping centre of the South West.
Laid out in a grid pattern with the
four main shopping streets of Royal Parade, New George, Cornwall and Mayflower
Streets intersected by Armada way which sweeps on upwards towards Plymouth Hoe
and the sea, the centre offers a wide range of national, regional and local
shops.
There are three large, recently
modernised department stores, Dingles (part of the House of Fraser), Debenhams
and Derry's. Nearly all the best known high street names like Marks &
Spencer, Boots, W H Smith, The Bodyshop, Argos, Virgin Megastore, Topshop, HMV,
Woolworth, The Disney Store, Bhs, Mothercare and Toys R' Us, are represented in the city. And there is also a
large Sainsbury's superstore and a Tesco Metro store in the city centre.
Nightlife: Union Street in the city centre is lined with bars
(Bongogos, Kuleroos Sports Bar, Walkabout Bar). For live jazz, head to the
Barbican Jazz Cafe, on The Parade. Touring pop bands come to the Plymouth
Pavilions Arena on Millbay Road, while a healthy live music scene can be found
in The Cider Press, The Cooperage and The Three Crowns in the Barbican and
Yates's Wine Lodge on the Royal Parade in the city centre.
Union Street has lots of clubs - the largest is
the Millennium Complex with three clubs in one. Destiny at the Barbican Leisure
Park is also a big pull, adjacent to a bar and the Warner Village Cinema.
Zanzibar on Mayflower Street is also fairly big and attracts an older crowd. All
the clubs have different music, depending on the night. Zero's on Lockyer Street
is a gay-friendly club.
 Plymouth has an ABC Cinema in Derry's Cross (by
Debenhams) and there is a Warner Village multiscreen in the Barbican Leisure
Park. Art house films are screened at Plymouth Arts Centre on Looe Street. The
Theatre Royal welcomes touring West End shows while the Athenaeum Theatre hosts
amateur productions. Comedy nights are held on the first Wednesday of every
month at the Barbican Theatre. The Standley Grand Casino is on Union
Street.
Eating Out: Who can resist Devon's clotted cream, gloopily
scooped on a freshly-baked scone? Take the Cremyll foot ferry across The Sound
to the Orangery Tearooms at Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, where you can sample
this West Country treat and enjoy beautiful seaside views.
The prettiest places
to eat out are almost all in the Barbican, which is the oldest part of Plymouth
and the original fishing village. Try, for example, the waterside, open-air
Captain Jasper's which is where the locals hang out. Notte Street, The Parade
and Southside Street (all in the Barbican) have a wealth of cuisines to choose
from, including Thai (The Thai House, Notte Street), Indian (Eastern Eye, Notte
Street), Italian (Barbican Pasta Bar and Pizzaghetti, both on Southside Street)
and Chinese (Crystal Dragon, Southside Street).
Fine seafood can be found at
Piermasters, also on Southside Street. Expect to pay around £10 per head for a pub
lunch or curry while a more upmarket three-course meal will set you back between
£20-£30 per head. Some restaurants close on Sunday. Prior booking at weekends and
during the summer months is recommended. Dress code is casual except in very
upmarket places where it is wise to dress up to fit in.
Attractions:
Plymouth Dome
An Award winning visitor centre on Plymouth Hoe offering
a journey through 400 years of local history. Features include the voyages of
Drake, Cook, the Pilgrims and the devastation of the Blitz. There is much to
do and see and enjoy at the Plymouth Dome, with plenty to touch and stirring
commentaries to listen to - even some interesting smells. Plymouth Dome
aims to educate, inspire and entertain all people with a sense of the past and
present life of Plymouth and its place in world history. Experience Plymouth's historic past and discover the
voyages and people who have set sail from Plymouth Sound and shaped the world.
Brave the high seas with Drake, Cook and the Mayflower. Walk through an
Elizabethan Street. Witness the Luftwaffe's devastation of this great port
during the Wold War II. Explore the stunning views of Plymouth Sound from the
Dome's two observation galleries.
Smeatons Tower
Plymouth's most famous landmark and one of the world's
most famous lighthouses this triumph of 18th century engineering was built on
the treacherous Eddystone Rocks 14 miles out at sea off Plymouth. Moved by the
Victorians to Plymouth Hoe it has recently been restored to its original
glory. The Lighthouse
was originally built on the Eddystone reef in 1759 at a cost of £40.00. John
Smeaton used 1,493 blocks of stone and 1,800 Oak Renails to build this engineering
masterpiece which weighs 1000 tons. Smeaton's Lighthouse now forms a
centrepiece on the Hoe and has become one of the West Country's most well known
landmarks. About two thirds of the structure built on the Eddystone reef was
taken down in the early 1880's when the rock upon which it was standing was
being undermined by the sea. The stump is still on the reef and can just be seen
on a very clear day. Now standing 75 foot high The Tower offers fantastic
views from it's lantern room which, along with the rest of the building, has
been painstakingly restored to its original glory.
Crownhill Fort
There is really only one way to discover Crownhill Fort and that is to visit it for
yourself! Plymouth's Best Kept Secret - Most people
hardly notice Crownhill Fort as they go past, it is so well hidden from the
outside world, and that was exactly the intention when it was built in the
1860's. However with its
massive earth ramparts, hidden gun emplacements and tunnels, it is a place that,
once discovered, you will not forget in a hurry. Crownhill Fort may look
like a green and wooded hill but it was once a formidable fighting machine - the
largest and most important of the great Victorian forts built to defend Plymouth
from attack by land as well as sea. Children will love the unrestricted
access to all parts of the Fort and the rabbit warren of passages and tunnels
just waiting to be discovered and explored. There are four fighting levels and
32 gun positions many containing real working cannons. Victorian costumes to dress up in and audio
presentations through the tunnels truly bringing the Fort back to
life. Today the fort is equally important, as it is the only large
work of its kind to survive unaltered. Moreover, it is the only one fully open
for you to explore.
Local Transport: Plymouth City Airport links Plymouth to other major UK Cities. National Rail connections are provided by
First
 Great Western to London via Bristol, Virgin Trains operate cross-country
services via the Midlands to the North East and North West of England and Scotland. Local rail connections
are available throughout Devon and Cornwall.
Accommodation:
Plymouth has a wide variety of accommodation to
suit all requirements. Ranging from luxury five star hotels through to small
family run hotels and guest houses. Plymouth also offers a number of self
catering establishments.
Our Rating:
Excellent shopping facilities and nightlife with the added bonus of being
based on the Devon Coastline.
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