Christmas presents disaster after Cornwall gas leak lockdown

The owner of a shop previously voted one of the best in Cornwall has said that many of its customers may be without their Christmas presents this year after a gas leak closed the industrial estate in which it sits as a major incident unfolded on Friday.[1][2] William Morris, owner of the Charlie Bears Gallery and Shop, confirmed in a Facebook[3] post that a DPD lorry had been turned away meaning retail orders wouldn't arrive in time. He told CornwallLive that the closure of the beloved shop, which sits in the Pennygillam Industrial Estate next to a gas depot, has resulted in hundreds of orders not reaching retailers across Europe.

But he did say that the majority of the teddy bears being delivered around the UK should make it to Father Christmas in time.

William said: "This incident occurred on what is traditionally one of the busiest days of the year for our operations. Unfortunately, the closure has resulted in hundreds of orders not reaching our retailers across Europe, leaving many customers without their Christmas presents. "In light of this disruption, our dedicated team will be working extra hours to minimise the impact of this incident.

This comes at a time when we have already faced numerous challenges this year, including increased costs, delayed inbound transportation, and low consumer confidence brought about by the current government.

"Having operated next to the gas depot for over 15 years, we have never encountered such a serious issue. However, this situation raises important questions regarding the location of facilities like these, which are situated near businesses and even a residential care home, as well as a major trunk road for Cornwall. "The fact that a 500-meter safe zone was established suggests that similar principles should be considered in the future when determining the sites for such facilities.

"On a lighter note I can confirm that Santa has received the majority of the teddy bears for the UK and so hopefully we will have lots of happy faces on the big day." The gas leak has been described by authorities as an "off-network gas leak" and Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service[4] was placed in charge of leading the management of the leak itself, while Devon and Cornwall Police[5] were responsible for handling cordons, evacuations, and road closures.

A major 500 meter exclusion zone was established around the site[6] of the leak, with all properties located within 200 meters of the leak having been evacuated as a precaution. Those in the wider 500m cordon, but outside of the 200m evacuation zone, police instructed residents and workers to stay inside and keep all doors and windows closed.

The wider public were told to stay away from the area entirely. A number of roads were closed, including the A30[7] in both directions between the A388 (Western Road/Launceston[8]) and the A395. By around 5pm, Devon and Cornwall Police said all cordons had been removed and all roads, including the A30, had reopened.

The Charlie Bears Gallery and Shop, an international brand founded by Charlotte and William Morris some 20 years ago, has somewhat of a cult following, with visitors travelling from all over the world to shop here.

Back in 2019, when it was listed as Cornwall's top-rated shop on Tripadvisor, CornwallLive described how inside the unassuming exterior sit handcrafted Charlie Bears of all shapes and sizes,[9] displayed in a life-size model village, which was such a well-kept secret, even its neighbours didn't know about it.

Nowadays, The Bearhouse Gallery houses every collection from the beginning, and there's a dedicated Charlie Bears store on-site, as well as a picnic area inside, with tea and coffee making facilities.

References

1. ^ Christmas (www.cornwalllive.com)
2. ^ as a major incident unfolded on Friday. (www.cornwalllive.com)
3. ^ Facebook (www.cornwalllive.com)
4. ^ Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service (www.cornwalllive.com)
5. ^ Devon and Cornwall Police (www.cornwalllive.com)
6. ^ A major 500 meter exclusion zone was established around the site (www.cornwalllive.com)
7. ^ A30 (www.cornwalllive.com)
8. ^ Launceston (www.cornwalllive.com)
9. ^ CornwallLive described how inside the unassuming exterior sit handcrafted Charlie Bears of all shapes and sizes, (www.cornwalllive.com)