The owner of one of Cornwall's most historic pub hotels has spoken of her sadness at the predicament of the homeless.

Marilyn Bows made her comment after it was revealed that the Angel Hotel in Helston is accommodating those who have nowhere else to live.  

Marilyn and her husband Mike have owned the Angel in Coinagehall Street since 2012.

They bought the hotel the same year they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. It has a special meaning to the couple, as they also held their wedding reception there.

The hotel was forced to close its doors in 2020 following government guidelines during the Covid pandemic, but two years later the pub re-opened just in time for Helston’s most celebrated day of the year, Flora Day.

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However, due to the rising number of people without living accommodation in Cornwall,  Cornwall Council has asked the couple provide accommodation for those in need as a stop-gap between living arrangements.

Marilyn told the Packet: “We have had some lovely people come and stay with us.

“It’s sad that they are in this predicament, but it’s lovely when they have found somewhere to live or made alternative arrangements.

"It's nice we can provide them with shelter in between arrangements."

With Flora Day fast approaching, the hotel will focus on public bookings during the celebrations. Then it will return to provide accommodation for the homeless as well as bookings for the public. 

With less than five weeks to go, the Angel has already started preparing for Flora Day. Marilyn said: “It’s looking lovely in there.

“All the rooms have been done up and our two cleaning ladies have been busy making it look nice for our guests coming to celebrate Flora Day.

"We have also had our painter come in to do some work, ready for the big day."

A spokesperson from Cornwall Council said: "We don’t give out details of hotels that we may routinely use to house those in need of emergency accommodation out of respect for the privacy of those residents."