Editing Looe (section)

==Looe today==
[[File:West Looe.jpg|thumb|West Looe viewed across the river from East Looe]]
Looe remains a fishing town, and retained several fish dealers operating from the East Looe quayside until the advent of EU regulations.{{citation_needed|date=April 2024}} With its fleet of small fishing boats returning their catches to port daily, Looe has a reputation for procuring excellent fresh fish. The town is also a centre for shark [[Big-game fishing|fishing]], and is home to the [[Shark Angling Club of Great Britain]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sharkanglingclubofgreatbritain.org.uk/|title=Shark Angling Club of Great Britain|publisher=Shark Angling Club of Great Britain|access-date=7 August 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100906233840/http://www.sharkanglingclubofgreatbritain.org.uk/|archive-date=6 September 2010}}</ref>
[[File:View towards Looe.jpg|right|thumb|View towards Looe, taken from near Looe Island]]

Nonetheless, Looe's main business today is tourism, with much of the town given over to hotels, [[guest house (lodging)|guest houses]] and [[holiday home]]s, along with a large number of [[public house|pubs]], [[restaurant]]s and beach equipment, ice cream and [[Pasty|Cornish pasty]] vendors. Inland from Looe lie many camping and [[Travel trailer|caravan]] sites, as well as the famous [[Monkey Sanctuary|Woolly Monkey Sanctuary]]. Other local attractions include the beaches, sailing, fishing and [[Scuba diving|diving]], and spectacular coastal walks (especially via Talland to [[Polperro]]). South East Cornwall boasts several stately homes, including [[Antony House]], [[Cotehele]], [[Mount Edgcumbe House|Mount Edgcumbe]] and [[Lanhydrock House]], as well as the [[Eden Project]] near [[St Austell]] which tourists can access by road.

Outside the busy summer months, the town remains a centre for shopping and entertainment for local villagers. Annually in late September, the town is the destination of choice for thousands of music lovers and top name performers for the [[Looe Music Festival]], which takes place in temporary venues around the town, harbour and on East Looe beach.

There is a tradition of the townsfolk wearing [[fancy dress]] on [[New Year's Eve]], when the streets are thronged with revellers in inventive outfits.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lifesize-models.co.uk/gallery/gallery_image.php?id=794|title=BIKINI GIRL - EAST LOOE, CORNWALL - The Jolly Roger - Life Size 3D Models - Resin Figures|last=Createanet|website=www.lifesize-models.co.uk|access-date=26 March 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180327084357/http://www.lifesize-models.co.uk/gallery/gallery_image.php?id=794|archive-date=27 March 2018}}</ref> Looe has been on the list of the top ten places in the UK to celebrate New Year, and ranked third on the list for 2007–08. Looe is regenerating itself, like many other ports, to serve as a small cargo port. On the high ground north of East and West Looe there are many modern houses and a recreational area called 'the Downs'.

===East Looe===
[[File:Looe Lifeboat Station 2007.jpg|thumb|Looe [[RNLI]] Lifeboat Station]]
East Looe centres on its broad sandy beach, with the distinctive [[Banjo Pier]] designed by [[Joseph Thomas (architect)|Joseph Thomas]], a new lifeboat station and St Mary's Church. Stretching back from the church is a grid of narrow streets forming the main business area of the town, packed with many small shops, restaurants and pubs and the Old Guildhall, now a museum. Along the estuary lies the quay with its fish merchants. Towards Looe Bridge lies the [[Victorian Era|Victorian]] Guildhall, and just north of the bridge the [[Looe railway station|railway station]]. This is the [[Terminal station|terminus]] of the [[Looe Valley Line|Looe Valley branch line]] to [[Liskeard railway station|Liskeard]], where it connects to the [[Great Western Main Line]] and services to [[London Paddington station|London Paddington]].

On the hilltop above East Looe lies Shutta, and beyond that the Sunrising [[housing estate]] and [[Looe Community Academy]].<ref>http://www.looe.cornwall.sch.uk {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140608105855/http://www.looe.cornwall.sch.uk/ |date=8 June 2014 }} Looe Community Academy</ref> Along the cliffs to the east is Plaidy Beach, and further on the bay and village of [[Millendreath]].

It is covered by the [[Looe East (electoral division)|Looe East division]] of [[Cornwall Council]].<ref name="CCM" />

[[File:West looe hill.jpg|thumb|View down West Looe Hill, looking towards the harbour]]

===West Looe===

West Looe spreads west from the bridge on the Polperro Road towards [[Sclerder]], and along the river south of the bridge, with hotels, restaurants and boarding houses along the waterfront and houses climbing the perilous cliff above, towards a cluster of shops and businesses and the Church of St. Nicholas.

West Looe rises onto the Downs, a public recreation ground, well known for local dog walkers. Beyond this is West Looe cemetery, as well as Porthbythan Road, Goonwartha Road and Tregarrick.

Further south along the coast road is Hannafore Point, marking the edge of Looe Harbour, with to the west the wide, stony Hannafore Beach, facing across a narrow channel to Looe Island. Beyond lies the [[South West Coast Path|coastal path]] leading to [[Portnadler Bay]], Talland and [[Porthallow (Talland)|Porthallow]], and then onward to Polperro. Two towers mark one end of a [[nautical measured mile]], the other end is marked by two towers near Talland Bay.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nautical Measured Mile Markers|publisher=Polperro village website|url=http://www.polperro.org/measuredmile.html|author=Tony White|date=March 2003|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727181944/http://www.polperro.org/measuredmile.html|archive-date=27 July 2011}}</ref>

It is part of the [[Looe West, Lansallos and Lanteglos (electoral division)|Looe West, Lansallos and Lanteglos division]] of [[Cornwall Council]].<ref name="CCM">{{cite web |title=Cornwall Council Interactive Map |url=https://map.cornwall.gov.uk/website/ccmap/?zoomlevel=7&xcoord=225505&ycoord=53126&wsName=ccmap&layerName=Electoral%20divisions |website=[[Cornwall Council]] |access-date=22 February 2021}}</ref>

===New Year festivities===
On [[New Year's Eve]], Looe provides a surprisingly exciting and large celebration. The small fishing town, usually quiet in winter, due to the largely seasonal economy, is host to an influx of visitors. People flock to the streets in their hundreds, wearing fancy dress, a tradition upheld by all ages. The crowds begin the evening in the town and slowly move towards the seafront for a fireworks display to see in the New Year.