Welcome to Cowes
from our Mayor, Councillor Paul Bertie.
I was born in 1949 into an army family and spent my childhood travelling to various parts of the world. My family emigrated to Australia in 1966 where I lived and worked for 5 years before coming back to the UK. I first visited Cowes for Cowes Week 1976 and immediately fell in love with the town, realising the massive potential that it had in all aspects, not just yachting.
I finally moved down to Cowes from London in 1981 starting a retail clothing business in the High Street, which I still run to this day. In 1985 I founded ‘Project Cowes’, an organisation to promote Cowes. This went on to become the Cowes Business Association.
I was Deputy Mayor of Cowes for 2000/2001 when I played a major role in promoting the America’s Cup Jubilee, probably the greatest yachting event ever.
I have been both an IW Councillor and a Cowes Town Councillor since 2013, but have now decided to devote all my efforts to Cowes Town Council.
My main aim for the next year in this post-pandemic period is to re-establish Cowes as a major yachting centre; ‘The Home of World Yachting’, but to also fully support other local ventures such as The IW Literary Festival, Northwood House and The Beckford Centre.
I strongly believe that all residents should be able to fully engage with all activities and events in Cowes.
Paul
Our Heritage
The image left shows two icons of Cowes’ industrial past; the Hammerhead Crane (100 years old in 2012) which serves as a reminder of the great days of J Samuel White’s shipbuilders on the Medina until the 1960s; and the 5th mechanical Floating Bridge, connecting Cowes with East Cowes, a service which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2009.
Cowes Heritage is an organisation focused on recording the history of Cowes, capturing for future generations its industrial past.
Every year Cowes Heritage put on an exhibition; subjects covered in the last few years include: Made in Cowes; Cowes At War; Schools in Cowes; Businesses in Cowes; Northwood House; Churches in Cowes; Cowes in the 1950s; and J Samuel White’s.
Cowes Heritage has merged with the Cowes Voluntary Community Group and formed a new charity: Cowes Heritage and Community Group.
Please contact Cowes Heritage and Community Group for more information: https://chcg.org.uk/
Historic Walks
There are many historic points of interest throughout Cowes. Details of historic walks, which are unescorted, are available: https://iwbeerandbuses.co.uk/walks-historic.php.
Cowes Town Council works with local organisations for the benefit of the residents of Cowes, including:
Cowes Business Association. Please contact the CBA for further information: www.cowesbusiness.org.uk
Cowes Harbour Commission (CHC) is the statutory harbour authority for Cowes Harbour on the Isle of Wight. Further details can be found on their website: www.cowesharbourcommission.co.uk/
Isle of Wight Council. Detail of the services the IW Council are responsible for are available on their website: https://www.iow.gov.uk/
