t was a day of strange juxtapositions and curious culture clashes. The children playing beach cricket paused from time to time to gaze out at the naval ship looming out of the mist or peer skywards when a helicopter clattered over. Holidaymakers ate fish and chips and drank pints as thousands of eco protesters marched past the harbour-side restaurants, banging drums, blowing whistles, chanting and singing. A group of teenagers took selfies in front of a burly Royal Navy bomb disposal expert while a character dressed as Batman with the sign: “Give peace a chance” pinned to his back cycled past. “I think it’s fair to say that it’s quite a show,” said St Ives mayor, Kirsty Arthur. “G7 is having an impact on just about everybody.” Arthur admitted that the arrival of the world leaders had caused inconvenience. It took her an hour and 40 minutes to get back to her home in Carbis Bay, the main venue for the summit, from her work in St Ives, a journey of around a mile. “That is frustrating.” But on the other hand, her children, Ruan, five, and Jamie, four, were loving the sight of the military hardware and the buzz around the place. “They’ll remember it forever,” she said. Three days of G7 protest in St Ives began noisily on Friday at dawn with Rob Higgs and Sophie Miller, co-founders of Ocean Rebellion, sounding a foghorn aimed in the direction of the leaders’ digs in Carbis Bay. They let out five blasts, signifying danger – and kept doing it at regular intervals as the day wore on. Higgs explained: “What it means is ‘Fuck we’re going to crash.’ That’s the message we want to get over.” Megan Steeds, who runs a boat hire business on the harbour front, soon tired of the noise. She said her trade was 60% down, with many visitors put off by the signs on the A30 telling people to avoid the area. “The sooner we get back to normal the better,” she said. Other business people tried to get into the mood. Pengenna Pasties rebranded its offerings: “Biden’s big-un”, “Merkel’s minted lamb” and “Macron’s mixed veg”. Sarah Allen, who runs the cafe Sky’s Diner, said it had been quiet in town. “But it is cool to think that Joe Biden is just over there, across the bay.” Raven Williams, the owner of the Common Wanderer outdoor clothes shop, said the whole event was odd. “I feel that the leaders operate in a different reality to everyday people,” he said. “Whether they represent the needs of the common good is also up for debate – for all the environmental agendas, flying in wasn’t the best start for Boris to show his love for the planet.” Many others questioned why when a key aim of the summit is to find ways of tackling the climate emergency, it could not have been held remotely. One holidaymaker was also feeling miffed after driving down to St Ives in an electric car only to be told the charging point he had expected to use was not available because of G7. “I’ve lost faith in the summit and its environmental messages,” he said. The ring of steel around the venues meant that the only evidence people had that Biden really was in Cornwall were faraway glimpses of his cavalcade as it moved from the Tregenna Castle hotel to Carbis Bay. So, without a world leader to cheer, the people of St Ives lined the streets to welcome thousands of Extinction Rebellion protesters who met on the hill above the town and embarked on a procession there. The atmosphere was that of a carnival. “Good for them,” said local resident, Karen Walton, “I’d like to join them really. Somebody has to say these things.” The mood was gentle but there are still concerns that violence could break out over the weekend if other, less peaceful activists arrive. Police said they arrested a group of people close to St Ives who had smoke grenades, loud hailers and paint. Toni Carver, the veteran editor of the St Ives Times and Echo, said there had been hardly any mention of G7 at this week’s town council meeting. There are more pressing issues. “Most of it was taken up interviewing four potential new councillors, who all expressed their deep concern over the lack of affordable housing for local people, and the lack of accommodation for working folk,” he said. Carver added: “Basically, coming out of Covid – unless you are a direct beneficiary – G7 is the last thing St Ives needed. Feasting at Tregenna, food banks at Penbeagle!”