Further Information

Location

Tresco is one of the 5 inhabited islands which together with a further 200 or so smaller uninhabited islands make up the Isles of Scilly, lying 29 miles south west off the coast of Cornwall.  The other 4 inhabited islands are St Mary's, St Martins, St Agnes and Bryher. There are regular scheduled boat trips to all of these islands from Tresco.

Tresco itself measures 1 mile by 2 and is leased from the Duchy of Cornwall by the Dorrien-Smith family who also acquired Hell Bay on Bryher in November 1999.

All personnel employed by Tresco Estate live on Tresco or Bryher as part of a small friendly community of approximately 150 permanent residents on Tresco and 80 on Bryher.

Health & Amenities

There is an excellent small hospital on St. Mary's with two resident Doctors, three in the summer. 

The Doctor holds a surgery on Tresco every Tuesday morning, and on Bryher every other Tuesday. It is necessary to make an appointment. You can however ring the Health Centre at anytime to make an appointment to see the Doctor on St Mary's.

Both Tresco and Bryher have a team of First Aiders trained by the Westcountry Ambulance Service to provide a co-responder service before medical assistance arrives.
 
There is a also a Dental practice on St. Mary's and a District Nurse. A Community Care Liaison Worker is based on each off-island and can facilitate Social Services care,

For emergency medical assistance on the islands telephone 999.

Banks

There are no banks on Tresco or the other off islands but there is a Lloyds TSB and Barclays on the larger island of St Mary's.  Cash back can be obtained from Tresco Stores, The New Inn or the Post Office.

The Post Offices on Tresco and Bryher can deal with Girobank transactions, and also offer personal banking facilities for Lloyds TSB, Barclays, Smile, Cahoot, Co-Operative Bank, National Savings and Alliance and Leicester.  (NB. The Post Office does not accept credit cards.)  There are branches of Lloyds and Barclays on St. Mary's.  Cheques can also be cashed at the Estate Office, New Inn and Hell Bay if you have a cheque guarantee card. 

Shopping

Tresco Stores has an excellent variety of products with an off-licence, bakery, DVD library, and sells magazines and papers.  Bryher also has a well stocked store and bakery.  St Mary's has a CO-OP, butchers, delicatessan, hardware and clothes shops.

Tresco has its own Gallery, which sells a collection of paintings, jewellery, ceramics, and clothing, and at the Abbey Garden the shop sells gift items to suit all needs.

Mail

Tresco and Bryher mail arrives and is dispatched Monday to Friday by helicopter.  Staff mail can be collected, during office hours, from the Island Office, Island Hotel and the Hell Bay.  Each Island has its own Post Office, Tresco's is situated inside Tresco Stores and the Post Box is immediately outside.   Bryher post box is situated outside the Bryher Post Office and General Stores.