Local News

Revealed - the history of Exeter’s Guildhall Shopping Centre

The Guildhall Shopping Centre’s 50th anniversary is being marked by a special lecture, lifting the lid on how it became such a prominent part of Exeter.

It’s known today for its seamless integration of 30-plus contemporary shops and restaurants with the historic St Pancras Church and the Guildhall itself.

But how were these historic landmarks saved from demolition in the 1960s and 1970s? And what other history has been revealed by the research undertaken to mark the centre’s 50th birthday?

Nigel Sadler, whose Sands of Time heritage consultancy was commissioned...

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Third of working families in SW one pay cheque away from losing their home

Over a third of working families in the South West could not afford to pay their rent or mortgage for more than a month if they lost their job, new figures from Shelter reveal today.

With little or no personal savings to fall back on, the Shelter and YouGov study found that this means a staggering 318,000 working families in the region could be just one paycheque away from losing their home.

Even more shockingly, the research also revealed that nearly a quarter of working parents in the South West face the nightmare prospect of being immediately unable to make their next...

Thirteen acres of land in Exeter sold for new housing

Thirteen acres of land in Exeter has been sold to housebuilder Barratt Homes and will provide 248 new homes of which 62 will be affordable.

Exeter and Bristol-based developer, Eagle One, has netted £13 million from the sale of the first phase of land at Tithebarn Green in Exeter.

The development of this part of Tithebarn Green will provide an 18 acre country park as part of a planning agreement. The park will be to the north of the housing, close to the Pinn Brook, and provide a public area for walking, cycling and leisure activities as well as supporting wildlife.

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PICTURES: Holiday club fun in the sun!

Sixty children enjoyed Isca Church’s Sports Academy Holiday Club held at Willowbrook Primary School in Beacon Heath.

The action packed week included team challenges, craft, games, quizzes, action songs, telling the Bible story of David and of course lots of pie throwing!

Jane Tricker, Isca Church children’s worker said: “It was great to see so many children from the local community having fun and exploring what it means to be loved and valued for who they are, and how important it is that they each have different talents and abilities.”

Many of the children...

Rare bird causes a twitch at Seaton Wetlands

More than 200 bird watchers flocked to East Devon District Council's Seaton Wetlands nature reserve to see a rare vagrant bird, a Least Sandpiper, on Wednesday August 3.

The Least Sandpiper was first spotted on Black Hole Marsh on Tuesday evening (August 2). After its sighting was announced by a local bird watcher, the council-managed reserve was visited by bird enthusiasts from far and wide. Visitors included regular local bird watchers as well as visitors from further afield including Essex, Hereford and Norfolk. The Least Sandpiper, which has inadvertently travelled from North...

Fitz reveals all at local charity

BBC Radio Devon presenter and local personality David ‘Fitz’ FitzGerald revealed all at the local headquarters of the charity Samaritans - or at least, he revealed two new signs urging people in distress to ‘Talk To Us.’

Fitz was at the central Exeter base of the Exeter, Mid and East Devon Samaritans to unveil the vivid green signs. They help identify the building for people who want to have a face-to-face discussion instead of the more traditional telephone calls, emails and texts answered by the 100 volunteers who run the local branch of the service.

“Almost everyone...

Otter Nurseries donation helps plant stall bloom

Otter Nurseries recently stepped in to help a village fete with a donation of flowers to give a much needed boost to the annual plant stall.

The stall at the Buckerell fete is always a popular attraction for locals, but this year due to ill-health and less than favourable weather conditions for growing, it was in danger of being understocked.

A local resident approached Otter Nurseries, and the team agreed to support the event by donating a considerable number of bedding plants.

General Manager, John Giblin said: “At this time of year we sometimes have surplus stock...

St Petrock's awarded £100k to provide emergency accommodation

A vital first step towards Exeter’s homeless charity, St Petrock’s, providing faster access to emergency accommodation was made with the recent grant of £100,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation.

Mel Hartley, project manager at St Petrock’s, explains “We’re extremely grateful to the Garfield Weston Foundation for this donation which will help us purchase a property, allowing us to support clients quickly off the streets and into temporary accommodation.

“We know that early intervention is crucial in helping prevent those people new to homelessness from becoming...

Radio Exe celebrates best ever listening figures

Exeter, Mid and East Devon commercial radio station Radio Exe has just received its highest ratings.

Independent figures published today by Rajar/Ipsos MORI/BMRB show that 29,000 people tune to the station each week and they’re listening for longer. It

means that station has now overtaken two national stations, Classic FM and BBC 5 Live, to achieve its highest share of listening in the area.

Among the other key highlights:

Overall listening to Radio Exe has increased by nearly half (47 per cent) in the past year
People in the area are

Record crowds attend Dartmoor Folk Festival

RECORD crowds attended the 39th Dartmoor Folk Festival, held in the foothills of Dartmoor at South Zeal, near Okehampton from August 5 to 7.

Local and national artists entertained those who went along to the event, most to sell-out audiences.

The festival included concerts, dances, a Dartmoor Fayre, a ceilidh, folk service, craft displays, music hall, pub sessions, a ramble on Dartmoor and music, song and dance workshops.

The packed programme of events also included a dedicated children’s festival.

Hotly-contested competitions included the Dartmoor Broom...

Flood defence work well underway

Phase two has started in earnest on the Exeter flood defence scheme at Cowley which will reduce flood risk to more than 3,000 homes and businesses in Exeter.

The project is managed by the Environment Agency with support from project partners Exeter City Council and Devon County Council.

It is a huge undertaking and the scale of the project is now clearly visible from the road as these pictures show.

Exeter has a long history of flooding, going back as far as the 13th century. The current flood defences were built in the 1960s and 70s after devastating flooding...

Local News

Revealed - the history of Exeter’s Guildhall Shopping Centre

Third of working families in SW one pay cheque away from losing their home

Thirteen acres of land in Exeter sold for new housing

PICTURES: Holiday club fun in the sun!

Rare bird causes a twitch at Seaton Wetlands

Fitz reveals all at local charity

Otter Nurseries donation helps plant stall bloom

St Petrock's awarded £100k to provide emergency accommodation

Radio Exe celebrates best ever listening figures

Record crowds attend Dartmoor Folk Festival

Flood defence work well underway

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