The West Country is bursting at the seams with fresh local produce and top class pubs, restaurants and cafés. Now, Taste of the West, the leading food and drink organisation for the South West, is looking for the finest food and drink producers and foodie destinations to celebrate the magnificent food and drink of the region.

This is the largest regional awards programme in Britain and Taste of the West Gold, Silver and Bronze award winners’ logos are widely recognised as a sign of quality and provenance across the country, helping to boost business for the winners.

John...

Exeter Open Studios 2014 at Double Elephant Print Workshop 'Liberation & Freedom through Printmaking'

As part of Exeter Open Studios 2014, seven local printmakers will be featured in a lively exhibition at Double Elephant Print Workshop, at Exeter Phoenix on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th March, 11am – 6pm (closed Sunday 30th March).

The open studio event at the Double Elephant Print Workshop offers a rare opportunity for art lovers and buyers to meet local printmakers in the workshop where they create their artwork. Talk with experienced printmakers at Double...

Local Wealth Management Company Brewin Dolphin Exeter launched Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW) as its new charity of the year with the creation of a ‘Pop up Shop’ at their offices on Pynes Hill. Brewin Dolphin organised a ‘Drop & Shop’ to raise funds and awareness for the charity by inviting neighbouring business colleagues to help fundraise.

The Brewin Dolphin team, headed up by Administration Manager Rhiannon Bates, arranged two separate collection days for the donation of unwanted items including clothes, jewellery, toys and home-ware. The businesses on Pynes Hill...

KENNAWAY FAMILY AND TENANTS CAN KEEP SYSTEM RUNNING AND BUILDINGS WARM WITHOUT WORRY OF RISING FUEL COSTS

Whenever we think of controversy, we can be sure that certain celebrities will rarely disappoint. But is it just celebrities who deliver on this front? Well, a few of them will certainly figure here but prepare to learn about a few lesser known figures who certainly don’t disappoint in the controversy stakes.

1 – Lady Gaga

This wacky American singer tops the poll for the most controversial red carpet moment of all time when she wore a dress made from meat at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. Aside from her consistently daring outfits, she seems to attract...

There are fears that more severe flooding could be on the way as the Met Office upgrade many of its severe weather warnings to ‘amber’ for the rest of the week. Much of Devon and the South west will be covered by the ‘amber’ warnings and will see heavier rainfall than other areas. Forecasters predict that further spells of heavy and persistent rain will remain in Devon until a Saturday morning adding an extra strain to already saturated ground. The Met Office’s Chief Forecaster said: “Another area of low pressure will bring spells of heavy rain to southern England from Thursday afternoon...

Andy Hannan, Devon County Councillor for Priory & St Leonard’s in Exeter, is taking Labour’s campaign to save the council’s children’s homes to the meeting of Cabinet on Wednesday 12th February.

He has tabled three questions for Cllr Will Mumford that focus in particular on the Blossom Corner children’s home, which has an excellent record in terms of Ofsted inspections.

First, he wants clarification of the figures used to justify the financial argument for closure, especially as these have been recently challenged by the staff of Blossom Corner. Secondly, he presents a...

Closure-threatened Musbury Primary School has been given a new lease of life.

The school is to federate with Sidmouth Primary School whose executive head, Paul Walker, has been helping to run Musbury for the past term.

The future of the school has been in doubt since pupil numbers dropped to single figures.

The previous head left the school six months ago and it began a management partnership with Sidmouth.

Now that will be formalised in the new Two Valleys Federation which will come into operation after half-term.

Pupil numbers have already started...

Members of the Hotels and Restaurants Association are reporting increased sales in January 2014, compared to the same trading period last year. For many January is a month of penny pinching but local hotels are seeing a different trend.

Establishments including the Mercure Exeter Southgate Hotel; the Sidholme Hotel, Sidmouth; Combe House, Honiton and the Best Western Tiverton Hotel have reported positive figures in January with sales up as much as 20% for individual hotels. Other members including Rendezvous Wine Bar are reporting increased sales too, with an increase of over 30%...