The experience of shopping in Exeter is set to rocket to new heights with the launch of the new John Lewis store on the corner of Sidwell Street, which opens its doors to the public at 9am on Friday 12th October. The Exeter Daily was lucky enough to take a sneak peek around the sophisticated store with manager Kate Connock, whose staff are busily preparing for a smooth launch. Thursday will see the store's partners undertaking a dress rehearsal, but the signs are good as everyone is pulling together to make it happen.
Whether you love or loathe shopping, you can't help but...
Devon residents are being urged to act as eyes and ears for the police to help them tackle high rates of bird poisonings. A new report by the RSPB has revealed that last year Devon had the worst record of bird of prey persecutions in England. Fifteen goshawks, peregrines and buzzards were found poisoned or shot. This year, Operation Wilderness has helped police in Devon secure prosecutions against offenders who've been caught on CCTV.
More than 400 visitors attended the inaugural Business Expo ‘Business Gives Back’ organised by thebestofexeter in aid of Devon Air Ambulance Trust held at Exeter Racecourse. Tim Jones, Chairman of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership gave the opening address and delegates had the opportunity to visit local business exhibition stands and seminars presented by key-note speakers plus 1:1 business clinics in ‘The Business Advice Centre’. Each of the 100 exhibitors generously donated £17,000 worth of prizes which helped to raise over £600 for DAAT during ‘National Air...
More than 1,100 jobs are expected to be created in Devon and Somerset following a £2.9 million Government investment that will boost the region’s rural economy by £58 million, Farming Minister, Jim Paice announced on his rural roadshow to the region.
Devon and Somerset is one of five regions to benefit from a Rural Growth Network, set up to help rural areas overcome the barriers to economic growth, such as a shortage of business premises and poor broadband access.
Mr Paice announced the Rural Growth Network funding on his rural roadshow to Devon. Defra rural roadshows allow...
The Exeter Great Hall, situated at the University of Exeter, re-opens its doors this autumn after three years to welcome internationally acclaimed rock and pop musicians including Newton Faulkner,Shinedown and Kaiser Chiefs.
The largest concert hall west of Bristol, the Exeter Great Hall has an illustrious history of staging concerts by music greats. U2, Bob Marley and Pink Floyd and more recently, Blur, The Arctic Monkeys, Radiohead and Keane, have all played at the venue.
Through a new partnership between Exeter Phoenix and Event Exeter, part of the University of Exeter,...
A Twitter campaign has begun - with the tongue-in-cheek hashtag of #FreetheTopsham1 - after the popular local PCSO Sarah Giles, who tweets as @TopshamPolice, was ordered to stop tweeting.
PCSO Giles, who has more than 1,000 followers, was told to close her account after her tweets about covering freshers weekend drew criticism from some quarters. Gareth Oughton, from the university’s Student Guild, said the police were contacted about “the reinforcement of negative stereotypes”.
Despite that belief, sparked by her fact-based comments on student mayhem and alcohol...
A Symphony of Curves is a rare opportunity to see the art of the architectural sculptor at close quarters and learn about the development of the craft of plasterwork over four centuries.
Geoffrey Preston is one of the UK’s most highly-regarded architectural sculptors. He specialises in decorative plasterwork and has created award-winning work for buildings all over the country from his workshop in Exeter.
The exhibition includes beautiful decorative plaster panels together with design drawings and photographs of some of his principal commissions. The centrepiece of...
Exeter’s leading independent financial services company, Cooper Associates, has been busy raising money for charity Dreams Come True by attempting to complete the National Three Peaks Challenge. Lisa Rawle, Group Office Manager at Cooper Associates, recently attempted the Three Peaks Challenge in aid of Dreams Come True, a charity working to fulfil the wishes of children with serious or terminal illnesses. The National Three Peaks Challenge involves a gruelling climb of Britain’s three highest mountains – England’s Scafell Pike, Wales’ Mount Snowdon and Scotland’s Ben Nevis. The challenge...
One of the most thrilling and influential theatre companies to emerge out of the South West made a welcome return to its roots at the end of September, when internationally acclaimed Footsbarn Travelling Theatre performed the Indian Tempest at Exeter's Northcott Theatre to rave reviews.
Having studied The Tempest as part of my Drama degree at University, I was intrigued to see how this multi-cultural, rich and evocative reworking would play out, and I was not to be disappointed. The overwhelming response from the opening night audience was a feeling that we were in the...
University of Exeter scientist Dr Fiona Mathews has discovered one of Britain’s rarest mammals living in East Devon. Members of the public were treated to a surprise close encounter with the Grey long-eared bat, believed to be one of only 1,000 individuals in the country, at an event organised by East Devon District Council’s Countryside Service at the Axe Estuary Wetlands.
The bat evening was part of a regular Wet and Wild Weekend – a celebration of the wildlife of the Axe Estuary Wetlands attracting nearly 500 people. Dr Mathews and fellow bat-enthusiast Adrian Bayley...
