Devon

Devon house builder preparing for a busy 2015

The managing director of Devon’s leading housebuilder says he’s delighted with the company’s most recent results and says his team is gearing up to deliver even more in 2015. Simon Perks, managing director of Persimmon Homes South West says the strong performance in 2014 was a real team effort. “Nationally there was an increase of 17% in legal completions in 2014 to 13,509. This is compared to 11,528 in 2013. Our average selling price rose 5% from £180,941 to £190,500 and our full year revenues increased 23% over 2013 to £2.6 billion. “Our focus is now on continuing to deliver new homes...

Dartmoor to star in campaign in China

Dartmoor National Park has been chosen as one of the 101 British landmarks that Visit Britain will be featuring in their £1.6m marketing campaign in China - GREAT Names for GREAT Britain

The campaign is designed to encourage Chinese people to learn more about Britain by inviting them to come up with the most fitting, meaningful and memorable Chinese names for British places and experiences.

This is especially important as some British names are difficult to translate or pronounce in Chinese.

Over the next week, Dartmoor National Park will be promoted in China across...

Chiefs side to face London Irish

Rob Baxter insists there will be no ditching the Exeter Chiefs game plan despite the club slipping to three successive Aviva Premiership defeats.

Having headed into the festive period safely ensconced in the division’s top four, they head into Round 13 of this season’s competition having dropped to sixth place following losses to Sale Sharks, Bath and Gloucester.

Today (Sunday) the Chiefs face London Irish at the Madejski Stadium (3pm) looking to get their campaign firmly back on track before they break for the next stages of European and LV= Cup battle.

Although...

Exeter solicitors one of the Top 100 best companies to work

A leading local law firm has been named as one of the top 100 firms to work for in the UK, according to the influential Sunday Times list.

Stephens Scown LLP, which took part in the Sunday Times Best Companies survey for the first time, has also received its prestigious two star accreditation for outstanding levels of employee engagement, which is an exceptional achievement for a company on its first attempt.

Stephens Scown’s position in the top 100 will be revealed at an awards ceremony in London on 26 February.

The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work for is an...

Police warning over telephone fraudsters

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Fri, 01/09/2015 - 11:31am

Devon and Cornwall Police has been investigating an increased number of telephone frauds involving unknown persons randomly calling members of the public on their home telephone numbers and convincing them to part with or transfer thousands of pounds in cash.

The criminals use a number of different stories to get the victim to give away their money. The most recent story involves a jewellery shop.

In December, a victim was persuaded to purchase a Rolex watch from a jeweller in the Torbay area. The victim attended the jeweller’s shop in person. They were being ‘controlled’...

SW private sector output continues to rise

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Fri, 01/09/2015 - 10:58am

Private sector output in the South West of England continued to rise at a strong rate in December, according to PMI® survey data.

Growth was supported by higher new business volumes and the level of incomplete work continued to rise, despite a further robust round of job creation. That said, the rate of growth in new orders eased to the slowest in 19 months. In line with the broad UK trend, inflationary pressures remained relatively muted.

The seasonally adjusted Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking South West Business Activity Index signalled a further strong rise in private...

Watersports centre planned for Exmouth

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Fri, 01/09/2015 - 10:06am

East Devon District Council’s cabinet have agreed to proceed with a proposal from Grenadier Estates to develop an exciting new watersports centre as the first part of the new Queen’s Drive leisure area.

The high quality watersports centre would occupy about two acres at the front of site with the road being moved to the rear of the site allowing easy beach access for water users.

The centre will be architecturally attractive and environmentally sustainable with retail and cafe units included within and a new open-air events space and other public open space outside....

Trustees elected to Supporters' Direct Council

The Exeter City FC Supporters' Trust are very pleased to report that long-serving Trustee, Neil Le Milliere has been re-elected to the England and Wales Council of Supporters’ Direct.

In addition, Trustee Pete Martin has been elected to the same Board putting our own Supporters’ Trust in a stronger position within the Supporter movement.

Neil had this to say about his and Pete’s success: “Standing for election or re-election is always a little bit nerve racking especially as you don’t have a clue as to how many other people are standing until its announced. I was...

Over 65s call for change on pavement parking

Pavement parking is a danger for older people and legislation should be clearer, says the results of a YouGov poll commissioned by Living Streets out today (09 January 2015).

Over half of UK adults aged 65 and over (51 per cent) have no idea whether or not parking on the pavement is illegal in their local area. As MP Martin Horwood’s ‘pavement parking bill’ receives its second reading in the House of Commons today, legislation needs to be standardised across the country says the pedestrian campaign charity.

While pavement parking is against the law in London and some parts...

From caves to cathedral in music and song

Young singers and musicians from across the region will raise rafters at Exeter Cathedral next week in a special concert of music and song inspired by Beer Quarry Caves.

At its heart is B Sharp Vocal Collective, a choir of more than 160 children and young people from Dorset and East Devon who have been working on original material with professional musicians lead by composer John K Miles.

The concert, on Tuesday (JAN 13) at 7.30pm, is in collaboration with the Woodroffe School and the Jurassic Coast Teaching School Alliance and will see the B Sharp Vocal Collective soloists...

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