Tag Archives: Devon

Why Use Local Suppliers?

February 06, 2012   Elaine Isaac   No comments

I must admit that having not blogged for a while it took me a moment or two to decide what to write about and then came a lightbulb moment!

As a small business and a consumer in North Devon there is an abundance of local suppliers to use and support. Be it my butcher or Post Office in my local village to the stationery and office supplier for my business one thing comes to mind when I ask why do I use them. The answer is quality of service. Take my office supplies company for example. I place an order on a Monday, unless there is a problem my delivery will be here on a Tuesday. If I can’t find an item I require I call them up or email them and they will source the item and give me the best value.

Support and use your local suppliers, because I’m sure that if you don’t there will be very empty towns and villages across our local area and even if you order online the bigger businesses will be getting the profits not the smaller ones which we should all support.

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The dog’s plan worked

January 28, 2012   robertz   No comments
Putsborough Sand, North Devon

We got our first dog 12 years ago, partly to get me away from my desk and out in the open to exercise. It worked and together we have had so much fun.

We were living in Windsor at the time and tiring of the noise and congestion. On a Sunday morning, aircraft landing at Heathrow would start flying over soon after 6am every 90 seconds to two minutes and I found myself up by 7am, unable to relax. We had to move out.

In 2002, my Mum and Aunt were offered a holiday in North Devon and I offered to drive them down. We had holidayed in Ilfracombe over the years since 1969 and I loved the area. Felix came with me. We stayed several nights and had the most marvellous day in Ilfracombe. When we got home, I suggested as a joke to Mrs Z that we moved to Ilfracombe. She took me seriously.

On 28th January 2004 we locked the door of our house in Windsor and drove down to our new house in Ilfracombe. I can’t believe it was eight years ago today.

We’ve celebrated by walking down to Maddy’s for fish and chips and a pot of tea in their restaurant as we do every year. Then we drove with both our dogs to walk the length of Woolacombe Beach to Putsborough, have a cup of tea and walk back.

I never thought about whether there would be drug dealers, arsonists and other anti-social behaviour in Devon, perhaps because we saw these activities in Windsor. Unfortunately these things happen everywhere these days and are an undesirable part of our society.

What I didn’t appreciate was the wonderful sense of community in North Devon and in Ilfracombe, in particular. In the road where we lived in Windsor, few people wanted to know their neighbours: there was little community spirit.

In Ilfracombe and North Devon we have got to know so many lovely people. There is no such thing as a quick trip down the High Street because you always meet at least one person to talk to, if not three.

We are 50 miles from the nearest motorway, not a mile or so and we are 60 miles from the nearest airport, not five or six miles from Heathrow: it is blissfully quiet and there is no background road noise. I wake up in the mornings in luxurious silence.

Then there is the sea and the scenery . . . just breathtaking.

Although now almost 12, Felix appeared to have the energy and stamina of a puppy when he ran and ran on Woolacombe Beach this afternoon. He was happy. After all, it was his plan.

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Fuel duty rise cancelled – for now

November 29, 2011   Elaine Isaac   No comments

I’ve just been reading the announcement in the chancellor’s Autumn statement today that the fuel duty rise of  3p per litre has now been cancelled and the proposed duty increase of 5p in August has been reduced to 3p. Find out more here

Yes, that’s all well and good that the January increase has been cancelled, but with fuel prices at the price they are I’m surprised that there haven’t been protests like there were a couple of years ago when fuel hit £1 a litre. It surprises me the difference in fuel price between various places, even within my own county. Here in Devon I usually pay about £1.34 per litre for petrol in Barnstaple, but I went to Trago Mills nr. Newton Abbot last week and only paid £1.29 per liter. Why such a difference? How can stations justify the cost of fuel, especially as living in a rural area with no public transport I have to drive everywhere, them and the Government are doing very well out of me! I certainly think twice before I drive anywhere now as the cost is so high, but when you run a business you have to travel to meet customers, attend meetings etc and as a parent I have to take my 3 children to either school or the college bus – quite a few miles round trip each morning and evening.

I am now waiting to see what will happen at the budget next year, will the August rise be ‘postponed’ or will additional taxes be added at another time?  It’s a question of let’s wait and see.

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What will autumn bring?

September 18, 2011   robertz   1 Comment
2011-08-02-ilfracombe-sunset-03b

2011 is passing fast and evenings are drawing in. I enjoy the passing of the seasons, although always sorry to see summer fade into memory. This year’s summer did not deliver the promise of soaring temperatures, although seemed much drier in comparison with previous ones. I didn’t get around to doing half of what I wanted in our garden or in our house either. At the moment, we’re enjoying a bumper crop of apples off our trees and looking forward to pickling onions and other winter treats.

What do the months ahead hold in store for Devon? And for you?

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Charity begins at home?

August 30, 2011   Elaine Isaac   4 Comments

Having recently been part of an organising committee for an event for a local charity event I was wondering if these days of hard times the old adage charity begins at home rings true?

Unfortunately, although I and others had promated the event we have had to cancel it due to lack of interest and tickets sales, this obviously begs the question why? Is it because the charity that we were supporting was a small, local one that desperately needs funds to help its running that perhaps not many pepole had heard of?  Was it that fact that families aren’t willing to pay to attend such events (it was a Party in the Park with music and hog roast at a local stately home)? was the event not suitable? or is it the fact that charity does begin at home now or people are selecting to support a few charities that they already know and support already?

Whatever the reason, this charity, The Bethany Project, has missed out on support from people that do not know about the fantastic work that they do in the local area, but that’s not going to stop me from continuing to support them in other ways.

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Coaches camp it up in Devon

August 28, 2011   robertz   No comments

My family are having a good old sort out and it comes as a shock to realise that your life has become history. My Mum gave me an article cut out of the She magazine Holiday Supplement for 1963 (yes, I don’t believe it was 48 years ago either) for coaching holidays: that is, holidays in British Railways camping coaches.

We have a letter dated July 10th. 1963, signed on behalf of G.A.V. Phillips, divisional traffic manager for British Railways western division, stating that our party “would not constitute a sufficient number to occupy either a six or eight-berth coach. However, as a special case, should one of the six-berth vehicles prove suitable I am prepared to waive this Regulation.”

Mr Phillips was true to his word and his July 22nd letter confirms the booking for a six-berth camping coach from September 7th to 14th at Bere Ferrers station in Devon for £11.0.0. You can see excellent photos and details at brucehunt.co.uk, who has recorded camping coaches at Bere Ferrers.

This holiday forms one of my earlier memories, being just three, and I know we set out from Waterloo because my Dad kept the seat reservation tickets (2/- each) for the 8.35am express from Waterloo (via Basingstoke and Salisbury) as well as a receipt for £1 5s 8d for a meal on board the dining car. I seem to remember crying when my finger was shut in the door and my brother thanking the driver of the steam locomotive for the journey when we disembarked.

The camping coach was just that: an old railway coach fitted out as a caravan. An inventory was included with the letter, which includes 6 of most things and interestingly a meat safe, anti-splosh nozzle, 3 toilet pails and 1 lamp ‘Aladdin’.

I don’t believe my Mum was very impressed with the coach when we arrived, but my Dad, my brother and I were thrilled at the adventure. We three were train-mad in the closing years of the steam age when car ownership was still limited and most boys dreamt of driving steam locos. I can vaguely remember being woken in the night by trains rattling through the station and we played on the sidings, pretending to be trains even though the ‘hints for campers’ warned not to allow children “to play near the railway lines”.

We went to Plymouth and my Dad kept a (torn) ticket from the zoo, as well as tickets from the aquarium, buses and even tickets for use of dressing cabins on the Hoe foreshore (one for 6d and one for 1/-. What was the difference?).

I can’t remember much more detail, but as a family I know we had fun on my very first holiday. It now seems a different world, looking at the magazine article, letters and tickets and it seems hard to believe it was part of my life. However, it was my first taste of Devon, which led to a desire to live in this county. This has now been satisfied and I live within sight of the long-gone station at which I arrived in Ilfracombe by train on another holiday. But that is another story.

 

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Is public money well spent?

August 12, 2011   robertz   2 Comments

Last night we played host to distant relatives of Mrs Z, who were visiting from Australia. We walked through Ilfracombe, down to the seafront and to the harbour.

One of the comments our visitors made was that generally, not just in Ilfracombe but across much of Cornwall and Devon, places look tired and need smartening up. Now I know Ilfracombe has areas it needs to address – the High Street, the derelict amusement arcade site, the Collingwood Hotel (about to be demolished and a new hotel built) and the stalled £1.5 million seafront improvement – but our visitors’ suggestion that the wider South West needed to improve made me think.

Over the past 10+ years, various bodies in the South West have had millions to spend on projects. In North Devon this would include the South West Regional Development Agency, Devon County Council, North Devon Council, North Devon+ plus dozens of other funding bodies, quangos and agencies. Now that the money is drying up, it leads me ask how effective these bodies have been? Did they spend money wisely? What is there to show for it? At various meetings I go to, there seems to be as much need to improve everything from town centres to individual buildings as ever. Have they missed or bungled opportunities?

I don’t believe the public sector should be responsible for (or is capable of achieving) all improvements required and the private sector should be in a better position to look after itself, but many of our tourism businesses and shops seem to struggle themselves. Should they have reinvested more in good times or are there such serious structural problems in our tourism sector that they were not able to reinvest?

Discussing what’s gone wrong in the past will only be of value if it leads to improvements for the future. The coming years look tough, but if places appear shabby now, how can we smarten up our towns and businesses when funding is scarce?

Many of our businesses do a fantastic job and a superb restaurant meal made last night an enjoyable experience. If towns and places were able to look their best, I am sure more people would come here because when you look under the surface you’ll find nowhere better.

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It’s All in the Preparation.

July 26, 2011   Elaine Isaac   No comments

Next week I shall be attending the North Devon Show as an exhibitor for Convallis Software for the first time.  Although I’ve exhibited at other events before, each time it can be different as you are potentially displaying to different audiences/markets.

I sat down and discussed with my colleagues a while ago what sort of audience to expect at this show and am now in the process of getting prepared.  I don’t want to leave everything to the last minute and arrive on-site to realise that I had forgotten something important that was needed for our display.

The best way for me to prepare is to write a list of what needs to be done, any supplies/promotional material that needs ordering and what do I need to take on the day.  Once I get started on these lists life is so much simpler as I know where I am and what stage I am at with the lists.  Well, where am I now?  I have all my promotional literature printed, my giveaway bookmarks are here, I have enough business cards, next step check my display board and update it if necessary.

When I’m done, I’ll pack the box that I need to take and next week, the night before I will pack the car and be ready to go early in the morning to setup.  I just hope all my preparation will be worth it and look forward to seeing lots of familiar and not so familiar visitors to our stand on 3rd August.

I think it might be a long day!

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Ilfracombe shops are open for business

July 06, 2011   robertz   1 Comment

Following a lame article by BBC Devon yesterday, claiming that “Ilfracombe has the highest number of empty shops in Devon with 20% standing vacant”, this lunchtime I counted commercial premises in Ilfracombe High Street.

I counted 135 premises – shops, banks, cafés, pubs and other businesses – open or active.

I counted 6 being redecorated or undergoing major refurbishment.

I counted 15 closed.

So of 156 premises, 9.6% are not in use, 3.9% are being worked on and 86.5% are in active use.

In fact, the new indoor market (counted as one) will feature 23 new traders when it opens on Saturday. I spoke to another trader who will be opening next week.

Now this just accounts for the high street area, running from Church Street through the High Street to Portland Street. I know that there are no empty premises on the seafront promenade. There is at least one empty shop in the small parade near Runnymede Gardens. From recent walks along the Quay and around Fore Street, there are not many empty premises there. I suspect the percentage of closed premises for the whole town will be even lower.

So please ignore the BBC.

Ilfracombe is open for business.

Come here to find butchers, bakers, greengrocers, newsagents, chocolate shop, dry cleaners, opticians, florist, fish and chip shops, cafés, pubs, hairdressers, gym, ballet shop, photographic shop, printer, nail bar, general grocers, gadget shops, toy shops, cinema, furniture shops, household goods, clothes shops, shoe shop, gift shops, stationery shop, post offices, barbers, jewellers, betting shop, banks, health food shop, pet shops, petrol station, travel agency, party shop, charity shops, book shop, arts and crafts shops, indoor market (from Saturday), chemists and more.

And that’s just the High Street.

Throughout the town we have more gift shops, restaurants, pubs and cafés.

According to the article, “LDC (the data collection company) said the data was compiled by walking through shopping areas and counting the number of empty shops and vacant units in shopping centres.”

I’d like to invite LDC and the BBC back for a televised walk around Ilfracombe in North Devon.

I also urge everyone to come to Ilfracombe and see for yourself.

I do most of my shopping here.

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Devon Tourism Awards entry deadline is 30 June

June 22, 2011   robertz   No comments

Another deadline that is coming up fast on 30 June is that for entries for the Devon Tourism Awards. I can’t understand why these are only open for a month. Don’t organisers appreciate how busy business owners are? (OK, I know I’m beginning to sound like a broken record.)

Anyway, there’s some 10 categories to enter. Winners will be fast-tracked to the South West Tourism Awards and winners of these will go on to the Visit Britain Awards. It’s definitely worth tourism businesses entering for the PR exposure.

There a number of additional categories in the South West Tourism Awards. The deadline for these is also 30 June 2011.

Good luck to all Devon tourism businesses who enter.

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