Latest news with #Sidmouth
The Sun
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Victorian English seaside town with no arcades or loud rides that has one of the UK's best beaches & is loved by celebs
A PICTURESQUE town in Devon is home to one of the UK's most beautiful beaches - complete without arcades and rides. The Victorian town of Sidmouth in east Devon has a 200million-year-old coastline, being the gateway to the Jurassic Coast. 4 What's more is that the town is also loved by celebs including Jeremy Vine and Stephen Fry. Fry stayed nearby the town when starring in the TV adaptation of Jeeves and Wooster. As for Jeremy Vine, the radio presenter got married nearby and spends summers returning to the town. In fact, when he set his first whodunnit novel called Murder on Line, in the town, he included a scene where a wave sweeps a radio station manager and her just-sacked DJ into the water together. Vine noted in The Guardian:"What I love most about Sidmouth is that it feels like a town going places. "It's chintzy in places, drab in others, but it feels real. "And real by the sea is a different kind of beauty." But celebrity visitors also extended to literary legends and royalty. Jane Austen - famous for her novels Pride and Prejudice and Northanger Abbey - spent the summer of 1801 in Sidmouth. The town had become a popular spot among high society due to its spa waters, mild climate and calming atmosphere. Trendy English seaside town has rooftop bar that 'feels like the Med' During the summer Austen was in Sidmouth, she had a fling with a young man - however, it had a tragic end. Her suitor caught typhus and died, ending the fleeting relationship. Austen isn't the only writer to have spent some time in the town - JRR Tolkien, the creator of Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit also holidayed at the seaside resort. Tolkien used to stay at Kennaway House, which is rumoured to be the location where he wrote the first parts of Lord of the Rings. And in the town itself, one of the pubs is believed to have inspired Aragon's introduction. Later, in April 1908, Beatrix Potter was also in Sidmouth. On family holidays, the popular children's writer would stay at the Hylton - where there is now even a plaque commemorating her stays. Potter used to talk of the views, her local walks in the area and also the atmosphere - which helped her to complete the Tale of Little Pig Robinson. 4 As for royalty, Queen Victoria (who at the time of visiting was Princess Alexandrina) also frequented the town. In 1819, she stayed at Woolbrook Cottage - now known as the Royal Glen Hotel. However, the holiday was not particularly happy as her father became ill and died. For things to do in Sidmouth, there is plenty of choice, with the beach undoubtedly being the main attraction. This year Sidmouth Town Beach was awarded a Blue Flag for the sixth year in a row - recognising the pebble beach as being under excellent management including beach safety and water quality. Being amongst the cleanest beaches in the UK, it is a great spot to go for a dip when the sun is shining before heading into the town and grabbing an ice cream. My own experience of Sidmouth GROWING up, I always associated Sidmouth with 'that place that had donkeys'. This is due to Sidmouth being home to the free-to-visit Donkey Sanctuary that has over 100 donkeys that they have improved the lives of. It's a great spot for children and learning about animal welfare. Away from the sanctuary, I also visited the beach on occasions growing up. Sidmouth is pretty, but I often think people also forget how impressive it is with the dramatic cliffs dating back 200million years. They are part of the Jurassic Coast - which is made of vibrant reed sandstone cliffs from the Triassic period. They are a wonder to see and within the area, there are many places to go and things to do where families can learn more about the Jurassic Coast. But if you aren't done with exploring, you could always head over to Hill View along the coastal walk, which boast amazing views across the sea. One particularly special thing about Sidmouth though, is that it doesn't have any amusement arcades, loud sports bars or dodgy street food vendors. Instead, the places that these would usually be have been filled with galleries and antiques shops, independent retailers and tearooms. To get to the quaint town, from London it takes around four hours to drive. Alternatively, also from London, you could hop on a train to Honiton, taking around two-and-a-half hours before catching a bus from Honiton to Sidmouth. Britain's 'trendiest' beach town is also set for biggest transformation in a decade as fresh plans unveiled. Plus, a UK seaside town crowned top place in the world to take bored kids this summer.
Telegraph
12 hours ago
- Telegraph
Sidmouth might be vanilla, but at least there are no arcades
Some 250 million years ago, displays at the excellent little Sidmouth Museum inform me that dinosaurs roamed this area. To suggest not much has changed might be a little unkind – but maybe only a little. The grey pound reigns in Sidmouth, a Devon town sometimes dubbed 'God's waiting room', particularly outside school holidays. 'Watch out for belligerent mobility scooter owners,' one local warned me, 'or they'll mow you down.' Wedged in the narrow cleft of the Sid Valley, midway along the Jurassic Coast, Sidmouth was a modest fishing village before Napoleon curtailed continental travel, bringing 'persons of quality' flocking. Hotels sprang up alongside stately Georgian houses – the oldest, Fortfield Terrace, dating from the 1790s, still gazes across impeccable and bustling croquet lawns, tennis courts, bowls greens and a cricket pitch. A distinctly genteel brand of tourism boomed, attracting notables from Jane Austen to the future Queen Victoria, who briefly stayed in Woolbrook Cottage (now the Royal Glen Hotel) in 1819. Sidmouth's star rose through the 19th century and sailed through the 20th – perhaps because of its determinedly old-fashioned flavour. Preserved in aspic or simply chilled? What's Sidmouth really like? Gleaming and pristine. There are no amusement arcades or pantos on the pier – no pier, in fact – no kebab vans or dodgy sports bars. Buckets and spades, yes: help yourself from the pin-neat Sidmouth Beach Toy Library. The only donkeys live in pampered bliss at a huge (and hugely engaging) sanctuary. Change may be glacial, but it's afoot. In recent years Town Beach gained a swathe of sand after breakwaters were installed. (To the west, shingly Jacob's Ladder Beach is family rockpooling heaven.) Inland, old-school galleries and antiques shops are increasingly interspersed with newer independent outlets, and traditional tearooms augmented by modern cafés like Kapes kiosk, thronged by under-50s sipping specialist coffees. Another welcome update is the grassroots arts explosion sparked by Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub, seeding pockets of creativity across town. 'There are lots of artists here,' explains SCCH powerhouse Louise Cole, 'and public art is helping raise Sidmouth's cultural profile.' Their multi-generational Sea Fest (May) augments an impressive roster of events celebrating jazz and blues, science, sailing, walking, while August's renowned Folk Festival launched 70 years ago. Accommodation is slower to catch up, though the more contemporary stylings of Harbour Hotel (B&B doubles from £135), recently body-doubled as a luxury cruise ship in Bollywood comedy whodunnit Housefull 5, released in June. What's not to love? Sidmouth can feel a little… vanilla – and not just the whitewashed Regency architecture. The over-70s who throng cafés and shops during daylight hours evaporate after sundown, so not much opens late. When I asked one youthful server where to go for a lively evening, he mused for a moment, then replied: 'Catch the number 9 bus to Exeter.' 'The night-time economy needs a boost, with more for young people to do, in particular,' affirms Coco Hodgkinson of SCCH. The resort's other main audience, families, is highly seasonal. Outside school holidays, many attractions reduce opening hours or days. And though there are plenty of big, long-established hotels and self-catering properties, B&Bs are dwindling. 'There's a distinct lack of car parking, and creating more is challenging because of the geography,' observes Tom Seward, owner of Kapes. In truth, though, grumbles are minor. 'The seagulls can be annoying, and of course it can get busy in summer, but really there is not much not to like,' says Ian Gregory, a retired resident who's visited regularly since the Sixties. 'There's only one PCSO – that says a lot about the town.' What to do Sunny? Head up to High Peak (if you've the stamina) for sensational views along the cliffs and over Sidmouth. For a more sedate stroll, pass the early 19th-century Old Toll House ('the prettiest council house in England') and amble the Byes, an alluring path meandering through a ribbon of shady riverside greenery. Alternatively, ride the waves aboard a SUP, surfboard or kayak hired from Jurassic Paddle Sports. Rainy? The Toy & Model Museum is a nostalgic Aladdin's cave crammed with Matchbox cars, Steiff bears, vintage board games, model railways and boats, plus Star Wars, James Bond, Sylvanian Families, and Dr Who and Harry Potter collections to appeal to younger visitors. Where to eat The Clock Tower, in maze-like Connaught Gardens, between the beaches, is legendary for its voluptuous wedges of cake. Surprises lurk inside the retro-looking Dairy Shop deli and café. Sure, you can indulge in a lush Devon cream tea served on floral bone china, or pick up a range of seaweed-flavour beers, Sidmouth Gin, and Ebb Tides vegan Seaweed Caviar – 'great on blinis, avocado or crab', says founder and owner John Hammond. Generations of the Bagwell family have dispensed fresh fish from Sidmouth Trawlers, tucked away at the eastern end of the front. Today, genial Val sells cooked and prepared crab, prawns, mussels, lobsters, whelks and cockles. What not to do Chunks of rock frequently cleave from the cliffs at the eastern end of Town Beach – beware. Don't neglect to check tide times: Town Beach's sandy stretches vanish at high water. 'The pebbles are large and hard to walk on, so you do this embarrassing, ungainly walk back to your towel,' says Sarah McPherson. 'It's a good idea to wear water shoes' – which also protect against weever fish stings. Don't wander between rock islands when the tide's going out, either – the rip can be vicious. And don't plan a big night out, unless your idea of a pumping gig is watching the (well-respected) Sidmouth Town Band playing Connaught Gardens on a Sunday evening. From a local… 'We've got a phenomenal cricket ground with a cheeky little clubhouse, so you can get a pint and watch the cricket from your deck chair – old school but quite relaxing and enjoyable,' says John Crouch, who moved here from London 20 years ago. 'But young people here need a really groovy pub, which Sidmouth hasn't got yet. It does die slightly out of season, too.' From a tourist… 'Sidmouth's managed to avoid becoming a tacky seaside tourist town,' says Sarah McPherson. 'It's so well kept: there are flowers everywhere, the sea front still has a lovely Regency feel – no arcades or anything like that – and there are nice loos.' 'It's kind of old fashioned and traditional, like nothing's changed much,' say Ian and Jane Johnstone from Ayrshire. 'Though we were just saying we prefer Brixham and Dartmouth.' How to get there Sidmouth's branch line fell victim to Beeching's axe – so there's no rail service. Frequent 9 and 9A buses reach Exeter in about 45 minutes; number 9 also serves Honiton, which is about 30 minutes away and offers the nearest train station.
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Couple banned from owning donkeys after neglect
A couple who admitted neglecting donkeys have been banned from keeping equine animals for five RSPCA said Andrew Semple and wife Samantha Semple-Thomas, from Holbury in Hampshire, left their animals to eat poor quality, mouldy hay and fend for themselves in thick donkey was found dead while five that were still alive were found by a vet to be underweight with poor coats and concerns about potential mud fever - a skin condition that causes sore, scabby areas of the legs and and Semple-Thomas, aged 54 and 51 respectively, were also each given an 18-month community order to undertake 120 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £2,500 in costs. The RSPCA said the court was told in mitigation that the care of the donkeys declined after Semple-Thomas suffered a back injury and lost her father. They both also expressed "a high level of remorse", the charity said. RSPCA inspector Jo Story, who led the investigation, said: "Animals are reliant on owners to be given everything they need to survive, including an appropriate diet and suitable living conditions."We'd plead to anyone who is struggling to cope with the care of their pets to reach out and ask for the help they need."Sadly, these animals were badly neglected without food and homed within a space that severely compromised their health and welfare, and sadly led to the death of one donkey."The five surviving donkeys - Fire, Sooty, River, Rosie and Ruby - now live at the Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
Devon family launches personal belongings box after dad's death
The family of a Devon man who died in a single-vehicle crash has launched a new initiative for police to compassionately return a loved one's Wade, from Sidmouth, died in June 2023 after he suffered a heart attack while wife, Marian, said his possessions were returned to the family in a plastic Marks and Spencer carrier bag, and said "if they were handed to me in a box, it's something you can put the lid on and put away".The experience inspired Ms Wade to launch Compassionate Boxes, a not-for-profit organisation which provided specialist boxes for police to return loved ones belongings to a family. Mrs Wade created the boxes, which were funded through donations, alongside Devon and Cornwall Police and bereavement counsellor, Teresa Murphy."As soon as I got the plastic bag, I just had to get them out of there," Mrs Wade said."I had to get the belongings out and to be honest, I just washed them."We thought, 'what can we do so that people are given their loved ones belongings back?', so we thought of a box." 'Little touches' In addition to personal belongings, the boxes contained support leaflets, knitted hearts, a lavender bag, a shoe bag, a poem and knitted teddies for children."I believe it will make a big difference. To think that somebody has put that box together with all those other little bits, those little touches," Mrs Wade group has already delivered 30 boxes to Exeter Police Station and planned to donate more across Devon and Cornwall. The Serious Collision Investigation Team said it would use them to return belongings to families in a sensitive and sympathetic way. Compassion and support Ms Murphy, who runs a bereavement group in Sidmouth said: "If you can imagine, those belongings were with that person at that moment when they passed away so they are very, very important. "You want to remember those people, you want to remember that these are the things they had with them, but at that time you may not want to, or you may not be able to look at them."Having a box means you can take them away, you can put them somewhere and you can go back at a later date and open that box and go through them." 'Help families in future' Sgt James Gallienne said: "Sadly we have far too many fatal and serious injury road traffic collisions on our roads at the moment."From a policing perspective, it's just fantastic that we can now provide this level of service to people in the future."Through such a tragic and sad incident, for the family to actually be able to come out with these boxes which can help families in the future is just massive and it'll go a really long way."
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
When an attempt to break a world record in Bournemouth was a 'miserable failure'
The summer sun beat down on Bournemouth during what was hoped to be a record-breaking spectacle. Alas, the ambitious attempt to forge the world's longest conga line, a highlight of the Bournemouth Regatta and Carnival on August 7, 1979, unravelled into what was unceremoniously dubbed a "miserable failure." These were the stark, and perhaps ironically delivered, words of the event's compere, the aptly-named Tony Fail. He, more than anyone, felt the sting as the final count revealed a conga chain that fell short by a staggering margin of more than 7,500 participants. The vision had been grand - a joyous, snaking line of thousands, jigging and jogging their way into the annals of history. The reality, however, was a far more modest affair. A respectable, yet ultimately insufficient, 1,478 enthusiastic individuals joined the line-up on that fateful day. Their collective energy, while admirable, was simply not enough to eclipse the formidable record of 8,000, proudly held by the seaside resort of Sidmouth.. The target remained tantalisingly out of reach, a distant dream dissolving in the summer haze. Mr Fail, tasked with galvanising the crowds and narrating the hopeful triumph, was left instead to dissect the downfall. He laid the blame squarely at the feet of the thousands of onlookers who, despite lining the route, chose spectating over participating. His disappointment was palpable as he lamented to the Daily Echo. "The sheer number of people who turned out to watch was astounding," he recounted, a note of frustration lacing his tone. "There must have been at least 2,000 souls gathered at the Pier Approach alone, and the clifftops were absolutely teeming with faces. Spectators, standing three deep, flanked both sides of our intended conga path along the promenade." His voice carried the weight of what might have been. "I feel sure, with absolute conviction," he continued, his gaze sweeping over the now-dispersing crowd, "that if every single one of those onlookers had cast aside their inhibitions and joined our merry chain, we wouldn't just have broken the record – we would have obliterated it. We could have easily boasted a magnificent line of at least 10,000 participants, a truly unforgettable sight for Bournemouth." But it was not to be. The day that had dawned with such vibrant promise ended with a whimper, a tale of what-ifs and a reminder that records are not broken by observation alone, but by the collective will and active participation of the many. For Bournemouth in the summer of '79, the conga dream remained just that – a dream, danced by too few. In a seaside spectacle that promised a pulsating ribbon of revelry, the ambitious attempt to forge a record-breaking conga chain in Bournemouth, unfortunately, and quite spectacularly, unravelled into what was succinctly described as a "miserable failure."
