Exeter Living - Issue 290 by MediaClash

TAKE ME

ISSUE 290 / CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR 2021 / £3

EXETER PROPERTY AWARDS REVIEW INSIDE

ISSUE 290 / HAPPY CHRISTMAS 2021

SHINE B R I G H T LY W I S H I N G YO U A H A P PY C H R I S T M A S A N D A P E AC E F U L N E W Y E A R

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

THE EXETER COMPANIES THAT LAUNCHED IN 2021

PLATES OF WONDER AT THE JACK IN THE GREEN

SHAKE IT UP

COCKTAIL RECIPES FROM NO. 5

GET YOUR GLOW ON

LOCAL SKINCARE BRANDS LEND A HELPING HAND

EDITOR’S LETTER

ABOVE: The Ivy Exeter, part of the new openings feature on page 19; BELOW: Festive cocktails on page 31

epending on when this issue reaches you, it’ll either be 2021 or 2022; you may be a ball of excitement, utterly frazzled or enjoying a mid-afternoon snooze on the sofa. Christmas is still very much with us in this issue but it’s an altogether more gentle affair, less about the preparations and more about reflecting on the year we’ve had and looking ahead to see what’s in store. In our bumper feature on page 19, we look at the new businesses that opened in and around Exeter this year, from bakeries to restaurants, clothes stores to skincare shops. These start-ups make Exeter the hive of activity that it is – if you haven’t paid them a visit yet, do check them out. And for more flying-the-flag-for-local-businesses fare, head to page 47 for our Exeter Property Awards review. Thank you to everyone who joined us on the day and congratulations to all the amazing winners! And because eating is just about the best thing you can do at this time of year we’ve got a banquet of a food and drinks section for you: we visit local favourite The Jack in the Green for a three-course spread (page 26), we chat to the owners of the new cheese shop on Magdalen Road (page 28) and we’ve got festive cocktail recipes from No. 5 (page 31). Bon appetit and happy mixing! Lastly, from all of us here at Exeter Living have a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. See you in 2022... #ExeterTogether

HARRIET NOBLE

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 3

Issue 290 / Christmas 2021 COVER Exeter Cathedral, image by Rebecca Phillips; @Rebokeh_Shots

REGULARS

6 SPOTLIGHT A round-up of local stories 9 JP HEDGE is on the run this Christmas 66 INSTAGRAM Wowzers, Exeter looks pretty at this time

of year

THE ARTS

11 ARTS Lime Cordiale is the band’s name. You’ll want to

check out these cool dudes

holiday season

12 WHAT’S ON All the arts and culture you’ll need this

SHOPPING

THE BIG READ

19 NEW BUSINESSES OF 2021 Check out the new restaurants,

bars, cafés, bakeries and shops that arrived in Exeter this year

FOOD & DRINK

26 RESTAURANT It’s been open since 1992 and it’s still top of

the pops

cheese shop

15 INTRO Feast your eyes on these neon beauties 30 EDITOR’S CHOICE Self-care goodies

28 INTERVIEW Meet the owners of Magdalen Road’s new 31 FREE SPIRIT Warming, festive cocktail recipes from No.5

EDUCATION

34 SCHOOL REPORT News from schools and colleges, plus

words of wisdom on how to raise a happy, resilient child

family assault courses and and dressing up as superheroes

36 INTERVIEW We chat to the man behind tug of wars,

BUSINESS

39 EXETERWORKS Business wins in the city and two fab Exeter

Living Award winners

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

42 PRIVATE MEDICAL CARE Top treatments, healthcare

assessments and where to get them locally

PROPERTY

47 EXETER PROPERTY AWARDS 2021 The winners from

the event, plus all the glitzy party pics

61 NEWS A big development in the city 62 SHOWCASE You’ll want to move into this barn conversion

Editor Harriet Noble harriet.noble@mediaclash.co.uk Managing Editor Deri Robins deri.robins@mediaclash.co.uk Senior Art Editor Andrew Richmond Graphic Design Megan Allison Cover Design Trevor Gilham Contributors JP Hedge, Sue McQueenie Advertising manager Paula Miller paula.miller@mediaclash.co.uk Production/ Distribution Manager Sarah Kingston sarah.kingston@mediaclash.co.uk Deputy Production Manager Kirstie Howe kirstie.howe@mediaclash.co.uk Production Designer Gemma Scrine gemma.scrine@mediaclash.co.uk Chief Executive Jane Ingham jane.ingham@mediaclash.co.uk Chief Executive Greg Ingham greg.ingham@mediaclash. co.uk Exeter Living MediaClash, Circus Mews House, Circus Mews, Bath BA1 2PW 01225 475800 www.mediaclash.co.uk @The MediaClash © All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission of MediaClash. We’re a Bath-based publisher, creative agency and event organiser Magazines Our portfolio of regional magazines celebrates the best of local living: Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, and Exeter. Agency From the design and build of websites to digital marketing and creating company magazines, we can help. Events We create, market, promote and operate a wide variety of events both for MediaClash and our clients Contact: info@mediaclash.co.uk

4 I EXETER LIVING I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Tree & Grounds Maintenance in the South West www.alltreeneeds.com

07815 612682

alltreeneeds@gmail.com

From tree surgery to grass cutting, our professional grounds maintenance services are second to none. Make the most out of your property and arrange an appointment via our website or call today for more information.

Chillout time with dad

Days out in the city

FAMILY UNIT

The Guildhall Shopping Centre have recently opened an indoor infants and toddler family garden on the first floor above Sainsburys. This space has been born out of the need for community spaces in the city centre that are safe, sheltered from the rain and interactive for families and carers of young

children. The garden will allow parents and carers to bring their smaller children for a little run around while they have a rest or enjoy a beverage The accessible but tucked away space is eight metres by ten metres, and has stimulating toys for children who are discovering their senses and developing their playing style.

Charity

CALL TO THE COMMUNITY

Hospiscare, the local hospice for Exeter, Mid and East Devon, has launched an urgent fundraising appeal to keep its specialist services open. The charity is calling for support to save its services after losing vital income due to the pandemic, while simultaneously facing unprecedented pressures and challenges. Hospiscare now needs to raise an additional £1 million by March 2022 to stabilise its finances and ensure its ward beds can stay open and its weekend care services can continue. With a 15 per cent rise in patients last year, the charity is now caring for more people than ever before. “Hospiscare was built by the community, for the community, nearly 40 years ago,” says Hospiscare’s clinical director and deputy CEO, Tina Naldrett. “The last 18 months have been the most difficult in almost 40 years of caring for local people and the charity’s income has not recovered enough to keep pace with the cost of care. “We are asking our incredible supporters and Hospicecare are hoping to raise £1 million everyone reading this to please consider supporting us now. Your support can help us recover from the pandemic and keep our services going, ensuring we are still here to help those in the community who need us for the years to come.” For more: www.hospiscare.co.uk

6 I EXETER LIVING I www.mediaclash.co.uk

This new space is the second recent opening at the Guildhall aimed at families as the shopping centre also recently opened a new baby nursing and feeding pop up unit. The first floor unit was turned into two dedicated spaces for parents and carers of babies to use, providing a quiet and private space where they can feed their babies. For more: www.guildhallshoppingexeter.co.uk

BOTH IMAGES © MOMENTS TO MEDIA

A play spot for kids in the city

SPOTLIGHT

The markets will be in held the afternoons and evenings

Local economy

EXETER WELCOMES A NEW MARKET

Exeter has recently welcomed a brand new, and permanent, three-day weekly market. Eastgate Market, on Sidwell Street, will operate all year-round running every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 2pm – 8pm and is set to be a springboard for small, sustainable businesses and to support the local economy. The market is designed to be an incubator space offering new start-ups, entrepreneurs, and creators a regular space to trade. The market will offer mentoring, next steps business advice and support for traders to develop growth plans. Visitors can expect a diverse and inclusive mix of local traders, both permanent and casual, selling sustainable and ethically created products. Confirmed traders include Onda, who makes ethical childrenswear, maternity and nursing garments, and reusable products; Tapper, who makes traditional, handmade cosmetics from natural ingredients; and Onaii Art, a fine artist who creates afro art, portraits, seascapes and landscapes. “This is an exciting new initiative for Exeter,” says Duncan Wood, lead councillor for leisure and physical activity. “A new market in Sidwell Street is a great addition to the spread of markets throughout the city. I am sure it will be a great success.” For more: www.inexeter.com

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 7

OPINION JP HEDGE

Harry: “Come on, we’ve got to get round every house!”

Happy Christmas, Exeter

xeter’s city centre is looking pretty amazing as Christmas draws near. Full scale festivities are well underway. And with the added attractions in Northernhay Gardens and the new Eastgate Market along Sidwell Street, I don’t think there has been a bigger buzz about the city. Full credit to the teams who needed to make those big and sometimes high risk ﬁnancial decisions back in the summer and even earlier. So many cities don’t have a Christmas market or any festive events this year. And have you seen Princesshay? Wow. The creativity and imagination to create such a visual delight is extraordinary and you can’t help but smile as you walk around the city centre. I particularly love the time and space they give to the city centre charities along the Roman Walk.

JP is heartened by the amazing acts of kindness in Exeter at this time of year... If you haven’t seen it there is space for 30 odd trees, dedicated and dressed by grass root charities who are working across the city this Christmas. There are some real shining lights. If you are lucky enough to have a full spread under the tree this year and can afford to consider an extra gift, there are some stunning organisations where a little of your help would make all the difference. Exeter’s baby bank volunteers are pretty superb. They work all year round supporting families but go into overdrive in the run up to Christmas to try to make sure that no child misses out. Last time I checked they had collected 550 toys and hundreds of chocolate treats to redistribute. If you are interested in finding out more they are very active on Facebook. Homelessness and street attachment, the thorn in the side of the city, is pretty sobering this time of year.

“Now there is a coordinated eﬀort that hasn’t been seen before”

People often want to help, but don’t know where to start. Now there is a coordinated effort that hasn’t been seen before and a huge amount of practical things you can do. And it doesn’t need to be much. If you are in Princesshay, head to their Giving Hub (follow those little Christmas trees along the Roman Walk). All of the organisations and charities working to beat it have come together in a life-affirming way. You’ll find ideas to help at all levels. And the epic response to people in need that really seems to have taken off this year is the amazing Exeter appeal to deliver 1,000 Christmas hampers. Rediscover Church and a whole network of organisations, from the Prison Service to Exeter City Community Trust, are involved in making sure people know they aren’t alone this Christmas. The key is getting the right hampers into the right hands. There have been a lot of people working since the summer to make this incredible thing happen. Have a search on Google if you are interested as it still isn’t too late to support or nominate. In the Hedge household we are unbelievably fortunate. We have so far come through the pandemic unscathed, family health is great, with loved ones all intact and even

within arms reach. So I have no qualms whatsoever in running around Newcourt every day until Christmas Eve in an inflatable Santa suit to help some friends further afield. My nine year old Harry wanted to do something to help children and a charity in Indonesia. He had a talk at school and wanted to do more. How could I say no! He will be joined by a significantly bigger Santa helper to complete the 24 mile task safely whatever the winter weather throws at us. And if I conk out, my wife is on standby. Having just seen amber weather warning winds in the city, this inflatable treat, complete with fairy lights, could be a sight to behold. We’ll post updates at www.tinyurl.com/Exeterrun if you fancy some festive amusement. Whatever you are doing over the coming weeks, have a fantastic Christmas and here’s looking towards a brilliant New Year. ■ Jon-Paul Hedge is a director at Exeter City Council where he currently looks after leisure. He is a former newspaper editor and lives in the city with his wife and two young children. www.exeter.gov.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 9

NICK MATTHEWS PHOTOGRAPHY PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY | PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS EXHIBITION PHOTOGRAPHY | PROFESSIONAL PORTRAITS W E D D I N G S | C O N S E R VA T I O N P H O T O G R A P H Y Get in touch now for a no-obligation quote and to discuss your requirements.

07568302827 | nick@nickmatthewsphotography.co.uk | www.nickmatthewsphotography.co.uk |



f

THE ARTS S N A P S H O T S O F E X E T E R ’ S C U LT U R A L L I F E

LIME CORDIALE

This indie pop rock band from Australia are made up of cool dude brothers Oli and Louis Leimbach, with additional touring members James Jennings, Felix Bornholt and Nicholas Polovineo and they’ll be descending on Exeter this January. They’ve been breezily collecting accolades at home (breakthrough act at the Australian ARIA Music Awards in 2020 and Best Australian Live Act in 2021) and amassing their fanbase abroad. 2021 saw the band announce a new collaborative mini-album with A-lister actor and fellow musician Idris Elba which will come out this January. The lead single Apple Crumble is out now; check it out on YouTube, it’ll make you smile. Expect a bouncy performance, with a hit of wit and likeability galore. Lime Cordiale are playing at 7pm on 17 January 2022, Exeter Phoenix, Gandy Street, Exeter; www.exeterphoenix.org.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 11

Lanterns on the Lake are playing at Exeter Phoenix

WHAT’S ON 17 December onwards

THEATRE/ SHOWS Until 1 January

A CHRISTMAS CAROL With rib-tickling comic twists and larger than life characters, Dickens’ festive classic receives a riotous reimagining in the hands of Le Navet Bete, including giant exploding puddings, hypoallergenic Christmas trees and a ‘Not So Tiny Tim’. Various times, Exeter Northcott Theatre, Stocker Road, Exeter; www.exeternorthcott.co.uk

Until 2 January

WHAT THE LADYBIRD HEARD Join the clever Ladybird as she leads the animals on their quest to save the day in this joyous stage adaptation of the bestselling picture book by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks. With live music, puppetry and a whole farmyard of fun, this 55-minute family favourite is the perfect holiday treat. Various times, Exeter Northcott theatre, Stocker Road; www.exeternorthcott.co.uk

Until 2 January

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Expect romance and custard pies, magic and silly slapstick in equal measures as much-loved regulars Matt Finegan and Daniel Page return as Gascon and Madame Bonbon and a whole cast of characters in this fun family panto. Various times, Exeter Corn Exchange, Market Street, Exeter; www.exetercornexchange.co.uk

19 – 28 December

RHIA & THE TREE OF LIGHTS Featuring vibrant original music, ancient Indian tales, and Quirk’s trademark sense of the ridiculous. A heartwarming show for all ages, celebrating friendship, nature, and the place we call home. Various times, Exeter Phoenix, Gandy Street, Exeter; www.exeterphoenix.org.uk

MUSIC

19, 20 and 21 December

CHRISTMAS WITH THE CATHEDRAL CHOIR Exeter Cathedral’s renowned choir return for their annual festive

12 I EXETER LIVING I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Always check COVID-19 restrictions and instructions with venues before your visit

Christmas carol concerts. The adults and choristers will be directed by Timothy Noon (director of music), and accompanied on the mighty Cathedral organ by James Anderson-Besant (assistant director of music). Matinee and evening performances, prior booking is necessary, Exeter Cathedral, Exeter; www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk

14 January

LANTERNS ON THE LAKE The ﬁve-piece indie rock band from Newcastle were nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2020. Their music has been described as, ‘gauzy dreampop and monumental post rock.’ 7.30pm, Exeter Phoenix, Gandy Street, Exeter; www.exeterphoenix.org.uk

17 January

LIME CORDIALE This fun group from Sydney have been heralded as the one of the buzziest bands to come out of Australia in recent years and have recently collaborated with actor and musician Idris Elba. 7pm, Exeter Phoenix, Gandy Street, Exeter; www.exeterphoenix.org.uk

21 January

SUGGS Vertigo on the roof of Buckingham Palace, nearly blowing the closing ceremony of the Olympics, the embarrassing stuﬀ that happened at Glastonbury. Things have gone a smidge surreal since the Madness frontman was a 12-year-old in shorts on the tough streets of North London. With help from Deano his trusty pianist, he tells his story in words and music with the help of some Madness classics. 7.30pm, Exeter Corn Exchange, Market Street, Exeter; www.exetercornexchange.co.uk

28 January

THE SUPERMERCADOS/ FREAK BY WIRE These two local alternative rock bands will be playing at the recently reopened pub and music venue King of Clubs. Originally the coaching stables, it is a self-contained music venue and part of the fabric of the Kings Arms pub. More live music events are planned for this refurbished venue for 2022. Doors are open from 7.30pm, King of Clubs, Kings Arms, Gold Street, Ottery St Mary, www.thesupermercados.com/gigs

WHAT’S ON

NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTIES

NO. 5 The bar and restaurant on Cathedral Green will be putting on a grand 1920s themed party which will see live music from Hot House Combo, a casino table and photo booth. Dust off that Great Gatsby outfit and get ready for fizz and frolicking. Booking necessary, 6pm onwards, No. 5, Cathedral Green, Exeter; www.no5-exeter.co.uk

Just a few celebrations happening on 31 December

EXETER PHOENIX Expect a motley crew of bands and DJs across the building headed up by the incomparable Bert Miller and the Animal Folk and a silent disco in the big top from midnight. There’ll also be glam drag karaoke, the Big Quiz of the Year in the games room, coconut shys and fairground games galore. Dig out your glitter. 8pm onwards, Exeter Phoenix, Gandy Street, Exeter; www.exeterphoenix.org.uk

top:

Ray Balkwill’s art is showing at the Café at the RAMM What the Ladybird Heard on Exeter Northcott

above:

ART

FESTIVE FUN

SOUTHCOTTIAN Multimedia artist John Walter combines digital animation, 3D scanning, religious memes and an explosion of visual mash-ups to focus on Devon-born Joanna Southcott’s false pregnancy at the age of 64, which she and her 14,000 plus followers believed to be Shiloh, the new messiah. Walter narrates Southcott’s story as an allegory of Brexit by linking the spread of Southcottian religious beliefs with today’s dissemination of political. Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Queen Street, Exeter; www.rammuseum.org.uk

CHRISTMAS AT THE CASTLE Families can enjoy a Christmas grotto, barn market with arts and crafts to buy, mulled cider, wine, food, and festive music. Wander through the magical light trail that follows round the grounds and through the Secret Garden (where you can go for pony rides and goat walks); they’re also opening up the castle so you can step inside and marvel at the story-telling displays and decorations. Powderham Castle, Exeter; www.powderham.co.uk

Until 30 January

Until 26 June 2022

RAY BALKWILL’S THE RIVER’S VOICE “If you have ever sat on the banks of the Exe marvelling at its beauty as the sun slowly sets behind the Haldon Hills, perhaps you will understand why I am so passionate about the place and why I constantly have to try and capture it in paint,” says artist Ray Balkwill. This exhibition is a love letter to the Exe Estuary, captured in just about every medium possible. The Café at Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Queen Street, Exeter; www.rammuseum.org.uk

Until 31 December

ON THE WATERFRONT Head down to the Quay for a big party which will include live music from 10.30pm and a big three-course set menu that includes their classic “You’ve pulled” pizza. 7pm onwards, On the Waterfront, 4-9 Southern Warehouse, The Quay, Exeter; www.waterfrontexeter.co.uk

much-loved seasonal music will be transforming Killerton’s majestic gardens into a winter wonderland. There will be burnished lantern trees filled with flickering flames, neon strings stretched between towering trees, walkthrough Christmas bauble-trees, an arch of hearts, and perhaps a glimpse of Father Christmas. Killerton House, Broadclyst, Exeter; www.ChristmasatKillerton.co.uk

Until 2 January

WINTER WONDERLAND Right in the heart of the city the brightly lit wonderland features thrilling rides, a festive funfair, an indoor ice rink, refreshments and a giant Santa’s Grotto. Open daily except for Christmas Day, Northenhay Gardens, Exeter; www.exeterwinterwonderland.co.uk

Throughout winter

COTLEY FARM CHRISTMAS Say hello to their friendly reindeer and other farm animals. For all those last-minuters, pick up your Christmas tree, wreaths, turkey, pickls, chutneys and other condiments. Cotley Farm Christmas, Whimple, Exeter, www.cotleychristmas.co.uk

GLOW TRAIL AT THE DONKEY SANCTUARY The trail shines a light on the stories of donkeys from around the world and concludes in the heart of the sanctuary in the festively lit Glow Room, where visitors will discover a fairy-tale ending for three of the charity’s rescued donkeys, Gilly, Holly and Snowy. The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth; www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk

Until 2 January

18 December

Until 23 December

CHRISTMAS AT KILLERTON Over a million twinkly lights, colourful trees and amazing illuminated installations, all choreographed to a soundtrack of

A CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA, INCLUDING THE SNOWMAN Exeter Children’s Orchestra will be celebrating their 50th

anniversary with a performance of the magical animation The Snowman Live, Polar Express and other Christmas favourites. The matinee performance will be 45 minutes long, while the evening performance will an epic two-hour extravaganza! Various times, Exeter Northcott Theatre, Stocker Road; www.exeternorthcott.co.uk

18 and 19 December

FESTIVE WILDLIFE DECORATIONS Decorate your own wooden bauble featuring one of the RAMM’S animals; perhaps Gerald the Giraffe playing in the snow or the polar bear wearing a hat and scarf. Let your imagination go wild and create a decoration to hang on your tree at home. 10.30am-3.30pm, drop in, RAMM, Queen Street, Exeter; www.rammuseum.org.uk n

17 March 2022

EXETER LIVING AWARDS We cannot wait to invite hundreds of you back to our extra-glam red-carpet extravaganza. Nominations (which are free to submit!) are open now on our website, and there are sponsorship opportunities ready to be snapped up. To find out more about sponsorships, contact paula.miller@mediaclash.co.uk or harriette.dixon@mediaclash. co.uk. For more, see page 24. www.exeterlivingawards.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 13

Reach the best in the west Affluent, active and influential and just a call away

Contact Paula 07563 529772

SHOPPING LIVE WELL, BUY BETTER

FLAMEBOYANT FUN These fruit salad twisted dinner candles have been hand-dipped using neon colours in shades of pink, yellow, mint green and orange so the colours remain the same yet the pattern will differ; each candle is therefore unique and pretty much a piece of artwork in its own right. Who said candles were boring? Set of three £14.95, from Hyde and Seek, Unit 1, Harlequins, 1 Paul Street, Exeter; www.hydeseek.co.uk www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 15

WILD ROSE & GERANIUM RELAXING BATH SALTS, £10.50-£16.96 Scoop up these jewel-like salts and spray over your bath for an aromatic body-melting experience. From The Dartmoor Soap Company; www.thedartmoorsoapco.co.uk

COSMOS RELAXATION EYE PILLOW, £24 Use as part of a yoga or meditation session or as part of pain relief (either hot or cold). A rest for the eyes and the bod. From Soap Daze, 126 Fore Street, Exeter; www.soapdaze.com

…AND BREATHE

Time to hunker down and give a little love to your body with these skin-friendly winter-protective goodies from the local indies

HEAVENLY ORGANICS FOOT BALM, £8.39 Soothe, calm and treat your feet with this healing organic foot balm. Made with organic ingredients of cocoa butter and shea butter, it comes in peppermint and lavender and tea tree. From My Zero Lifestyle, 127 Fore Street, Exeter; www.myzerolifestyle.co.uk

ANTIOXIDANT SHAMPOO, £14.95 Designed to slow down the process of hair and scalp ageing, this shampoo contains pomegranate oil, oat extract, sweet orange essential oil and will rejuvenate your hair. From Futura Hair Salon, 83 South Street, Exeter; www.futurahair.salon

POP FAIRISLE HEART BOOTIE SLIPPER, £30 These gorgeous slippers with their cosy fur lining are perfect for a home spa/telly day. From Caramel Clothing, 17-18 The Strand, Exmouth; www.caramelclothing.co.uk

16 I EXETER LIVING I www.mediaclash.co.uk

NATURALLY NURTURING FACE MOISTURISER, £25.25 A luxurious blend of sweet almond oil, milk thistle oil, vitamin E, lavender, orange and geranium. An anti-ageing skin softening cream, to naturally hydrate and detoxify the skin. From Insideout, 1 Bampfylde Street, Exeter; www.insideouthome.co.uk

ED’S CHOICE THE HEALING BAR, TANAKA £10.50 This soap bar is said to give you an instant glow, thanks to the powerhouse ingredient that is turmeric which works as an antioxidant and antiinﬂammatory for your skin. From Sancho’s, 117 Fore Street, Exeter, www.sanchosshop.com

BETTY HULA SECRET WONDER OIL, £13.99 This multi-purpose wonder oil helps repair damaged cells, combat dryness, banish wrinkles and promote radiance. From Toot Garouk, 19 Queen Street, Exeter; www.tootgarook.co.uk

WILD RASPBERRY LIP BALM, £6.50 Soothe over those cracked winter lips with this fruity number. From Leaf Street, 53 Magdalen Road, Exeter; www.leafstreet.co.uk

POWELL DRESSING GOWN, £47.95 Shed your work clothes and slip into this nature-inspired 100 per cent cotton dressing gown. From Boka, 3 High Street, Crediton; www.bokaonline.co.uk

SAVING GRACE – REPAIR & REPLENISH BODY BALM, £17.95 This restorative body balm is designed to calm and heal troubled areas, as well as provide all-over skin hydration. Made using a gentle and calming blend of plant oils and butters including skin-softening apricot oil and shea butter. From Coraline Organic Skincare, 94 Fore Street, Topsham; coralineskincare.com

HYDRATING CLAY MASK, £17.50 For replenished skin, apply to skin and leave for a maximum of eight minutes. Rinse oﬀ with tepid water and voila! From Apothespa, 4 Cathedral Close, Exeter; www.apothespa.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 17

SPONSORED CONTENT – FAMILY LAW Solicitor Lucy Woodward recently joined The Family Law Company. We asked Lucy what drew her to family law and a move to Exeter.

Tell us a little about your background? I grew up in the Cotswolds before moving to Kingston in Surrey to study for a Law degree. I always wanted to join the police so during my degree I became a part-time special constable then a full-time regular after graduating. What drew you back to law? After a four year stint I decided I wanted to leave London and return to a more rural location. I moved to Bristol and took my LPC, then I joined a Somerset firm for my two-year training contract. One of the years was during lockdown. What was it about family law that interested you? My training contract was in conveyancing, litigation and family. I already knew that family was the most interesting area for me personally, as it is all about people and helping with real lives. There’s a crossover with the work I did in the police, which included handling cases of domestic abuse and helping families in the community. I wanted to specialise so it made sense to look for a position with a specialist family law firm. I was delighted to get a position with The Family Law Company. You moved to Exeter for the new role, how are you finding it so far? I relocated to Exeter at the start of June to join the firm at its offices in Southernhay. Although there’s flexibility with working from home, I’m currently full time in the office, which I prefer as it gives me the chance to get to know my colleagues and to learn from them. My team leader is Gemma Sparks who has huge amounts of experience, and I’m working on cases in divorce and finance, domestic abuse, children law and legal aid. Which areas most interest you so far? All of it! I’m interested in domestic abuse cases from my time in the police, but this is my first experience of legal aid. I wanted to work with a firm that offers legal aid because I strongly believe that everyone should be able to access the legal system. What do you think of Exeter? I only visited once before moving here and I got a really good impression. Now I am here I really like it, especially Exeter Quay and the diversity of the people living in the city. And I love to surf and be at the beach so it’s a bonus being close to the Devon and Cornwall coastline.

Contact Lucy Woodward directly on 01392 421777 or by email: enquiries@thefamilylawco.com

Balliol House, Southernhay Gardens Exeter EX1 1NP.

WWW.THEFAMILYLAWCO.CO.UK

NEW BUSINESSES

RISING OUT OF 2021

Missed some of the new businesses that came to Exeter in 2021? From glitzy restaurants to trendy bakeries, boutique clothes shops to skincare stores, here’s a look at the new kids on the block... By Harriet Noble

Jenn Wickings and Eddie Goodwin from Lilac Bakery

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 19

NEW BUSINESSES ne of the highlights of this year has been seeing the vast number of new businesses launching in and around the city. Looking back on the year of 2021 we can now see trends forming, like the boom in food-related businesses (it seems there is an insatiable appetite for baked goods in Exeter!) and a growing focus on sustainability. We couldn’t possibly include them all but here is a smattering of the new businesses that have caught our eye this year. Do pay them a visit…

FOOD AND DRINK

LILAC BAKERY Beautiful bakery this one. Inside you’ll find owners Jenn Wickings and Eddie Goodwin hand-making a plethora of breads and pastries for the good people of Exeter. “We arrive at the café at 4am to begin baking for that day and sell out of food every day by the time we close at 2pm,” says Jenn. “We always have a range of different pastries on offer, plus cakes, cookies, muffins, cardamom and cinnamon buns, sausage rolls plus sourdough bread which we sell by the loaf every day. There’s always vegan and gluten-free options too.” Lilac Bakery, 59 Cowick Street, St Thomas, Exeter; Instagram: lilacbakery.exeter

CASTLE STREET SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT The website of this lively sports bar and restaurant claims ‘Sports, entertainment and naughty food just landed in Exeter’. What do they mean? Well, the naughty morsels on the menu include burgers, ‘dawgs’,

dirty fries, mac and cheese balls, steak, bucket of wings – you get the drift; there’s also a whopping telly for the sporting matches and regular live music gigs. A fun one. Castle Street Sports & Entertainment, Castle Street, Little Castle Street, Exeter; www.castlest.co.uk CAKE OR DEATH The hot-pink leopard-spotted bakery just off Fore Street opened its doors in July, selling deliciously chocolatey vegan brownies and delivering their nationwide letterbox brownies. Favourite brownie boxes include sea salt and salted caramel, and peanut butter and Oreo. “The local business community have been incredibly friendly and supportive, from inviting us to participate in local events to coming in to buy brownies,” says owner Katie Cross. “Fore Street has a vibrant small business community and it’s the best shopping street in the city.

top: Lilac Bakery; left: Katie Cross

and the team at Cake or Death;

above: Pastries from Lilac Bakery

20 I EXETER LIVING I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Best seat in the house: The Ivy Exeter

Particular shout-out to Crankhouse Coffee who’s delicious coffee we sell in the shop.” Why the name you may ask? “Cake or Death is named after an Eddie Izzard sketch,” adds Katie. “We like to think we’re as irreverent and subversive as the comedian herself.” Cake or Death, 68 Bartholomew Street West, just off Fore Street; www.cakeordeath.co.uk THE IVY EXETER One of the best views you can get of Exeter can be had when you’re sitting at the cocktail bar at the Ivy, looking straight ahead through the perfectly positioned curved windows towards Exeter Cathedral. This buzzy restaurant feels like its been in Exeter forever; its lively décor, impressive size and general sociable hum have made it a bright spot in the city. The Ivy Exeter, 65-67 High Street, Exeter; www.theivyexeter.com

plates, opt for the hanging kebabs. For the hummus-lovers out there, they do some of the best in Exeter. The Botanist, Guildhall Shopping Centre, 32 Queen Street Dining, Exeter; www.thebotanist.uk.com BIG BAKES BAKERY A welcome recent addition to Queen Street, this popular newcomer often has a big queue outside it with Exeter folk hungrily licking their lips in anticipation! If you haven’t popped in yet, you’ll see the vintagey sky blue décor and be lured in by the smells of decadent cakes, bakes and cupcakes. Big Bakes Bakery, 25 Queen Street, Exeter; www.bigbakesbakery.co.uk

“The support from our local community has been heart warming”

93 PIZZERIA & COCKTAIL BAR A Fore Street entry, this lively two-storey pizza place brings a cool laidback ambience – but takes its pizza and colourful cocktails seriously. Some of the best pizzas you can get in the city – guaranteed to change the pineapple-on-pizza naysayers. 93 Pizzeria & Cocktail Bar, 93-94 Fore Street, Exeter; www.ninety-three.co.uk THE BOTANIST EXETER Hearty food, stunning cocktails, eye-catching interiors and a huge outdoor terrace with fire pits – this Queen Street restaurant packs a punch and is the new vibrant go-to eaterie in Exeter. For show-stopping

SABATINI The new Italian restaurant on Catherine Street (that used to be Lloyd’s kitchen) serves up classic, good value dishes like stone baked pizzas, freshly made pasta and risotto. Go for their crispy, tomato and parmesan risotto balls followed by their tiramisu. Such a good all-rounder this one, feels like the kind of restaurant you can take your grandmother or your date to. Sabatini, 16 Catherine Street, Exeter; www.sabatiniexeter.co.uk MAGDALEN CHEESE & PROVISIONS Owners Rachel Howe and Jacob Hicks have set up shop selling traditionally made British and local cheeses and delicious condiments including pickles, chutneys, crackers and jams. Wine is on the way. For the full interview with Rachel and Jacob, head to page 28. Magdalen Cheese & Provisions, 71 Magdalen Road, Exeter; magdalencheese.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 21

LUCIANO’S Luciano Marco Pierre recently opened his Italian restaurant to Princesshay, bringing pretty European vibes with it’s café style al frescostyle seating area. Go for the fresh Cornish crab and chilli – and don’t miss out on the triple cooked truffle chips. Luciano’s, 30 Bedford Street, Princesshay, Exeter; www.lucianos-restaurant.co.uk

SHOPPING

CORALINE ORGANIC SKINCARE AND GIFTWARE This family-run shop in Topsham opened its doors in November selling their own range of organic eco-friendly skincare products which aim to help repair and revitalise skin. Their products are particularly good for anyone with sensitive skin who struggles to find skincare that works for them. The inspiration behind this shop is owners Kevin Troy’s fouryear-old daughter Coraline who was diagnosed at birth with Down’s syndrome and two holes in her heart. Coraline’s sensitive skin reacted badly to many products which claimed to be natural and organic so former chef Kevin, and his wife Liz, decided to create their own range of skincare to help Coraline to have happy skin. Using his chef ’s knowledge of natural ingredients, Kevin then spent years perfected the range of his products. “I knew that if our products could help Coraline, they could help others too, and the feedback has been incredible since we launched online last year – with countless people suffering from sensitive skin saying it’s the first product they’ve tried that’s actually worked,” says Kevin.

“Coraline has taught us the meaning of pure and unfiltered love, and we apply this same love to all our products, which I handcraft at the shop in small batches using all natural and organic ingredients.” Liz adds, “The community in Topsham is so warm, and to have a shop amongst so many other beautiful shops here is a real honour.” Coraline Organic Skincare and Giftware, 94 Fore Street, Topsham; www.coralineskincare.com

“We want to focus more on community projects”

22 I EXETER LIVING I www.mediaclash.co.uk

ST PETROCK’S PLACE This new vintage outlet on Paris Street welcomes and sells donated clothes, takes in donations for survival equipment and runs regular workshops to show people how to breathe new life into old clothing. All proceeds from the shop go directly to helping the clients of local homeless charity St Petrocks. Keep tuned to their website and social for news of talks, workshops and events. St Petrock’s Place, 19 Paris Street, Exeter; stpetrocks.org.uk

NEW BUSINESSES SQUID & THE KID The Topsham-based kids lifestore store sells clothes, toys, and educational activities. How has their first year in business been? “It’s exceeded expectations,” says co-owner Alex Stenning. “Opening a shop mid pandemic was always going to come with its risks. But we’re eight months in we couldn’t be happier. We have learnt so much and continue to do so every day. “The support we have received from our local community and the wider community has been truly heart warming. “In 2022, we want to focus more on community projects. We started our weekly playgroup which has been really well received, and we hope to make this more accessible for children with special educational needs. In another exciting development we hope to start hosting local parent support groups.” Squid & the Kid, 21 Fore Street, Topsham; @squidandthekid Squid & the Kid team: Alex Stenning and Alice Garrad, with little Fin on the left

ROCKET & ROSE In August of this year, ethical and sustainable fashion brand Rocket & Rose arrive in Crediton. Their imaginative t-shirt and sweater range (mainly for kids but also for adults) have quirky and bespoke designs, with personalized captions, glitter prints and fun motifs. Check out their rocket rudes collection (strictly for adults only) that will raise a smile. Rocket and Rose, High Street, Crediton, www.rocketandrose.com CIRCLE This café-meets-shop in Topsham arrived this year bringing an eclectic mix of creativity. If you haven’t been yet, expect a pretty and packed space where local artists’ work – paintings, pottery, macrame wall hangings and the like – are on display to be bought. Owners Fay and David Clement love a good house plant too so there’s plenty of greenery in the grade-II listed building; a lot of lovely things too look at while you enjoy your coffee and cake. n Circle, 37 Fore Street, Topsham, Exeter; www.circleshoptopsham.com

xxxxxxx

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 23

EXETER LIVING AWARDS 2022 Your seat awaits for the 2022 Exeter Living Awards. First step: nominate yourselves!

NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN! The categories to apply for are:

t feels like we’ve only just wrapped up this year’s Exeter Living Awards – which took place at The Great Hall at The University of Exeter in the beginning of September – but we’re already gleefully and excitedly planning the next uber-glam red carpet ceremony, which is set for 17 March 2022. And, more good news, the 2022 nominations have now officially opened! Seeing the submissions come in is one of our favourite parts, and it makes us so proud to be in Exeter among incredible businesses and people doing great things. It’s free to nominate yourselves, so get involved! Fingers crossed you’ll be shortlisted or even win. Along

with our 21 regular categories, we have a new award this year: Sustainability, which we will present to the greenest, most eco-friendly business on the block. TOP TIPS

A few pointers for writing a nomination that stands out • Please – we beg you – don’t leave your nomination until the deadline looms. You’ve got ages, so use that time well. Start making a list of all of the successful moments of your year. Ask yourself: what have you achieved? What makes you stand out? Think on it a while. • Everyone says ‘we’ve had a great year’, the judges want much more than that – they want to know precisely why it’s been great. Paint a detailed

picture of your excellence. This is not the time for modesty. • Consider the experience of the Exeter Living Awards judge: you’re faced with literally thousands of pages of information about local businesses and projects. Everything starts to blur into one. Make it easy for them. Get to the point. And say something extra memorable. • Gathering testimonials is a great way to persuade judges of your greatness. • Have fun with it. Seriously. It’s all too rare that we make the time to sit and reflect about everything that’s gone well in the last year. Take this as an opportunity to give yourself a hearty pat on the back. For more: www.exeterlivingawards.co.uk

BECOME A SPONSOR The Awards are a great opportunity to get glammed up and have fun, but they also provide invaluable networking for businesses from all the diverse sectors of the city. To find out more about sponsorships contact paula. miller@mediaclash.co.uk or harriette.dixon@mediaclash. co.uk.

Sponsors on board for 2022 so far include: Regus, Warwick Event Services, Powderham Food Festival, Yellowtail Financial Planning, Princesshay and Guildhall. When it comes to sponsorship, business is done from, at and around the Awards. Countless conversations are triggered by

24 I EXETER LIVING I www.mediaclash.co.uk

deep association with the city’s leading business marketing activity. It’s efficient, too, as one deal reaches thousands of people. We support your business promotion through our magazines, social media, email, networking events, our website, the programme, the review, and, of course, on the night itself.

• LEGAL & FINANCIAL • LEISURE & TOURISM • NEW BUSINESS • PROPERTY • RESTAURANT • RETAILER • SUSTAINABILITY • TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION • PLATINUM AWARD

Nominate yourselves now, ready for the Exeter Living Awards on 17 March 2022 © JOHN DEPRIELLE

NOW ANNOUNCING…

• ARTS • BAR • BUSINESS SERVICES • CAFÉ • CHARITY • CIVIC • CREATIVE • EDUCATION • EVENT • HAIR & BEAUTY • HEALTH & WELLBEING • HOMES & INTERIORS

What a feeling to win

The Exeter Living Awards celebrates the best of Exeter’s businesses, from professional services to cafés, retail to charity

TESTIMONIAL

“It was a wonderful event and to win an award is a real boost to the team, particularly after such a challenging year. It was wonderful to be in a room full of local businesses doing such excellent work and was a real opportunity to see what others had been up to over the last year.” Adele Wordsworth,The Bear Trail; Exeter Living Award winner 2021

RESTAURANT

THE JACK IN THE GREEN

Delicious, knock-your-socks-off food is what it’s all about at this charming pub and restaurant, says Harriet Noble Images by Ross Hayward

he balancing act between style and substance is something I think about a lot when visiting restaurants for this magazine. The style du jour is razor-sharp attention on interiors, with mandatory eye-catching greenery, statement lighting and Instagram hot spots; these restaurants are poised, puckered and social media ready. I have no objection to this, I’ve had some amazing nights in these dwellings; dazzling décor and a hit of ‘cool’ can rocket your mood, especially when you’re out in a gang. But what about if it’s the food you care deeply about. What if you couldn’t give a fig whether the lighting is industrial or not – you just want a delicious, really special plate of food; something that you just couldn’t make at home. Looking at and devouring my beautifully put-together starter here in The Jack in the Green, eight-odd miles from Exeter at Rockbeare, I know in an instant this is something I indeed could never muster up myself – and this fills me with joy. I know I’m in for the real deal. I’m dining from the á la carte menu on my visit and

26 I EXETER LIVING I www.mediaclash.co.uk

kick off with the chicken and tarragon terrine with pickled shiitake mushrooms, followed by a main course of maple and cardamom glazed Creedy Carver duck breast, poached pear and fondant potato. As you can see from the ingredients they are traditional hearty meals, but wizard chef Craig Griffin has waved his wand over all them, thoughtfully adding different ingredients, textures and flavours along the way; elevating the whole offering into something pretty spectacular. I would never usually go for a terrine followed by duck – too heavy – but the terrine is a light dish, really tasty, the delightfully slippery mushrooms and zingy pickle going down a treat. The duck, pinkest I’ve ever seen, is so beautiful and tender, the sweetness and softness of the pear and the lovely spread of warmth that emulates from the maple and cardamom causing me to make some serious mmm noises. For dessert I have a plum crumble and custard which hits the spot perfectly as sometimes only a crumble can. My dining chum has a pigeon and fig dish for starters (“winning combo” says he), followed by a delicious loin of venison with butternut, sage purée and boulangère

below: Paul Parnell, Craig Griffin, Miranda Burton and a smattering

of Exeter Chiefs players; right: Duck breast, with potato fondant and poached pear; bottom: Sticky toffee pudding

“This food fills me with joy. It is the real deal” potato; followed by decadent sticky toffee pudding. While I am eating my meal, the word humble springs to mind. Based solely on appearances, The Jack, as its known, looks like a nice but unassuming country pub and restaurant – nothing more, and certainly not a high-end gastro pub. If you were not a local and just passing by, you’d probably expect a very ordinary pub classics plate of food. But that is where its USP comes into play. It serves up such brilliant, beautiful and memorable food but in a traditional, a low-key environment. I think that’s probably a huge part of its appeal and success over the years. It’s been going since 1992 when owner Paul Parnell bought the old and dilapidated pub and set about doing it up. Before it became trendy he was sourcing food locally, it’s just what they did from day one, and since then they’ve amassed a staggering number of awards – UK’s Top 50 Gastropubs, UK’s Top 100 Restaurants, Michelin Bib Gourmand, etc. There’s a strong family feel to this spot too. Paul runs The Green with a closeknit team which includes his wife Judy; and head chef Craig has been there a good 10 years and is engaged to the manager Miranda Burton. There’s a strong local following too, with the rugby chaps from Exeter Chiefs regularly dining there. While Paul may have resisted any urge for the restaurant interiors to be modernised, his management style is clearly modern. With the wide scale shortages on staff in hospitality since Covid, he has rethought how they run their business, and now offers staff a four-day working week to provide them with a much healthier work/life balance. Sounds like a pretty good idea to me. The Jack is a really friendly restaurant and I had one of the best meals I’ve had this year in Exeter; it is truly worth the short drive out of the city to experience it. n

DINING DETAILS The Jack in the Green, Rockbeare, London Road, Exeter; www.jackinthegreen.uk.com Different menus À la Carte, pub, bar snacks, breakfast, children’s, wine and cocktail menus I ate chicken and tarragon terrine with pickled shiitake mushrooms £7.50; maple and cardamom glazed Creedy Carver duck breast, poached pear and fondant potato £26.50; plum crumble with custard £7.50 Drinks Excellent selection of wine, beers and cocktails Service/ atmosphere Friendly, relaxed yet traditional

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 27

SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF CHEESE

Cheese lovers, have you been down Magdalen Road recently? Magdalen Cheese & Provisions opened its doors in October, championing local, tasty cheeses. We chat to owners Rachel Howe and Jacob Hicks to find out what their first few months of business (with a new baby!) have been like...

A family affair: Rachel and Jacob, with Franklin and baby Agnes

NEW BUSINESS Hello Rachel and Jacob! Tell us in a nutshell about your cheese shop… Our

mission at Magdalen is to source and sell the best traditionally made cheeses and accompaniments. Our selection process starts with a product that tastes amazing but the how, why and where something is made are of equal importance to us. We are invested in supporting and highlighting British makers, giving traditional products a place on the modern table.

Tempt us with some of your cheeses…

A blushing Vacherin Mont d’Or with sourdough bread and a handful of Cornicho. A generous slab of perfectly balanced Colston Basset Stilton with a dark rye digestive and perhaps a pickled onion. Crumbly, buttery Kirkham’s Lancashire with a flaky, fruity Eccles Cake… Any great local cheeses? We’ve got some excellent Somerset cheddar in the counter – Westcombe Oxenlees, made by Tom Calver, has been selected and matured beyond its usual age profile giving it a deeper flavour but retaining the smooth, grassy notes familiar to its younger self. Devon and Beenleigh Blue, made by Ben Harris in Totnes, are personal favourites too. Roquefort-style cheese made in Devon! What under-the-radar cheese deserves a bit more attention? Honestly, all British

Farmhouse Cheese deserves to be shouted about – the supermarkets have dampened the market, giving these cheeses a bad rep. There’s nothing boring about a Cheddar; Cheshire cheese deserves pride of place on your cheese board!

Decisions decisions...

What else do you sell in your shop?

Everything we like to eat with cheese! Locally made sourdough bread, small batch crackers and biscuits, pickles, preserves, ferments and jams. We also have a fridge stocked with local organic milk, butter, yoghurt and cream. The best eggs you’ll ever eat. Natural wines, ciders and beers coming soon! Do you plan on doing any cheese tasting events next year? Absolutely! We plan to

host our own seasonal cheese tables, hopefully with some special guest appearances… there are a few independent food and drink businesses that we would love to collaborate with too. Why did you choose Magdalen Road for your shop? It was an honour to

It’s all about tradtionally made good quality cheese

be able to join the existing community of independent food businesses on the street. It’s a great neighbourhood – we’ve had a really warm welcome.

“We had a baby and opened the shop within a month” How has business been going since its launch? We’re in to our second month and it’s

all been a bit of a whirlwind! We had a baby and opened the shop within a month, so it’s been busy to say the least. But we’ve had lots of interest and kind words so we look forward to building on that in the next few months.

What do you make of the local community? Everyone has been incredibly

kind and encouraging – whether it’s support from our new customer base or a coffee delivery from the coffee shop next door. What can we expect from you in 2022?

Hopefully we’ll get bigger and better as we settle in to our new home. But expect consistently great cheese, tastings and events with our new friends, a web shop and an ever expanding and evolving range of exciting products. Definitely no more babies though… For more: Magdalen Cheese & Provisions, 71 Magdalen Road, Exeter; magdalencheese.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 29

COCKTAILS

THAT’S THE SPIRIT Be the in-house mixologist this Christmas – try your hand at these festive and warming cocktail recipes from No. 5, Exeter’s cocktail bar and restaurant on Cathedral Green

CHRISTMAS TREE BRAMBLE Ingredients 50ml gin 20ml cranberry juice 25ml lemon juice 10ml orange juice Method 1. Chill the rocks glass, shake ingredients, strain over crushed iced into the glass 2. Garnish with upside down rosemary sprigs, dust with icing sugar. www.no5-exeter.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 31

A LITTLE SHERRY CHRISTMAS Ingredients 50ml sherry 25ml red wine 25ml earl grey syrup 25ml lime Method 1. Chill martini glass, wet shake (with ice) all ingredients and double strain into glass 2. Garnish with orange peel. www.no5-exeter.co.uk

32 I EXETER LIVING I www.mediaclash.co.uk

COCKTAILS

THE NO5 EGGNOG Ingredients 1 whole egg 25ml cream 15ml maple syrup 50ml cognac dash of all spice bitters Method 1. Chill martini glass, dry shake all ingredients, add handful of ice into shaker and wet shake, double strain into glass 2. Garnish with bitters and a dust of nutmeg. www.no5-exeter.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 33

EDUCATION © STEVEN ELCOCKS

H I G H L I G H T S F R O M E X E T E R ’ S E D U C AT I O N S E C T O R

Team effort: Lindsay Skinner, Thea Mackney, Nathaniel Hinchliffe, Ben Bradshaw, Paula Schrader, David Madge and Holly Kirkbride

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE Students at St James School in Exeter recently welcomed MP Ben Bradshaw and Exeter City councillor Emma Morse for the official launch of their new School Parliament. The Parliament consists of a group of students, elected by their peers, to represent the views of all the students and push for changes to improve their school. The scheme is run in parallel with the school leadership system with student voice prefects being appointed to launch and run the school council. “St James encourages student voice and strives to reflect and educate students in the country’s current democratic system, which is why I felt so passionately about helping to organise MP Ben Bradshaw to visit our school and launch our school parliament,” says head girl and chair of the school parliament, Paula Schrader. “I had a brilliant time visiting St James,” adds Ben Bradshaw, MP. “It’s great to see students so engaged and asking such insightful questions.” For more: www.stjamesexeter.co.uk

Award-winning Exeter College

34 I EXETER LIVING I www.mediaclash.co.uk

CONGRATULATIONS!

The pioneering work of the Exmouth-based Deaf Academy has been recognised with a prestigious national award – and announced live on BBC’s The One Show. Teachers Matt Jenkins and Joanna Fison won the esteemed Pearson golden national teaching award category Lockdown Hero Learner and Community Support, a special award created for 2021. The award was for the innovative work in setting up online teaching and support during the height of the pandemic for the Academy students. Matt and Joanna were presented with the gold awards by former Casualty actress Gabriella Leon, who is deaf herself. She surprised the pair by turning up at the Academy after pretending she was in a studio in London. The awards were then presented to the stunned teachers in front of students and colleagues at the Academy. “To win a national award like this, felt absolutely amazing,” says Joanna. “Matt and I were very emotional – there were tears and laughter, it didn’t feel real at all. We’re so glad we got to share that moment with all our colleagues, and of course our amazing students. For more: www.thedeafacademy.ac.uk

Happy winners Joanna and Matt

HIGH PRIZE Exeter College has just been awarded a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education at St James’s Palace by kind permission of HM The Queen, for the way that the college’s strategic approach to ‘digital’ has impacted on many areas of the college. The award recognises the college’s excellence in embedding digital technology through curriculum innovation, national work to help shape the digital agenda within colleges, working with employers to help others, and staff digital training.

“This award is the result of a lot of hard work, which has involved key employer partners, stakeholders and a lot of staff and students within the college,” says John Laramy, Exeter College’s principal and chief executive. “To everyone that has contributed, I would simply like to say thank you, however, perhaps the most exciting element of this award, is not what the College has achieved thus far, but what, as a collective we can achieve in the future. For more: www.exe-coll.ac.uk

SCHOOL GUIDE VICTORIA BOND

How to help your ‘snowﬂake’ do well at school

Helping our children help themselves perform better in the classroom is a skill for life, not just for Christmas

is the season to marvel at our little angels in their school nativity as the final few days of term draw to an are-we-nearly-there-yet? close. According to education experts, however, our children are yearround ‘snowflakes’ – a generation of children who cannot cope with criticism or setbacks and have an attention span shorter than a TikTok trend. Modern learners are over-sensitive and addicted to praise, and love nothing more than blaming someone or something else for not reaching their academic potential. As parents, we’re faced with a dilemma: do too little to help them, and we’re on Santa’s naughty list; too much, and we’re responsible for creating yet another Grade 9 ‘snowflake’ who is afraid to fail. Throw the pandemic and over 600 million missed school days into the mix, and it’s no wonder mums and dads who hard-wired to ‘fix’ problems don’t know where to start. Giving our children the tools to enable them to look after and

nurture their own mental health and wellbeing is key. They are perfectly equipped to boost their own ‘happy brains’ and we all know that happy learners are the most successful. So, as the holidays arrive and we have the opportunity to rest and reset, here are four ways we can help pupils to learn to help themselves in 2022.

Let them fail – it’s the stepping stone to success

As parents, it’s perfectly natural to protect our children from disappointment and hurt and it’s tempting to remove obstacles or reframe failure as a ‘don’t worry, darling’ non-event. But if we always try and diﬀuse upset, it takes away the opportunity for children to build resilience. It’s vital that they learn that hard things happen, and they can suﬀer for a time and get back up again. Share times when things have not gone so well for you and help them see the value in perspective. Small failures are part of everyday life and they need to increase their failure rate to develop coping skills. Big failures will always signal help and support but it’s their job to

learn to diﬀerentiate between the mountains and the molehills.

Nurture independence with the ‘Three Before Me’ rule

A key issue for ‘snowﬂakes’ is that they are used to parents swooping in far too quickly to solve their problems and it’s important that we foster their ability to ﬁnd their own solutions. If they come to you with a challenge, it’s much more powerful to ask, ‘How do you want to sort this out?’. I recently spoke to a head teacher of a leading girls’ school

“Woke is really just another word for kind” who told me she encourages all her pupils to ask the ‘Three Before Me’ question: which three things have you tried yourself before coming to an adult for help, and why do you think they haven’t worked? Such questioning encourages independent problem solving which is key to classroom success.

Don’t mock the woke

Our children spend a vast amount of their waking hours ogling at Instagram inﬂuencers and a lot of the social media landscape is set up to make them feel that what they look like is more important than what they say and believe. Helping them to raise their voice – online or in real life – helps to develop their own sense of space and bolsters courage and conﬁdence. Really listen to your

children and look for ways for to help them to speak up. Oh, and it’s important that we don’t call them ‘woke’ when they do. One expert said recently that ‘woke’ is really just another word for ‘kind’ – it shows they care. Their ideas, no matter how diﬀerent to ours, should always be welcome around the kitchen table.

Hail the H2O

We’ve all tried to drill the fivea-day message into an eye-rolling broccoli hater. But instead of dishing out specific rules about fitness and food, try and encourage them to think more widely about their body as an amazing gift of strength and flexibility. Strong body; stronger mind, and sleep, exercise and food will all play a part in making their school day easier. If you do want to pick one ‘new year, new nag’ battle, encouraging them to drink water regularly throughout the day was, according to a recent survey of 100,000 pupils by the wellbeing app T-Cup, the #1 way to help keep school children focused. Even mild dehydration was shown to significantly affect mood and performance. New water bottle for Christmas, anyone..? Victoria Bond is founder & CEO of School Guide, an easy-to-use website that helps parents discover exam results, catchment maps and parent reviews for all their local schools For more: www.schoolguide.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 35

BEAR WITH US

Education is not all about the classroom. Muddy family obstacle courses and immersive roleplay provide a ‘learning through play’ experience like no other. Sue McQueenie chats to Ben Jordan, owner of Bear Town and The Bear Trail, to find out how this big adventure all started…

Ben Jordan

36 I EXETER LIVING I www.mediaclash.co.uk

Everything is better when you’re wearing a cape

hen speaking to Ben Jordan, that oft-misquoted line from the 1980s epic Field of Dreams springs to mind: ‘If you build it, they will come’. And, in Ben’s case, if you carry on building it, listening to your customers, and improving it, not only will they come, but they will keep on coming – over and over again. Ben, 36, is the brains behind the muddy family obstacle course, The Bear Trail (which won the Leisure and Tourism Award at this year’s Exeter Living Awards) and new children’s immersive role-play attraction, Bear Town, both based outside Exeter on the road to Cullompton and both created over the last five years on a journey which has certainly seen its fair share of challenges. It’s a fascinating conversation over a cuppa in the Bear Town café. All around us are children absorbed in play, dressed as vets, fire service crew and even bank robbers, clearly having the time of their lives; while adults sit and chat in groups enjoying some late afternoon respite from the perils of toddlerdom. During our conversation we range from the challenges of running a business, the amazing highs and the difficult lows; the fact that Ben is like a shark, with the need to always be moving; and, when things get particularly tough, the inspiration he takes from Arnie and his ‘Six Rules of Success’. Affable and charming, but resilient and determined; his energy is infectious, and you can clearly see his passion for building his business. After University he joined the Army on a short service commission, saying that he achieved the two targets he set himself – to reach the rank of Captain and

EDUCATION

AND THIS CHRISTMAS… Bear Town has been transformed into a magical metropolis full of festive joy with plenty of special Chistmassy touches until Friday 24 December. Alongside their one-and-a-half hour play session at Bear Town, all children will be on the ‘nice list’ and get the chance to meet Father Christmas in his magical grotto and receive a present. Visitors will be given their very own Christmas buzzer, which Father Christmas will magically activate when he is ready to meet them in his grotto, which means more play time in the festive Bear Town and no queuing! The sessions are for children aged one to seven.

Put your hands in the air like you just don’t care

to complete a tour of Afghanistan. This was followed by a stint as a buyer for Mole Valley Farmers, but Ben knew he wanted his own business and began looking for opportunities. He almost became a chicken farmer, but on visiting a field off the B3181 between Exeter and Cullompton, he realised he’d found the perfect location for his muddy family assault course and The Bear Trail was born. Finding investment was the next step and five banks turned down his proposals, until he met Nick Shepherd from NatWest. “He just got it,” says Ben. “All I had to show him was the field and the broken-down barn, but he got the vision and saw the potential.” He snapped up the land, got planning permission, set a deadline for opening and in just 12 weeks had created a series of muddy obstacles. His team were still nailing the final boards in place just 15 minutes before they opened to the public. Sitting comfortably “For the first two weeks things were miserable, and a few times we really began to worry, but all of a sudden, things changed and we had an amazing summer.” “The thing that I love is hearing families laughing together; the simplest of obstacles, the tug of war, brings the most laughter. I’d genuinely recommend any family to borrow a rope and have a go, it’s so much fun.” The going got tough in early 2018 when the ‘Beast from the East’ struck. Visitor numbers were hit hard, and revenue dropped. It was an incredibly stressful time for Ben and at times he got close to selling the business, but didn’t give up – instead creating a second attraction on the site which wouldn’t have to be weather-dependent. He came up with Bear Town and brought in the skills of carpenter and craftsman Adam Bishop, who built an amazing indoor street with rooms and shops; from hairdressers, to a café, a police station, to a vets. Completely bespoke, the fine artwork and attention to detail is incredible. “I knew I wanted to create an indoor attraction, but not soft play, as there

are plenty of those around who already do that and do it well. I wanted something different, so we looked at the Scandinavian model of immersive role play and although there are more places like this springing up across the country, we are the only one in the South West.” Work began on Bear Town in January 2020 and an opening date was set for July of that year, exactly five years after the opening of the Bear Trail; but this time it wasn’t the weather, but the pandemic which meant they couldn’t open. “We were so disappointed, but we’d faced challenges before and overcome them. We ended up setting three different opening dates for Bear Town with our first one finally happening in October, but we had to close just nine days later!” Ever generous with the acknowledgements, he gives his team great credit for the businesses you see today. And of course, there’s his family, his wife Claire, and two young children, who are already reaping the benefits of their Daddy’s efforts. “There have been times when things got particularly tough, but Claire never stopped believing in the vision we had and never stopped encouraging me. Her support, and that of family and friends, has been enormously important to me. She even managed to take the fact that I’d forgotten to put our wedding on my planning spreadsheet with good humour!” Ben is now cooking up another idea: a scheme where local business owners can support start-ups as unpaid non-executive directors. “I’m passionate about my business, but also about supporting the business community, and it feels like a way I can give back.” And for those who want to know… Arnie’s Six Rule for Success, the ones which inspire Ben, are: Trust yourself, break some rules, don’t be afraid to fail, ignore the naysayers, work like hell, and, appropriately, give something back.

“The simplest of obstacles, the tug of war, brings the most laughter”

For more: www.beartrail.co.uk; www.beartown.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 37

It’s the city’s business

EXETERWORKS The latest from Exeter Chamber

IT TAKES TWO

Newbies Charlotte McGregor and Patrick Tigwell

Exeter Chamber held their annual general meeting at Exeter College in November, where two new board directors were officially appointed. Charlotte McGregor of Wollens Solicitors replaces Laura McFadyen as a representative from the legal sector; and Patrick Tigwell of Thomas Westcott Chartered Accountants replaces Laura Seaward as Treasurer. The new appointments will contribute to the leadership and strategic direction of Exeter’s business membership organisation. “The Chamber board is delighted to welcome our new board directors, each brings with them a wealth of expertise from their respective sectors,” says Clodagh Murphy, chair of Exeter Chamber. “I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Laura Seaward and Laura McFayden for their service and contribution during their terms with the Chamber as they now pass the baton over to their new counterparts.” For more: www.exeterchamber.co.uk

Greg Parsons has worked in the food industry for decades

New on the menu

ocal food and drink organisation Food Drink Devon has announced Greg Parsons as their new chairperson. Greg has been on the board for a year already, is the managing director of Sharpham Cheese, and has worked for over 20 years in the dairy industry and even more in food and hospitality. “I am Devon born and bred and am incredibly passionate about the fantastic local produce in this bountiful area of the country,” says Greg. “Combining that passion with my broad industry experience, I hope, will stand me in good stead to take on the role of chair during such a dynamic time for the organisation and the local food and drink scene.” For more: www.fooddrinkdevon.co.uk

SHARP INTAKE

Exeter-based paid media agency, Launch, has announced the Looking appointment of Mike Sharp as sharp, Mike operations director. Sharp joins Launch from digital agency Adapt Worldwide and will take the newly created role within Launch to support the company’s growth. The company has already expanded its media team in 2021 with the appointment of Cleo Early, Harry Dunn, Alex Andreev and Owen Prior. Additionally, Hannah Ackford as head of client services and Victoria Richards as marketing manager. “Mike is an extremely experienced paid media expert and senior team manager, bringing a huge amount of value to Launch and its clients,” says Jaye Cowle, managing director of Launch. “He will support me in continuing the fast growth we’ve experienced over the past 12 months, which has seen us double in size, and win awards at both UK and international level.” For more: www.launchonline.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 39

PINK MOON won the Bar Award (jointly with On the Waterfront) at this year’s Exeter Living Awards. Here, Pink Moon’s marketing and events manager Amelia Pike chats about mentoring young people, club Tropicana nights and being the trendsetters of Exeter

EXETER LIVING AWARDS 2021

The overjoyed Pink Moon team

BAR WINNER Congratulations on your award! Tell us how did it felt to win the Bar Award...

There are no words to describe the feeling. It made the all the challenges of the past year worthwhile! How did you celebrate?

We celebrated (maybe a little too hard) on the night at our official after party in Pink Moon Underground, and we also took our team out for a lovely dinner the week after to thank them for making it happen! Why do you think you might have pipped others to the post?

We were up against some serious competition, and we are super happy to share the title with On The Waterfront, an absolute institution in the city! I’d like to think our forwardthinking approach to business gave us the edge. What makes your bar different from others?

We put a lot of energy into the youth of Exeter, as we see them as a key part to the growth and behavioural patterns of our community. We hope to mentor young people in running a business that is forward thinking, has a strong sustainable awareness and doesn’t forget the meaning of the word fun.

The judges commented that you have “brought many firsts to the city” – what are these?

We love this, as it’s something we are very passionate about. Our Drag Cabarets, DJ Brunches, Bottomless Brunches and Disco Yoga are some to name a few. We think it’s important to keep Exeter fresh and exciting, especially as it is now expanding rapidly!

What’s the best thing about working at Pink Moon?

That it doesn’t feel like work. We’re surrounded by like-minded, passionate people every day, constantly thinking of the next thing to put our creative energy into. What, if any, changes were made because of Covid that have become permanent?

We renovated our underground

“WE PUT A LOT OF ENERGY INTO THE YOUTH OF EXETER, AS WE SEE THEM AS A KEY PART TO THE GROWTH OF OUR COMMUNITY” The judges also called you ‘trendsetters’! Why do you think they said this? Was the plan to bring a healthy dose of ‘cool’ to Exeter?

Absolutely! We are flattered that some of the city’s most established businesses have followed suit. Being Exeter born and bred ourselves, we’ve always wanted to diversify the nightlife options. Bringing a fresh outlook on experience-led food and drink.

BUSINESS CLUB

space as a more dining-led bar, which we feel has added a whole new element to the Pink Moon experience. We first did this to align with the government restrictions when you had to stay seated, however we soon saw the atmosphere of dining and drinking downstairs and made it a permanent change. You can now choose between our light and airy ground floor restaurant, or our urban, neon, underground space to both drink and dine.

What have been the challenges of 2021?

Trying to navigate normal life with Covid. Staffing challenges have been huge, as I know the rest of the hospitality industry will agree. And what have been the highlights?

There are so many! The Exeter Living Awards to start… obtaining a second site in Castle Street, being the main food vendor at Party In The Castle, getting more involved with charity work and so many more. What have you got planned for the New Year? (are you hosting a party?)

Oh yes, and we cannot wait! We are hosting a ‘Club Tropicana’ NYE Party with two tiers of tickets. A threecourse dinner and party (£50), and just straight up party tickets (£15). We’ll have back-to-back DJs, complimentary fizz, a countdown, and loads more surprises! We’re going to be making up for last year. Any exciting changes or developments in the pipeline for 2022?

As always, not things that we can reveal yet, but there are a few very exciting things in the pipeline. So keep your eyes peeled! For more: www.pinkmooncafe.co.uk

Virtual one hour sessions, all free to attend Search Exeter Living on LinkedIn for upcoming dates and registration If you would like to get involved, please email events@mediaclash.co.uk

EXETER LIVING AWARDS 2021

ON THE WATERFRONT also won the Bar gong at the Exeter Living Awards. General manager Kelly Hacker tells us about supporting local causes, the challenges of the last year and the family team ethos BAR WINNER

us a bit about the causes that you champion?

We had a staﬀ party in October, everyone donned their best fancy dress and headed to John Gandy’s.

Over the past four years we have donated over £10,000 to diﬀerent charities, we choose two local charities each year to support and 50p of every Margherita pizza we sell gets donated to them. We are always on the lookout to help wherever we can, over lockdown we did charity pizza drop-oﬀs to key workers and have even ventured onto Dartmoor to donate pizzas to the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust.

Why do you think gave you the edge?

What’s the best thing about working at On the Waterfront?

Congratulations on winning your award! How did it feel to win the Bar Award?

Elated. It’s so nice and rewarding to know all our hard work throughout summer and beyond has paid oﬀ. How did you celebrate?

We have never stopped and don’t ever stop; we have an amazing team of managers all coming up with brilliant new ideas. Throughout every lockdown and even during the busy periods we are always thinking ahead whether that be new cocktails, new dishes or looking at how we can improve our service even more. What makes your bar that little bit different from others?

Our location and unique building speaks for itself and is how we diﬀer from other places, we have two restaurant rooms and bar/outside seating. You can come to us with a party of 100, for an intimate dinner, or chill outside with your favourite furry friend, there’s not much we don’t oﬀer. The judges commented on your charity efforts, can you tell

There are so many things it’s hard to put your ﬁnger on, from the absolutely stunning location of the historic quay, to the fabulous team we have who we can call family, to the fact we are an independent business who can make a diﬀerence. Tell us about some of the developments from 2021...

We introduced online ordering after we ﬁrst opened after lockdown which has now become a permanent feature. Customers can order with our lovely staﬀ at the bar or feel free to stay at their table and order online. What have been the challenges of the past year?

The biggest one is balance. Balance in hiring new staﬀ and training. Balance in following the government guidelines and knowing when and how to move on once lifted.

Kelly Hacker and her furry friend

Balance in increasing and reducing capacity of the restaurant. And balance in making sure everyone takes a break, everyone has worked so incredibly hard, and we want to make sure they’re recognised.

The ever-popular, On the Waterfront

And what about the good stuff?

The highlights have deﬁnitely been how busy the summer was and what an amazing team we had working it. No matter if someone was pinged or came down with Covid the rest of the team would pull together to deliver brilliant service. What have you got planned for the holidays?

We are welcoming back our large parties for Christmas into our beautiful long room. Work parties

“OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS WE HAVE DONATED OVER £10,000 TO DIFFERENT CHARITIES”

from all over Exeter (and Devon) will be dining with us to celebrate a long awaited (relatively) normal Christmas again. NYE we are throwing a big party with live music and a delicious three-course set menu. What does 2022 hold for you?

We are looking for new ways to support charities and hopefully collaborate with other businesses. We are working hard on big plans for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and hopefully with COVID calming down we can start back up more events such as our pizza making sessions for kids. For more: www.waterfrontexeter.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 41

Nuffield Health offers a range of private medical care

LIVING HEALTH

Fancy the peace of mind that comes with a complete health assessment? Or perhaps you fancy some relaxing skin treatments to help you feel rejuvenated this winter? Here are some of the local health and wellbeing practises that can help…

uring the past 18 months a lot of us, not wanting to add to the pressures on the NHS, have parked health issues. Hence, there has been a growth in people seeking private medical treatment, whether it’s getting a general health assessment or seeking therapy. We spoke to a few private medical practises to find out what treatments they offer. Erin Harrison, head of sales and services at Nuffield Health Exeter Hospital

A lot of people focus on their health and wellbeing in the new year…

Yes, we always see a peak in enquiries at the beginning of the year as people resolve to address the health issues that have been bothering them. Patients can directly access consultant care so it’s a much quicker way to be seen, access any necessary tests or scans, get a diagnosis and if necessary treatment. A complete health assessment is a great way to

42 I EXETER LIVING I www.mediaclash.co.uk

get a snapshot of your overall health if there is nothing specific troubling you. This includes a full range of blood tests that can even pick up markers for cancer and heart disease. What’s popular at the moment?

We are seeing a big rise in orthopaedic and cardiology enquiries, longer NHS waiting lists are one of the many unfortunate outcomes of the pandemic and so we are finding more patients are looking to access care and treatment at the Nuffield. Patients are paying for themselves and often accessing affordable finance through our partner Chrysallis.

£200 and tests and scans from around £100. Our procedure costs include at least one follow up appointment and any necessary physiotherapy. Our fitness and wellbeing centres do offer free health programmes for managing long Covid and joint pain. The nearest centres for these programmes are Plymouth and Taunton. Nuffield Health Exeter Hospital, Wonford Road, Exeter; www.nuffieldhealth.com

What kind of mental health support does the Nuffield offer?

At Exeter we also have a team of psychiatrists who specialise in a variety of mental health conditions including eating disorders and those conditions most affecting younger people. Can you tell us a bit about the costs involved?

Services based at the hospital attract a fee, an outpatient consultation starts from around

Tests at Nuffield start at £100

PRIVATE MEDICAL Acuitis is located on the High Street

general health conditions. There have been many technological advances in optometry in recent years, meaning sight threatening conditions such as glaucoma can be picked up years earlier. At Acuitis, we are proud to provide the latest OCT technology at no additional charge to all customers. This revolutionary technology uses infrared light to produce a 3D scan of the back of your eye, allowing the optometrist to look deeper for the very earliest sign of any issues.

Sophie Withers, optometry director at Acuitis Opticians & Hearing Care Can you talk us through some of the eye tests you do?

I think it is a common misconception that an eye examination is all about how well you see and new glasses. In fact, I would say the most important part of your eye examination is the health screening for both eye disease and

What’s the latest with hearing aids…

We are proud to stock the latest generation hearing aids that are not only so small they are barely visible but also offer amazing technology including control with app, automatic adjustment of sound in different environments and easy rechargeable options. We have also designed unique hearing spectacles designed to encase the hearing aid into an Acuitis frame of your choice, creating a single correction for both optics and hearing. n Acuitis Opticians & Hearing Care 193 High Street, Exeter; www.acuitis.uk

What other treatments do you you offer?

One of the most common problems for our patients post pandemic are dry eye symptoms. Increased computer screen use from working from home suppresses our natural blink reflex causing our tear film to deteriorate. In some patients this can cause gritty, sore eyes and can even affect the quality of our vision. We offer dry eye screening as part of all our eye examinations and many tailor-made solutions to support this issue.

Co-owners Sophie Withers and Luke Fleming from Acuitis

Inspired Dental Care

A GLANCE AT OTHER PRIVATE MEDICAL PRACTISES… Inspired Dental Care Apart from the mainstay dental treatments, the team here also perform orthodontic treatments including smile makeovers, implants, composite bonding, facial aesthetics. Great for anyone who…has a fear of the dentist. The team here run sedation appointments for patients that struggle with anxiety which allows the patient to not

be aware of what is being carried out, in a safe environment. Inspired Dental Care, 246 High Street, Exeter; inspireddentalcare.co.uk

Aesthetica Medical Spa The specialists carry out relaxing therapies such as facials and massages as well as more specific treatments like thread vein and tattoo removal, fillers, body sculpting and mole, skin

Spa visitors at Aesthetica Medical Spa receive bubbly on arrival

tag and laser hair removal. Great for anyone who…wants to get their glow back during these winter months. They have just introduced a new facial treatment designed to protect skin after months of cold air, artificial heating and masks and fibres clogging up the pores. Aesthetica Medical Spa; Exeter Castle, Castle Street, Exeter; www.aesthetica-medicalspa.co.uk

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 43

EXETER PROPERTY AWARDS

RAISE THE ROOF!

The inaugeral Exeter Property Awards on 19 November at Sandy Park celebrated the leading property companies in the region. Here’s a look at the highlights from the triumphant day...

round midday on Friday 19 November Exeter’s ﬁnest property people, all in the best of spirits (and attire!), descended on Sandy Park for the ﬁrst ever Exeter Property Awards. The event was, quite simply, a triumph. It was thrilling to see the array of participants, from the coolest of Exeter’s indies to the largest of the sector’s corporates; from local to regional to national. The sector was applauded and celebrated. This was the chance to say that Exeter property matters: commercially, practically, aesthetically. Huge congratulations to our amazing winners, a diverse and dynamic group of companies who are literally building the future landscape of Exeter. A special mention must go to the team at Positive Light Projects, the new community arts hub which won not only the Civic Development Award but, the biggie, the Winner of Winners Award. The judges said, “184-187 Sidwell Street is an exemplar new-build setting trends in Exeter with a unique design concept shining light on creativity of the city. Bringing vital footfall to Sidwell Street and shaking up the community positively. Gamechangers.”

It wasn’t all about the winners though. The day was packed full of social chat and merriment – introductions were made, job opportunities explored, deals discussed, partnerships sounded out and vital, glorious insider gossip shared. In short, this is where business, networking and friendships happened. And when so many contribute, so many beneﬁt. We thank all who backed and sponsored these Awards – we hope you beneﬁtted from the event and its marketing, the organisers of the Exeter Property Awards have plans for it to have a yet bigger impact on the sector in 2022. A special thank you to our co-host, the journalist and former Newsnight interview producer Sam McAlister who regaled us with fascinating behindthe-scenes tales from her days working with Jeremy Paxman and negotiating ground-breaking BBC interviews. On the following pages you will see the coverage received through your support of the Awards. And keep reading Exeter Living’s regular property pages to be ahead of the game for next year’s Awards happening on 21 October; join us for a splendid celebration of all things property, business, and Exeter. Stay tuned.

www.mediaclash.co.uk I EXETER LIVING I 47

EXETER PROPERTY AWARDS

CATEGORY WINNERS

The judges faced some incredibly hard decisions, but after much debate, here are their choices . . . Photos by Nick Matthews

ARCHITECT Sponsored by

WINNER:

KTA ARCHITECTS AND URBAN DESIGNERS

COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT Sponsored by

WINNER:

BROADWALK HOUSE, CASTLEFORGE

48 I EXETER LIVING I www.mediaclash.co.uk

CIVIC DEVELOPMENT

WINNER:

CONSULTANCY

WINNER: