The Exeter Thread

[secretsquirrel]

Agree about French deli place. Have heard the ethnic supermarket place down there is good - have just got fab curry cookbook so am planning to head down to pick up ingredients!

Think they were trying to make that end of town the 'foodie quarter' - hence farmer's market (shite location poor sods!) and Foodeaze (great idea, doomed to failure - didn't do any market research prior to opening). Comes back to what someone else posted about there being a small amount of people with lots of money and many people with not much at all - as much as these places are fab in their own v.limited way, they are pricey and aren't for the ordinary and everyday and can't possibly develop a large enough customer base to support them without attracting sigificant custom from outside the city.

Look at Dart's Farm - they've managed to grow the business and develop it as an attraction in it's own right that people will travel bloody miles to get to!

Hope you're right about Waitrose - middle class through n'through me - I bloody love Waitrose and

 

[JTG]

My god.. you know what this means? The Nazis had a time machine! The implications!

and they still lost the war. they were rubbish

 

[Idaho]

and they still lost the war. they were rubbish

Well it's your classic pre-destination paradox isn't it. Schoolboy error on their part.

 

[secretsquirrel]

Oh, and why does bloody everywhere have to be defined as a niftily named 'quarter' FFS!

 

[Idaho]

Think they were trying to make that end of town the 'foodie quarter' - hence farmer's market (shite location poor sods!) and Foodeaze (great idea, doomed to failure - didn't do any market research prior to opening).

The farmers market is loosing more and more traders as they are getting significantly less custom down that end of town It's a real shame. I just hope they can hang in there long enough for the council to wake up and do something about it.

The problem with Foodeaze was that it didn't know what it was, and consequently none of the customers knew what to do with the place. They did some really nice stuff, and it wasn't too badly priced for the quality. However it was as doomed as a doomed thing. You just feel like shaking these people by the scruff and screaming "LOCATION" in their ears until they cry.

 

[chymaera]

thats cos its for tourist and beardy bitter/cider drinkers innit

I doubt many tourists ever manage to find it.

 

[Idaho]

Oh, and why does bloody everywhere have to be defined as a niftily named 'quarter' FFS!

It kind of limits you to four areas

It's pretty pretentious and is likely only to be used by the planners and marketeers, and swiftly abandoned by those who actually use and work in the areas.

I fear a Waitrose would absorb all the middle class money Exeter has, killing off the Oddbins up the road, and many of Magdalen Road shops.

 

[secretsquirrel]

Yeah, but given the size of the space they needed to rent and the overheads (losing £14k a week I think at it's 'height') they probably didn't have much choice over location. Plus, I'm sure they were sweet talking into taking it by the Council as they were desperate to get the space let and back in use (pure conjecture of course -but I bet I'm right!)

Btw, there must be a few of us here or close by these days? Surely it's time to organise a proper U75 gathering for us local folk?!

I reckon a cosy evening at The Hourglass followed by the delight that is Ringpiece...

Failing that, can't recommend Velvet Lounge highly enough - especially when Gobstopper's on - for those still young enough to occasionally want to 'cut a rug' to some 'bangin' grooves'

 

[secretsquirrel]

I fear a Waitrose would absorb all the middle class money Exeter has, killing off the Oddbins up the road, and many of Magdalen Road shops.

Fair point. <middle class wanker mode/> that deli in Magdalen Road is fucking lush though!

 

[JTG]

Oh, and why does bloody everywhere have to be defined as a niftily named 'quarter' FFS!

they're doing that here as well. It's bollocks, some attempt to foist fake history/heritage on us because presumably the names of the existing areas (like Broadmead for example) which have been used for centuries don't fit their marketing strategy.

 

[Idaho]

Fair point. <middle class wanker mode/> that deli in Magdalen Road is fucking lush though!

It is. But you have to dedicate a good few hours to a single purchase. I've seen glaciers move quicker.

There is nothing wankerish about wanting nice food

As odd as it sounds - they have a really, really nice english white wine in there. It's about £7, can't remember the name. Top stuff.

 

[Idaho]

I reckon a cosy evening at The Hourglass followed by the delight that is Ringpiece...

Failing that, can't recommend Velvet Lounge highly enough - especially when Gobstopper's on - for those still young enough to occasionally want to 'cut a rug' to some 'bangin' grooves'

Cut a rug? Bang some grooves eh? I'm quite into weaving and wood carving, so it sounds ideal.










Seriously though - i really am into weaving and wood carving

 

[secretsquirrel]

Sharpham or Pebblebed by any chance? Have tried Pebblebed at a tasting in Topsham through their distributers who have an open house set up sometimes. I was just wandering past at the right time.

(God, this gets more of a middle class wank-a-thon on my part by the minute!)

 

[Idaho]

You can never be that middle class in Exeter. It's too crummy and parochial. When you finally move to Topsham you'll know you've made it

It might have been Sharpham...

Very crisp, fruity, almost almond tones, light finish. Goes well with a fat pipe full of a sour sativa.

Outwanked!

 

[secretsquirrel]

Bah! I never thought anyone could outwank me!

 

[Idaho]

Anyone will tell you that I am the biggest wanker they have ever met.

 

[gentlegreen]

This thread may well see me looking at house prices and employment options in the Exeter area .....
​

 

[Calva dosser]

You can never be that middle class in Exeter. It's too crummy and parochial. When you finally move to Topsham you'll know you've made it

It might have been Sharpham...

Very crisp, fruity, almost almond tones, light finish. Goes well with a fat pipe full of a sour sativa.

Outwanked!

Hang-on, Sharpham is a cheese from outside Totnes?

Oh years ago, suppose they diversified.

 

[Idaho]

Hang-on, Sharpham is a cheese from outside Totnes?

Oh years ago, suppose they diversified.

Sharpham Rustic - fine, fine cheese. Good with ham. Prefer the plain to the herb and garlic one personally.

 

[Hollis]

This thread may well see me looking at house prices and employment options in the Exeter area .....
​

Exeter was expensive in the 70s..

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

speaking of shops did anyone see that Hortus shop that was there near the station?

 

[Roadkill]

I would certainly reject the claim that it was unfriendly. I would say it is the friendliest place I have lived. And everyone seems to know each other somehow.

I didn't mean to imply that at all. I completely agree with you: it's a very friendly sort of place, and I should have mentioned that in my OP. I like the way that in so many of the shops and pubs people say hello with a genuine warmth, in that pleasant, lilting Devon accent.

 

[Roadkill]

I always wondered why Exeter got it so bad - Plymouth and Bristol yes but Exeter?

It was really a Baedeker raid - as Idaho says - destroying a beautiful old city (e2a: but not in exchange for Dresden!). They tried to bomb Durham for the same reason, but missed. Sadly, they seem to have made rather a god job of central Exeter. And then, in the late 40s with the country nearly bankrupt, there just wasn't the money to rebuild all that well, plus in the 50s and 60s they were a bit too willing to listen to modish modernist architects, which is why so many provincial cities (I've got Hull in mind again) were left with nasty, cheap-looking concrete centres that only now are being smartened up or torn down.

Exeter was, and is, a pretty major railway junction as well, which was another incentive for the Luftwaffe to go for it...

 

[Roadkill]

And Topsham is just down the road - *sigh* - I dream of owning a house in Topsham...

I love Topsham. In particular, Joel Segal Books is probably the finest bookshop I know.

 

[Isambard]

<nicking stuff off DJBS again>

Hasn't on of the problems been loads of people coming down from the South East since the Met Office moved and pushing house prices up above local incomes?

My parents often fly from Exeter Airport, say there are some handy flights from there - if any of your are personally responsible for killing the planet!

 

[JTG]

It was really a Baedeker raid - as Idaho says - destroying a beautiful old city in excahnge for Dresden and the like. They tried to bomb Durham for the same reason, but missed. Sadly, they seem to have made rather a god job of central Exeter. And then, in the late 40s with the country nearly bankrupt, there just wasn't the money to rebuild all that well, plus in the 50s and 60s they were a bit too willing to listen to modish modernist architects, which is why so many provincial cities (I've got Hull in mind again) were left with nasty, cheap-looking concrete centres that only now are being smartened up or torn down.

Exeter was, and is, a pretty major railway junction as well, which was another incentive for the Luftwaffe to go for it...

Oh I know all about that, I live a few hundred yards from the concrete monstrosity that is Broadmead

 

[djbombscare]

Its a modern development. I would rather they made it honestly modern than tried to create some god-awful faux olde-worlde nonsense.

Yep its a modern development. And yes there was a load of old 50's 60's concrete there. That was ugly in most people eyes, it still a bit of Exeters history. Not so much now, however country chocolate box houses were once a new build by some medieval Barrats property developers

You have the old twee cathedral green, which I see they've modernised a corner of now where the tramps used to get pissed up. Which is nice and functional. And now Princesshay's getting the treatment.

In 50-60 years time when tastes change again, do you think they'll rip it all out again as this will be seen as old ugly buildings and not modern enough

What we're getting is old and shiny new. Wether its good or bad depends on you preferrances, it would be sad if theres no in betweens, only old places all laura ashely and touristy and the shiny new sterile lands. All desisgned to take your hard earned off you an make the shopping experience as euphoric as possible.

I did actaully think they were going to put a roof on some of princesshay But I can only go on the artsist impressions I saw on TV, the designs for Plymouth and Bristol also looked very very very similar, in fact I'd go so far as to say it was the same picture peddled about. but we'll see when they're finished.

 

[secretsquirrel]

I love Topsham. In particular, Joel Segal Books is probably the finest bookshop I know.

Ooooh - is that the 2nd hand place that rambles on forever and if I go into the downstairs I practically brain myself cos it's so low! I could spend hours in there!

Have you been to The Passage House Inn down by the river? They do the best steak and ale pie and you can sit right by the river and watch the ferryman bloke with his rowboat take people back and forth to the Turf Locks side.

Isambard: sorry, I'm one of those blow'ins In my defence I only moved here cos t'other half lives here and he couldn't relocate. I don't work for the Met Office though

 

[Isambard]

Isambard: sorry, I'm one of those blow'ins

No worries mate. My dad was born in the next village to ours but cos of my accent I've literally had: "Are you local?!" in the pub in Somerset.

 

[djbombscare]

Isambard: sorry, I'm one of those blow'ins

You aint in order to be one of those blowing you need to have sold a 1 bedroom flat in Uxbridge for a million and a half first.