The Exeter Thread

[djbombscare]

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

Oh come on you all thought it

 

[Isambard]

I was waiting for more of a come back on the "blow in" but buggars can't be choosers.

 

[Idaho]

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 agree with what you are saying. But in the history of all towns you have the same thing. Lots of shit buildings get put up and pulled down over the centuries and once in a while something enduring gets put up. Look at any city and you'll no really old crap buildings there - principally because all the crap they built back then has been knocked down and replaced.

 

[Roadkill]

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!

Aye, that's the one. And I have spent hours in there!

 

[Roadkill]

Ow my head.

After yesterday's drinking binge around Exeter with Epico, I think we can report two things.

1. The Prospect Inn, on the Quay, does a great lunch and a lovely pint.

2. The Ship, on Cathedral Green, does a nastily sour pint. Not impressed.

Somewhere in or between one of those two pubs and the Wetherspoons just up the hill from St David's, lie my glasses. That's the second time this year I've lost them when drunk. @ self.

 

[Skim]

I've never liked the place, always found it quite bland. But I'm from Plymouth, so whaddya expect?

 

[Idaho]

It is a fairly mild place. Plymouth, by contrast, is total shithole - as 99% of the people in the UK (and half the people of Plymouth itself) would attest

Roadkill - so are you in Exeter atm?

 

[Roadkill]

I'm actually staying in Bradninch, which is a little town I like a great deal. But yes, I'm at a conference in exeter over the weekend and then going back to London on Monday.

 

[Idaho]

We should have sorted out a proper meet-up. Maybe we could muster a last minute meet on Sunday evening. Not quite sure how many Exeterites we have these days.

 

[boskysquelch]

It was really a Baedeker raid - as Idaho says - destroying a beautiful old city in excahnge for Dresden and the like

You are wrong...as was Idaho...fkkn know_nuthin_Urb75_remaking history bollocks....even Calva saw it for b/s

 

[secretsquirrel]

Am pretty sure me n'fuct would be up for a quiet Sunday evening pint.

Roadie - have you been to the fantabulous Hourglass yet? it's at the top of Colleton Hill - that v.v.steep hill that you walk down to get to the Quay.

Failing that, the Prospect's alright - especially for a mellow Sunday afternoon when the sun's shining.

We've got the kids this w/end so will be kid-enabled until 8ish Sunday evening...

Anybody else?!

 

[secretsquirrel]

Btw folks - Italian market's here for the next 3 days - S.Street way where the farmer's market is held. Am off there at lunchtime to see if I can find lovely things for our tea.

Probably be skipping along in the sunshine like the middle-class ponce I am admiring the different types of mozzarella and seeking out some decent prosecco

 

[Idaho]

You are wrong...as was Idaho...fkkn know_nuthin_Urb75_remaking history bollocks....even Calva saw it for b/s

You seem so laid back about it. I would get much more angry if I were you - nutter

 

[boskysquelch]

You seem so laid back about it. I would get much more angry if I were you - nutter

nah...saying that Exeter and the surrounding area is full of paedos, nonces and families of an incestuous history of abuse would be a nutty thing to say...tho highly more accurate, than saying Exeter was bombed in revenge for Dresden.

From what I can remember reading, and being told by witnesses of the destruction of Plymouth & Exeter, the buildings were, by and large wooden in construction(mostly post Mediaeval in age) and could not be saved with the manpower or equipment available.

Funnily(sic) enough I've been on buses going round Charles Cross in Plymouth while "locals" have explained to German & other tourists how the church is "one of the oldest building in Plymouth which they couldn't knock down..cos it's old innit?" rather than a monument to the loss of lives...and when the tourists corrected the "locals" they turned round and told them that they were wrong, "cos they are foreigners..."

 

[fucthest8]

After yesterday's drinking binge around Exeter with Epico ...

So Epico is back in town as well then? Get him along on Sunday as well, gwan ggwan gwan gwan ... sunday afternoon pint on the quay? Gwan.



As for the rest of it ... I like Exeter, always have done since I moved here 10 years ago. It's a big village really. It's friendly (as others mention) there's almost nowhere I feel the need to avoid (apart from maybe eye-contact in a few spots on a Saturday night ) and I actually like the fact it's a badly planned and sort of disconnected ... led me to all sorts of interesting places when I first came here. Sure there's some shit clubs to avoid, but (when I was still doing this sort of thing) no two Saturday nights were alike, I was as likely to end up in a field somewhere with 250 other idiots as I was to end up in someone's front room watching a film.

First place I've ever lived where I actually talk to my neighbours.

 

[Idaho]

Sunday eve would be better than daytime for me - but no bother.

 

[Roadkill]

I can't really do a session on Sunday evening, 'cos it's my last night staying with my mum before I head back to London, but I could be up for a pint around 6-ish if people fancy it. If you do, PM me and I'll send you my mobile number since I'll probably be offline all weekend. Epico only came up for the day yesterday and AFAIK he's working all weekend, though.

Bosky - Everything I've read on the subject of the Exeter blitz suggests that the main motivation for bombing Exeter was destruction of a historic city - a Baedeker raid, much like the one aimed at Durham and (to a lesser extent) York. Itr wasn't in exchange for Dresden - I was wrong to accept that without checking it - but the Germans did try to destroy smaller and historic cities as a means of wearing down morale. Why else would it have happened? Aside from the railway junction, there wasn't much of strategic importance to hit.

I like Exeter. That much I've concluded. I've had another very pleasant day ambling around the city, trying and failing to locate my lost glasses. It's not the prettiest city in Britain (cheers, Luftwaffe), but it's got some good shops, it's very welcoming, it feels extremely safe and the pubs are as good as anywhere. Yup, I'd live here. It's nice.

 

[fizzerbird]

Keep Exeter clean...I'm currently looking to buy a few properties and become a bitch of a landlady MHUWHAHAHAHAHA!

 

[Isambard]

There's only one buy-to-let bitch allowed on the B&SW board Miss Thang!

 

[Idaho]

Anyone been to the new Princesshay yet? It's right next to my work, so it has been interesting seeing them put it up. I quite like what they have done with the space as it goes. I think it references well to the city wall and to the surrounding streets. However not being a woman who spends lots of money on clothes, the shops miss me completely.

E2a - Although the deli is ok.

 

[secretsquirrel]

Well, being a woman who'd like to spend lots of money shopping I've been and ... well ... I do wonder how well it's going to do once the curiousity value has evaporated.

Lots of the shops are at the real top end of the High St (Karen Millen, All Saints, LK Bennett, Hobbs) - some lovely stuff but fuck all under the £70-80 mark. Plus there's some real designer prices stuff (Caroline Charles, AH Moda).

I also wonder how well the architecture will work over the winter period. One of Princesshay's usp's is it's not undercover. Fine right now. Not sure about mid-January. Coupled with it being a bit of a wind tunnel already.

On the upside, am looking forward to eating at Giraffe (never made it to one of the London branches- been wanting to go for ages!) and Maison du Chocolat is a pre menstrual woman's little piece of heaven

Have wandered into the Chandos deli but haven't bought anything - again, I wonder if it can sustain itself or if it will go the same way as Effings and Foodeaze (amount of stock vs cost of floor space). Speaking of which... they're trying to resurrect Foodeaze - ad in Express & Echo last week looking for staff!

 

[Idaho]

I have bought two bottles of wine at Chandos - and very nice it is too. Had a chat to the fellow running it (maybe the owner, not sure) and he seems to be a bit more clued up than the Foodeaze folk. He already runs one in Bristol.

Not sure if it can sustain it - it'll all be about if they can keep the rich Devon folk local rather than going up to London.