Stuart Phillips, owner of Ottery St Mary coffee shop Tickety-Boo has announced plans for the business following the closure earlier this month of the play area.
The move means that not only will the play area still be usable – albeit on different terms than before - but there will be new activities available for younger children.
This is because the back section of the building which formerly housed the soft play and pirate ship is being rented to Baby Sensory. This award-winning initiative runs WOW programmes for babies and children from birth to Key Stage 1.
A family from Ottery St Mary have raised nearly £1,000 for the suicide bereavement charity that gave them ‘incredible’ support following the heart-breaking loss of a loved-one.
Gemma Youlden organised a New Year’s Eve party at the town’s cricket club to boost Pete’s Dragons, a service she had never imagined needing.
The cause provided ‘amazing’ help and comfort following the death of her brother Rob, aged 28, in March last year.
“I’m absolutely overwhelmed with the amount we raised,” said Gemma.
The 22-year-old chef hailed the night of fun and laughter,...
Enhanced Hospiscare services, including new nurse led clinic, have come to Ottery St Mary and surrounding areas, thanks to £50,000 of funding from the Ottery St Mary & District League of Friends . The launch was celebrated in the Sandhill Rooms at Ottery St Mary Hospital on 8th January with members of the local healthcare community. Adrian Rutter, Chair of Ottery St Mary & District League of Friends says: “When we asked the GPs of Coleridge Medical Centre what they saw as the healthcare priorities for the people of our town and villages, their answer was quick and clear; dementia...
Continued investment in training is paying dividends for the Volunteer Inn in Ottery St Mary, as three staff members celebrate achieving relevant qualifications.
Hannah Cureton obtained Level 2 in Accounting through the Association of Accountancy Technicians (AAT); Gemma Luscombe gained qualifications in Licensed Hospitality Skills and Licensed Hospitality Operations with BIIAB, the awarding organisation for work based learning providers and employers; and Charlotte Wills, who helps to prepare meals for the pub’s busy restaurant, qualified as Commis Chef with the Institute of...
Otter Garden Centres came to the rescue of the Ottery St Mary youth football club after declaring their existing viewing area unfit for purpose.
The family-run garden centre was approached by a member of the football club asking for help with urgent repairs to their lean-to shed, used by parents and supporters as cover when viewing matches. The shed was constructed of wood and sheet metal cladding and was leaking badly.
Sabine Taylor from Otter Garden Centres said: “The team discussed how we could help and agreed to donate and build a brand new modern summerhouse, with a...
Calling ‘time’ has a new meaning at the Volunteer Inn in Ottery St Mary, as landlords Mike and Jacqui Down are now the proud owners of a unique clock - created from the end of a flaming tar barrel.
The barrel was carried by Mike in the 2014 Tar Barrels event. At the end of the night and despite being scorched by fire, the barrel end remained intact. Local Tar Barrels Committee ‘legend’ Les White held on to the barrel end, which weighs around 30 kilos, while he decided what to do with it.
Eventually, Les found a clockface of approximately the right dimensions. He trimmed it...
An Ottery café has pledged to fundraise for local charity ELF (Exeter Leukaemia Fund), which provides vital support to patients and families living with leukaemia.
Tickety-Boo will be raising funds for ELF over the next 12 months using a variety of initiatives that customers young and old can get involved with.
Ideas include an elf treasure hunt, colouring competitions and guessing the number of shells in a beach bucket. A coin spinner in the café means customers can donate any spare change. Tickety-Boo is already offering free coffee grinds to keen gardeners, and any...
Two well-known culinary names are featuring back to back at the Rusty Pig this April, with a major emphasis on seasonal ingredients and local sourcing in keeping with the restaurant’s own ethos.
The first, on Wednesday April 25, sees Gill Meller join Rusty Pig owner, Robin Rea to create a midweek feast Tasting Menu. Gill, who is Group Head Chef at River Cottage and author of award-winning cookbook Gather, is committed to simple, seasonal food. He enjoys taking inspiration from the local area and small producers, growers and fishermen in the South West region.
Otter Garden Centres in Ottery St Mary has announced the total raised for its charity of the year 2017, Devon Air Ambulance Trust.
The East Devon branch of the family-run garden centre ran various fundraising activities across the year to achieve an impressive total of over £7,500.
£700 came from donations to the annual Memory Tree, where customers buy a red or gold ribbon to attach to a Christmas tree in memory of loved ones. £1,000 was raised from parking donations for Ottery St Mary’s Tar Barrels event, with a matching amount donated to the Tar Barrels Carnival Committee...
Coffee fans visiting the Rusty Pig in Ottery St Mary can now enjoy a specially roasted coffee courtesy of Exeter artisan micro-roaster, Crankhouse Coffee.
Rusty Pig ‘El Salvador’ coffee has been created by Dave Stanton to appeal to restaurant owner Robin Rea’s preference for a darker roast and fits in with the restaurant’s ethos for seasonality.
Robin said: “Not many people know that just like many other food and drink products, coffee beans change seasonally.
“So, the exact flavour of coffee our customers are currently enjoying may well be a little different in the...
