Voters in Exeter have sent a message of change to the Prime Minister after Labour lost all its city seats at county level in the council elections Reporting by local democracy reporters Bradley Gerrard and Guy Henderson It was total wipeout for Labour and all change for Exeter as voters ushered in a major shake-up in the way the city is represented at County Hall Prior to the election Labour held six of the city’s nine seats and the Conservatives the other three but voters decided to upset the status quo taking all six of Labour’s seats between them All but one of the city’s seats saw a change A massive power-shift has ended a 16-year Conservative reign at County Hall with the Liberal Democrats becoming the largest single party ahead of second-placed Reform UK who had nine county councillors going into the election giving them the most members of any party in Devon With no councillors in Devon ahead of the poll Reform UK are now the second biggest party in the county with 18 members the result means the Lib Dems are short of an overall majority – which would have been 31 councillors – suggesting they may need the support of other parties to wield control with the party now only holding 7 seats from its 40 prior to the vote just ahead of the six Green councillors and two independent members A host of Liberal Democrat councillors that serve on district councils across Devon have gained seats on Devon County Council which had largely dominated the Exeter-based seats on the county council with six members have been entirely wiped out in favour of Reform UK and Green members Andrew Leadbetter held Wearside and Topsham for the Conservatives in the city-based division Devon County Council election results.Photo: Bradley Gerrard/LDRS As the first Exeter results were announced Reform candidate Neil Stevens took the Alphington and Cowick seat from Labour sparking loud celebrations in the counting hall at the Riverside Leisure Centre Pinhoe and Mincinglake also brought victory for Reform Edward Hill won the seat with a majority of more than 200 over the Labour candidate with Angela Nash taking the top spot ahead of the Conservatives with Labour third Afterwards she said: “People are fed up with being lied to constantly The last result to be announced was for the Exwick and St Thomas ward where Reform’s Tony Stevens completed a memorable day for his party The Green Party’s Thomas Richardson became the city’s first Green county councillor taking the St Sidwells and St James seat from Labour He said he was keen to focus on the city’s public transport needs “It’s very clear that people are very upset with the traditional parties,” he said and the Greens are providing that alternative.” Green candidate Andy Ketchin also took the St Davids and Haven Banks seat from Labour almost doubling the vote of his nearest competitor There were cheers as Jack Eade took Heavitree and Whipton Barton for the Greens – another Labour loss He had a margin of just 25 votes over Reform Liberal Democrat Michael Mitchell took the Duryard and Pennsylvania seat from the Conservatives while Conservative Andrew Leadbetter held Wearside and Topsham Exeter City Council’s Labour leader Phil Bialyk said he was disappointed to see defeat for a good set of Labour candidates who would have served the city well He said more people had voted for Labour across the city than for any other party “It demonstrates that there is still strong support for Labour in Exeter,” he added Labour and Co-operative Party 1054; BAKER Lucille The Conservative Party Candidate 452; GILLETT Holly Green Party Candidate 544; NEWCOMBE Vanessa Labour and Co-operative Party 815; CHELVANAYAGAM Bernadette The Conservative Party Candidate 470; HOLMAN James Donald Labour and Co-operative Party 1018; HORNER Jamie Liam The Conservative Party Candidate 274; STEVENS Tony Green Party Candidate 1070; NEW Katherine Helen The Conservative Party Candidate 474; POLE Liz Labour and Co-operative Party 1037; RICHARDS Paul Stephen Green Party Candidate 424; BALDWIN Ian Anthon The Conservative Party Candidate 631; BLACK Paula Joan Labour and Co-operative Party 1115; CAMPION Christine Anne Liberal Democrat 370; HILL Edward Clive Andrew Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 38; KETCHIN Andy Labour and Co-operative Party 777; NEWBY Rob The Conservative Party Candidate 260; RUFFLE Rod Labour and Co-operative Party 981; LUSCOMBE David The Conservative Party Candidate 188; RICHARDSON Thomas Morgan Green Party Candidate 609; LEADBETTER Andrew Robert The Conservative Party Candidate 1479; OWEN Chris The Conservative Party Candidate 843; KORNDORFER Johanna Franziska Sidmouth International Jazz & Blues Festival 2025 announces performances by Soul II Soul secure a discounted coaching session with a Devon professional and improve… Numbers of East Devon voters turning out to the ballot boxes amid the county elections… This free online site has been set up to share and celebrate East Devon news and events from Exmouth Our independent news service always aims to be fair We're social, connect with us:FacebookTwitterInstagram The Heavitree and Whipton area contains several schools These amenities generate significant volumes of short-distance trips which would be feasible to walk or cycle for many residents The E3 strategic cycle route runs east-west across the area and provides onward connections to Newtown and Exeter City Centre and the E12 cycle route runs north-south and provides links to Wonford and Marsh Barton which connect the area to Exeter city centre and Polsloe Bridge railway station provides links to Exmouth as well as connections to mainline services from Exeter St Davids Station The area is therefore well connected for sustainable travel journeys There are several north-south routes between Pinhoe Road (B3212) and Heavitree Road (B3183) which are likely to be used by through traffic as well as residential traffic increasing volumes of traffic passing through the area and impacting upon the amenity of the local area On many residential streets within the area traffic volumes exceed 2000 vehicles per day According to the Department for Transport’s Cycle Infrastructure Design guidance people are less likely to choose to cycle when traffic volumes are over 2000 vehicles a day The above map showed the top 5 negatively perceived issues within the Heavitree and Whipton area Several clusters where issues were most frequently reported approximately corresponding to Ladysmith Road Phase 2 consultation was held in September and October 2021 which invited feedback on a range of measures designed to address the issues highlighted in Phase 1 4 proposals were put forward of physical modal filters and bus gate Option 1 for reducing traffic proposed closing some north-south routes to through traffic Option 2 for reducing traffic also proposed closing some north-south routes to through traffic Option 3 for reducing traffic proposed closing some east-west routes to through traffic Option 4 for reducing traffic proposed closing all routes to through traffic three schemes were consulted upon within the Whipton Lane/Sweetbrier Lane area each aiming to reduce traffic speeds and/or improve pedestrian crossing facilities: Respondents were also invited to indicate preferred locations for additional electric vehicle charging facilities Responses to the Phase 2 consultation indicated that the proposals for traffic humps and pedestrian crossings were broadly supported with the Sweetbrier Lane/Whipton Lane roundabout scheme gaining Highway and Traffic Order Committee (HATOC) approval in July 2022 and subsequently being constructed in November 2022 A small majority of everyone that responded supported the introduction of traffic filters to reduce traffic Whilst a significant majority of respondents disagreed with options 1 2 and 3 for reducing traffic within Heavitree and Whipton opinion regarding Option 4 was more evenly split For further details of responses to the Phase 2 consultation, please see the consultation feedback leaflet Exeter’s HATOC approved the implementation of a trial modal filter package for the Heavitree and Whipton area under Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders The trial included the installation of physical traffic filters which used signage to prohibit vehicular traffic except for buses The trial involved traffic filters at four key locations: Ladysmith Road/St A bus gate was put in place at the Ladysmith Road/Park Road junction with a gap leading onto Commins Road and Park Road usable by buses Mark’s Avenue prevented vehicles from driving through to Pinhoe Road A traffic filter was also installed on Hamlin Lane between Hamlin Gardens and Wykes Road; creating quieter streets in the vicinity of the Hamlin Lane Playing Fields and Higher Cemetery A bus gate was also installed on Whipton Lane between the Whiteway Drive and George’s Close junction alongside a traffic filter installed on Vaughan Road near the Vaughan Rise junction The active streets trial was implemented using Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (ETROs) These allow an experimental traffic scheme to be in place for up to 18 months during which time their impact can be monitored and assessed ETROs must either be removed or made permanent It is a requirement of the legislation that statutory consultation is undertaken in the first 6 months of the experiment period and for six months after any modification is made to the ETROs Responses to the consultation could be submitted through a range of channels The primary means of response was through an online survey which could be accessed from a dedicated scheme website Printed copies of this form were available on request with members of the public able to request a copy be posted to them by email or phone Printed copies of the online survey were also available at two public engagement events held during the early stages of the trial responses could also be submitted by email A total of 8,952 responses to the statutory consultation were received A significant majority of consultation form responses indicated opposition to each of the scheme components 82% of responses were opposed to the various scheme elements the Ladysmith Road/Park Road bus gate (and waiting restrictions) and St Marks Avenue traffic filter was the most supported whilst the Vaughan Road traffic filter was the least supported A further Equality Impact Assessment was completed in May 2024 at the close of the consultation period which has highlighted a potentially disproportionate negative impact of the trial on those with protected characteristics in particular disability and age (both young and older members of the community) Following the completion of the statutory consultation period the results showed a significant level of opposition to the trial Monitoring data compared to pre-trial statistics showed significant increases in traffic volumes on the boundary roads and increases in delays experienced by buses on boundary roads There were some positives to consider such as an increase in levels of walking and cycling and reduced traffic volumes within the trial area given the adverse impacts reported by people with certain protected characteristics including disabled people and older people and in consideration of the Equality Act 2010 Public Sector Equality Duty a recommendation to suspend the trial was made This was approved by councillors at the 3 June 2024 Exeter HATOC meeting with the traffic filters and bus gates subsequently being removed in June and July 2024 with Terry Wheatley to become MD and Nicola McLean to become FD Already have an account? 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Contact us for more information Site powered by Webvision Cloud A bus lane through a busy Exeter shopping street will be scaled back after warnings it could create a ‘ghost town’ The city’s Highways and Traffic Orders Committee (HATOC) had originally considered opening the lane in Fore Street But it scaled back plans in response to a public consultation writes Local Democracy Reporter Guy Henderson the bus lane will operate from 7am to 10am and from 4pm to 7pm on weekdays only Campaigner Ian Frankum handed in petitions totalling 2,300 signatures warning that having the bus lane operational for 12 hours a day would cause major problems “Have we learned nothing from the mistakes of the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods procedure?” he asked referring to the Heavitree traffic project which was abandoned earlier this year amid accusations of insufficient consultation “The Heavitree community is losing faith and confidence in local democracy Traders addressing the HATOC meeting asked why the council originally wanted the bus lane to be in force on Saturdays and pleaded for concessions on loading and parking transport campaigner Edward Pickering said the COP29 climate change summit He said not having the bus lane operating until 4pm would stop it being used by school transport you are completely ignoring the needs and voices of young people,” he told committee members You are designing a transport system for Exeter’s future and you are nowhere near hitting your targets Stagecoach South West managing director Peter Knight said buses are the ‘lifeblood’ of the local economy but while the company would have preferred the 12-hour option it recognised the need for a solution that worked for all added: “We are stuck with 19th century roads trying to meet 21st century demands “It’s a rock and hard place; the things we need to achieve as a city versus how we get there and the crippling impact it will have on our own residents.” After a debate lasting more than three hours members voted to have the bus lane in operation for three hours in the morning and three in the late afternoon Heavitree Brewery ( (GB:HVT) ) has issued an announcement Heavitree Brewery PLC announced that all resolutions were passed at its Annual General Meeting reflecting shareholder support for the company’s current direction This outcome suggests stability in the company’s governance and operations potentially reinforcing its position in the brewing industry Heavitree Brewery PLC operates in the brewing industry focusing on producing and distributing a variety of beer products and serves a market that includes local and regional consumers For detailed information about HVT stock, go to TipRanks’ Stock Analysis page Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue Heavitree Brewery ( (GB:HVT) ) has issued an announcement Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response Devon's pub industry is facing a crisis with many traditional boozers and bars closing The number of pubs across the UK has been in decline for years but the start of 2025 has seen an unprecedented flurry of Devon landlords calling time from traditional country pubs to music venues and family-friendly favourites The owners have cited a disastrous combination of financial pressures including rising labour and wholesale costs changing habits and a decline in disposable income that have made it impossible for them to carry on If January is any indication of the year ahead then 2025 could be even worse for the industry The loss of Devon's rural pubs is particularly sad Many have existed for hundreds of years and have long played a crucial role in village life Their permanent loss signals the end of an era and a blow to communities Here are the pubs and bars who have said they will shut or not return in first week of January 2025 David Matthews, the leaseholder, posted the news on Facebook He said: "It’s clear that a combination of external pressures from council regulations to financial challenges has made it increasingly difficult to sustain operations "The enforcement to remove the outside stage and having already lost the heated pods has been a significant loss especially since they’ve likely been central to the venue’s unique charm and ability to host events "The cost of living crisis and upcoming budget changes are only going to add to the difficulty of running such a space This decision wasn’t made lightly and reflects the harsh realities faced by many businesses in the hospitality and events industry." A rural pub in Devon has become the latest to shut its doors - with the owner blaming rising costs Joshua Johnson only took over the pub near Bideford in May of last year but says it has become impossible to keep trading He said in a post to customers on Facebook: "It is with the deepest regret and sadness that we must inform you that The Bell Inn will be closing its doors for good on Sunday "I personally don’t know myself what will be happening with the bell once we depart but due to current trade levels and the rising costs of running the business we are no longer able to operate effectively." A much-loved Exmouth pub has closed its doors "with immediate effect" - becoming the second establishment in the seaside town in as many days to do so The Heavitree pub, on the corner of High Street and Chapel Hill in Exmouth having been open for over a decade under various managers and even different names the pub's latest owner has announced "with a heavy heart" that he has been left with no choice but to shut the doors of the Heavitree for good less than a year after taking on the mantle Keegan Walker took to The Heavitree's social media pages to share the news writing: "It's with a heavy heart that I announce the Heavitree will be closing with immediate effect." An Exmouth businessman who is hugely well-known not just for being the owner of a popular restaurant and bar but for also having organised so many ambitious community events in the town has announced with 'sadness and regret' a change of direction for 2025 that has come as a shock to many people who has run Spoken in the Strand for the past 14 years has confirmed the venue has closed as of 'immediate effect' and that he will no longer be organising events in the town He has literally gone out with a big bang having organised the town's recent huge new year's eve event that aimed to recreate Exmouth's reputation as being the fancy dress party capital The long-term future of Spoken remains uncertain but there were hopes a pub or bar may emerge from its demise the plan is for a new car park for both the public and patrons of two hotels Anger is mounting in Paignton over plans to demolish the ‘iconic’ seafront pub and replace it with a car park. Objectors say the landmark Inn on The Green is a historic seafront feature, and Torbay MP Steve Darling says it would be a shame to see it flattened “There have been some exciting and ambitious developments at neighbouring properties in recent years,” he said. “Is another car park really the best we can do for Paignton?” which is already cordoned off with metal fences has been lodged with the council by the Fragrance Group which has already built two new hotels for Mercure and Ibis Styles on the seafront Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right Additional TopicsContractsPremisesLloydspharmacyBusinessesClosuresPharmacy organisations supporting and championing community pharmacy since 1859 and is proud to be at the forefront of providing the latest news to everyone working in the sector Chemist+Druggist is a trading division of Citeline a Norstella company and operates as part of C&D Intelligence U.K Limited is a company registered in England and Wales (Registration number 13793264) with its registered office at 3 More London Riverside This site is intended for healthcare professionals only Exeter’s hugely controversial low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN) scheme in Heavitree and Whipton has been scrapped with campaigners declaring it a 'victory for democracy'. Members of Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee (HATOC) which is made up of Devon County and Exeter City councillors on whether to make the scheme permanent or axe it The Active Streets traffic experiment had been recommended to be suspended 'as soon as is practicable' following a nine-month trial after it was deemed to have significantly negatively impacted the lives of disabled people those with health issues and even pupils and a local special school who were said to have been subjected to 'additional distress and pain' it was decided to suspend some of the regulations stopping traffic getting through parts of the city straight away Others restrictions will stay in place until the school summer holidays Two in hospital after A38 vintage car crash Shock GP wait times for 90,000 people in Devon Exwick and St Thomas) said the phased approach was a ‘fudge’ but Cllr Phil Bialyk (Lab Exwick) said lessons had been learned and a compromise could be made “I think this is a sensible solution,” he said A boisterous public gallery at County Hall heard arguments for and against the LTN trial which has seen restrictions placed on some roads in the Heavitree and Whipton areas since August last year stopping through-traffic in a bid to cut pollution and make the roads safer Heavitree estate agent Lyn Burgoyne said her business had been badly hit ‘almost overnight’ when the Active Streets Heavitree and Whipton Trial Scheme began but climate scientist Professor Richard Betts of Exeter University said council reports advising the scrapping of the scheme were based on ‘poor quality analysis’ HATOC members heard arguments for and against the experiment Objectors say the trial scheme merely moved congestion and pollution elsewhere and roads on the fringes of the trial area were experiencing jams and delays More than eighty per cent of more than 24,000 people who responded to consultations said they were against the scheme A report to the committee recommended stopping all the experimental traffic regulation orders as soon as possible but members agreed an amendment that the Hamlin Lane Whipton Lane and Vaughan Road closures should be suspended within weeks St Marks Avenue and Ladysmith Road will wait until schools have closed for summer at the end of next month Wooden planters in the road will stay in place to slow traffic and discussions will be held with schools and community groups to discuss the way forward St Davids and Haven Banks) proposed the amendment and said lessons must be learned from the trial “It is not for politicians to inflict harm on the most vulnerable in our society,” she said Heavitree) was elected to the city council last month after campaigning against the project She said: “I and many thousands of others believe this experiment is failing in many areas and should be suspended.” St Loyes) told members: “This is a moment in time when you can make a difference for thousands of people.” St Loyes) added: “‘To right this terrible wrong action must be taken." But Cllr Tess Read (Green one of the prominent campaigners who had vehemently opposed the scheme since it was introduced expressed his joy at the decision to scrap the scheme and acknowledged the impact it has had on local residents and businesses during the trial period He said: "The decision today is vindication for our communities the vast majority of whom have been opposed to this trial from day one It's a victory for the carers paid and unpaid live and visit loved ones across Heavitree and Whipton "It's a victory for Lucy Haigh our new Independent councillor who has been campaigning for this for over a year; what a start to her career in public office "We need to recognise and thank the HATOC group - many new members - for taking this brave decision it reflects the failure of the trial in achieving its goals or winning any kind of local support thanks to the DCC officials for their professionalism They have had a very challenging time over the last 12 months managing and analysing the huge amounts of data and interpreting it for the councillors to base their decisions on "Thanks to the countless determined protestors who have given their time demonstrating at DCC and ECC the weekly protests and the collection of the petitions in the high street through all weathers The thousands on various Facebook Groups and other social media platforms who have shared their thoughts "They have been a huge inspiration and motivated us to keep going The brilliant Heavitree Advocates and LTN Protest group who have helped set the strategy and kept up the profile often through some difficult times never flinching or losing faith "This is a victory of common sense and has gone some way in restoring a little trust in democracy and has shown that the little people still have a voice in local policymaking There have been casualties and we very much regret the impact it has had on some of the businesses which have closed or lost custom as a result of this experiment "I hope those politicians who entered this venture without proper consultation learn a valuable lesson from this It was safe before the trial and will continue to be so when the barriers are removed "There may well be a compelling argument for some restrictions for a timed period near schools but there was never a need for a blanket ban We now need to heal our fractured communities and look at how we can improve living and working within them but for all "That has to start with improvements in the punctuality and reliability of our public transport." Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter Support our mission and join our community now you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism Some communities in Exeter are calling for safer streets and slower traffic in the wake of an aborted ‘active streets’ experiment which divided the city Three focus groups have taken place after the trial was scrapped last year with local people agreeing that traffic needs to be controlled and needs a city-wide solution,” was one message from a participant Several streets around the Heavitree area were affected by the trial which began in 2023 Through-traffic was barred from some busy roads Supporters said it made residential streets cleaner particularly in areas where children made their way to and from school But opponents said it simply moved the traffic to other places There were angry protests at council meetings and confrontations at the places where roads were blocked to through-traffic having been intended to carry on until this year Members of the Exeter highways and traffic orders committee agreed that a solution still had to be found for traffic in the growing city and vehicles had to be controlled near schools Many local people had agreed that something had to be done about traffic in Exeter but disagreed with the active streets trial and a consultation held before Devon County Council brought it in community leaders and residents to discuss next steps and highlighted community concerns around a lack of safe travel and a lack of trust in the decision-making process The ‘safe travel’ issue was a particular concern for children They called for speed limits to be enforced and lowered with safety being a particular concern near schools at drop-off and pick-up times A report from focus group facilitators LDA Design says they met people representing groups who were against the active streets trial but supported traffic calming and neighbourhood safety. However they were against the way the trial was imposed on them The report will be discussed at an Exeter highways and traffic orders committee meeting at County Hall next week " + $(".testo_articolo").html().replace(//g please subscribe and support local journalism Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles To continue reading this article for FREE,please kindly register and/or log in Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news Patrick enjoys a pint of Guinness with owner Kirk Petrakis (Image: ENT auditorium © Ralph Whitehead) Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm Delicious Spanish food is the order of the day at Goierri a beloved fixture in the heart of Heavitree this little gem has been a cherished destination for those seeking the vibrant tastes of Spain in the city Inspired by their roots in the picturesque region of Goierri the Jenner family has embarked on a journey to bring the authentic flavours of their homeland to the local community "We are beyond excited to reintroduce ourselves to the community as Goierri," said Paul Jenner Join Goierri in celebrating the spirit of Spain and the resilience of a family business that continues to thrive despite adversity.  For more information about Goierri and the re-open weekend celebration Supporters of cycling in Exeter have hit out at a report recommending low traffic neighbourhood road blocks are scrapped in Heavitree and Whipton urging city leaders to ‘take back control’ Cyclists in Exeter have fired a broadside at local Councillors over plans to end a controversial traffic experiment in the city early writes local democracy reporter Guy Henderson Restrictions on vehicles have been placed on some roads in the Heavitree and Whipton areas stopping traffic in a bid to cut pollution and make the roads safer But objectors say the scheme merely moves congestion and pollution elsewhere and roads on the fringes of the area are experiencing jams and delays Members of Devon County Council’s Exeter highways and traffic orders committee (HATOC) had been due to meet earlier in May to discuss a report which recommends axing the trial early But the meeting was called off to give the council more time to assess feedback from its public consultations with the same recommendation to suspend the trial More than 80 per cent of more than 24,000 people who responded to the consultations were against the scheme A report recommends suspending the experimental traffic regulation orders in Ladysmith Road Whipton Lane and Vaughan Road as soon as practicable It says a new study highlights the project’s ‘disproportionate negative impact’ on people with protected characteristics such as disability and age the Exeter Cycling Campaign says the report betrays council promises says: “It should not require bravery to cycle to school.” It says the trial has met its aims of boosting ‘active travel’ and reducing car journeys and councillors are now being put in an ‘invidious’ position by their officers’ report An open letter to members of the HATOC says: “What a tragedy that you are now being put in the position of receiving recommendations from your officers to reverse the progress we’ve made in the Active Streets Trial – a trial that is delivering on its key aims of enabling active travel and reducing car journeys “It seems incredible that the best solution the county council team can propose to you is to allow rat-running cars to again drive past Ladysmith schools and to increase car dominance in these areas of Exeter.” The campaign says the analysis of the incomplete trial has been poor And a spokesman said: “The inconvenience of some drivers should not override the benefits available from building active lives and reducing road danger and carbon pollution.” The letter urges HATOC members to ‘take back control’ and stand by their commitments but this is what you have come into politics for – to lead and make the bold decisions that will improve our city.” The map of the low traffic areas in Heavitree.Image: DCC Heavitree active streets illustration.Image: Devon County Council One of the low traffic areas near Heavitree The FORCE Cancer Charity shop in Heavitree has reopened for the first time in nearly three months The shop in Fore Street closed on March 23 due to the Coronavirus pandemic but the team has been working hard to get the building safe for staff and visitors And it paid off with a steady stream of customers throughout “Amazing day!” said Shop Manager Anna Heard “Great to see a lot of our regulars and welcome them back It has highlighted  the need for some more signage in terms of directions etc. so thank you to everyone today for helping us trial it “The donations bay was full within the first 30 minutes so thank you donors for your continued patience “There is some space for donations tomorrow morning but once again as soon as it’s full we will have to close the gate while we process safely and prepare top-ups for the shop floor.” There are new opening hours – Tuesday to Saturday Anna and assistants Sue Stone and Maddie Nott will be the only retail team members working and there will be no volunteers to begin with “Sue and I have worked very hard re-arranging the entire shop to allow for free flow of customers and a new queue point system,” said Anna “There are also lots of health and safety and information posters cleaning products and PPE available.” linens will now be on sale in the former furniture area That part of the building used to be a draper’s “It is sort of be a step back in time as we start up a new haberdashery area there and I’m really excited that we have created a new larger space for all the crafty and creative things we have to sell,” said Anna FORCE would prefer customers to make payments contactless wherever possible They are expecting a large number of donations and have cleared a large space ready to sort through all the contributions “We would ask people to leave donations in bags or boxes untouched for 72 hours before bringing them to us to help protect our vulnerable team members,” said Anna “We are also asking people to consider selling their items on eBay Facebook Marketplace or other online platforms and giving us a percentage of the monies rather than trying to come to the shop It would be really useful for those thinking of donating,” she added FORCE van drivers will not be making collections or deliveries FORCE will have five people taking part in this year’s London Marathon on Sunday April 27 Exeter Philharmonic Choir’s recent Mozart concert at Exeter Cathedral has raised a considerable sum of money for FORCE We have received an amazing £127,311.40 from our fantastic supporters at The Exeter We have been their charity partners for… Robyn Walton has a very special reason for signing up to ride this year’s Nello   Did you know you can ride The Nello on an e-bike We’re all about encouraging participation and… Calling all runners – and anyone looking for a challenge over the next few months We are delighted to announce that the latest Classics Galore concert has raised a fantastic £23,500 for FORCE Cancer Charity.… The FORCE Santa Cycle and Cruise raised £6,386.50 despite being rescheduled from November to January Dozens of red-suited cyclists pedalled… FORCE is holding an education study day at our Support and Information Centre on March 4 friends and colleagues of an Exeter woman with a rare form of cancer have raised more than £5,000 for… Sign up to receive our newsletter or information about FORCE We will never sell on your data - your privacy is very important to us The 2024/25 FORCE Report is out now with the latest news on how we support local people dealing with a cancer diagnosis and how your generosity helps us to do that FORCE magazine is free and is packed full of support All Rights Reserved | Read our Privacy Notice Yes, I agree with the privacy policy and terms and conditions.  In order to process your request your details will be added to our secure database For information about how we manage your data please read our privacy notice on the link above.  Road blocks banning traffic from residential areas across Exeter could be removed when the authorities next week discuss a report recommending the low-traffic neighbourhoods’ trial is scrapped A controversial trial aimed at limiting traffic in certain neighbourhoods of Exeter could face the chop writes local democracy reporter Bradley Gerrard The so-called ‘active streets’ trial takes in roads in Heavitree and Whipton and led to a huge outcry from residents Physical barriers prevent traffic accessing certain roads while ‘bus gates’ only let through approved vehicles It was hoped the scheme would encourage more people to walk and cycle residents say the unintended consequences mean that traffic on roads around the perimeter of the area have become jammed with traffic and that previously short journeys are lengthened significantly Now a new report set to be debated at the next Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee (HATOC) on Monday recommends the trial is “suspended as soon as is practicable” An impact assessment carried out by the council shows more than four in five (82 per cent) of the 8,952 responses to a consultation were opposed to parts of the scheme A traffic filter in Vaughan Lane was the least supported while the Ladysmith Road/Park Road bus gate and St Mark’s Avenue traffic filter were backed most Key objections include increased pollution increased fuel costs and a negative impact on the delivery of care services And nearly 2,000 people felt the community was “insufficiently consulted” before the trial’s implementation Protesters almost filled the public gallery at Devon County Council’s annual meeting in County Hall on Thursday (May 23) Even though the HATOC committee – which also includes Exeter City Council members – has the final say on the issue residents aired their frustrations again to the full council a vocal campaigner against the active streets’ trial said the community’s “impassioned pleas had been largely rejected” and that thousands of signatures of protest were “cynically swept aside.” He continued: “Data in January showed the trial was failing on key measures of success and the latest report confirms little has changed,” he said He said weekly protests at County Hall had taken place to try to bring the trial’s issues to the attention of Councillors and that a new independent Councillor for Exeter “Show some leadership and suspend the trial,” Mr Frankum urged the council meeting “Consult those affected and seek better ways to deal with the issues at hand and find better ways than this divisive experiment.” Vandals targeted Exeter’s roadblocks in Heavitree.Photo: George Poundlander an unpaid carer for her husband who has advanced outlined her challenging situation which means she can’t leave home for more than an hour “I am one of hundreds of unpaid carers living in this city saving the social care budget money and I want to tell you how much more difficult my life has become because of the low-traffic neighbourhood trial,” she said She told the meeting that aspects of the trial such as a bus gate on Whipton Lane and the block on Vaughan Road meant she had to use some of the city’s busiest streets “Turning on to Honiton Road has always been difficult but now at peak times it is all but impossible and you have to rely on drivers to let you in “I can’t always choose when I can leave my husband Proposals for roads in Heavitree and Whipton in Exeter who runs a sweet delivery company called Sugar Rush said it was “nice to speak to the council without you ignoring us and five times they have been restricted or deleted even though I’ve never used a swear word and never named one of you personally,” he said “Since these pointless blocks have been put in place my company has seen a downward turn in sales as my customers are unable to wait so long and drivers are spending hours in traffic,” he added a newly elected independent Councillor on Exeter City Council said residents were in Devon’s council chamber as they had “nowhere else to express their concerns as local residents felt they were not being heard and so I ran as an independent to focus on local issues and the biggest one is the low traffic neighbourhood,” she said She added a recent review of LTNs nationally had urged councils to “take the community with you” June 3  to debate whether to accept the officer’s recommendation to suspend the trial this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read Stephen and Valerie Newman at their Waerenga-a-Hika orchard Heavifruit Fruit Farms where they grow apples A devastating fire and the February floods have tested the Newman family over the past couple of years but with their new H1 packhouse up and running and the prices looking good for their citrus Valerie and their son Scott were frightened the fire was going to spread to the family home next door but fortunately it escaped with moderate damage to the paintwork and singed trees in the yard Heavitree Fruit Farm is a family business which has been run by Stephen and Valerie for around 35 years Before the fire they packed all their own fruit and suddenly had to find other packhouses They used a number of packhouses including Riverway Gpak and Zeafuit depending on what fruit they were packing The packing was outsourced for two seasons while they began planning for the rebuild Now the Newmans have embarked on their next chapter with a new 1500 square metre purpose-built packhouse H1 packhouse was built by Kiwispan and measures 27 metres by 45 metres It has a Compac two-lane sizer which was purchased locally The build took around eight months with delays due to a shortage of steel and building materials Heavifruit Fruit Farms has seven hectares in Waerenga-a-Hika which grows citrus (Miho Granny Smith and NZ Rose) and some stone fruit including peaches and nectarines They have another bigger orchard in Te Karaka (15 hectares) which was damaged in the floods “We think it will take several years to fully recover from February’s floods and we are still repairing two houses there that were damaged at Te Karaka,” Stephen says At the moment they are processing Valencia oranges from the Te Karaka orchard and while Stephen says the quality isn’t quite as good as it was pre-floods “We’re getting a good percentage of the premium tag one fruit,” he says Stephen and Valerie’s son Scott and his wife Laura recently bought another orchard nearby where they grow tangelos They are loving the convenience of using the new H1 packhouse to process their fruit As well as the orchard and packhouse businesses the Newmans are founding members of the Gisborne Farmers’ Market where they sell coffee and fruit They enjoy the social side of the market where they get to talk to their customers and get feedback on the quality of the fruit they sell there It is early days but they are already packing fruit for other growers and would like to expand this side of the business The goal is for the packhouse to work as efficiently as possible and Stephen and Scott welcome local growers to come and have a look around H1 packhouse is run as a separate entity from the orchard business and has been operating for around five months They have an excellent relationship with NZ marketers and are small enough and nimble enough to contract pack for growers with smaller quantities “We are very competitive with our prices and do a full packing and marketing programme for our growers,” Stephen says “We’re looking for more growers to join us and we’re hoping they will be attracted by the good prices we can get them for their fruit “The prospect for growing citrus and apples in our region is looking very positive with the citrus industry in good heart at the moment The Newmans are grateful to the local firefighters and the Gisborne business community for all of their help and support through what was a traumatic event Kelsey Teneti helped the Black Ferns 7s win the world title in Los Angeles The leader of Exeter City Council has called for a ‘sensible solution’ to the scrapping of the hated low traffic neighbourhood road blocks – resulting in some staying in place until the school summer holidays Exeter’s controversial Active Streets traffic experiment has been scrapped Some of the regulations stopping traffic getting through parts of the city will be suspended straight away Others will stay in place until the school summer holidays A boisterous public gallery at County Hall heard arguments for and against the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods trial A packed public gallery at the County Hall meeting.Photo: Guy Henderson A hybrid committee made up of Devon County Councillors and members of Exeter City Council voted to end the trial early amid huge public protests Heavitree estate agent Lyn Burgoyne said her business had been badly hit ‘almost overnight’ when the Active Streets Trial began Members of the city’s highways and traffic orders committee (HATOC) heard arguments for and against the experiment and roads on the fringes of the trial area are experiencing jams and delays More than eighty per cent of more than 24,000 people who responded to consultations came out against the scheme But members agreed an amendment that the Hamlin Lane Campaigners at Exeter’s Ladysmith Road bus gate.Photo: Caspar Hughes St Loyes) told members: “This is a moment in time when you can make a difference for thousands of people.” And Cllr Alison Sheridan (Con Archive image of LTN protesters at County Hall CYCLISTS in Exeter have fired a broadside at local councillors over plans to end a controversial traffic experiment in the city early. Restrictions on vehicles have been placed on some roads in the Heavitree and Whipton areas, stopping traffic in a bid to cut pollution and make the roads safer. But objectors say the scheme merely moves congestion and pollution elsewhere, and roads on the fringes of the area are experiencing jams and delays. Members of Devon County Council’s Exeter highways and traffic orders committee (HATOC) had been due to meet earlier this month to discuss a report which recommends axing the trial early. But the meeting was called off to give the council more time to assess feedback from its public consultations. Now it will take place next Monday, with the same recommendation to suspend the trial. More than 80 per cent of more than 24,000 people who responded to the consultations were against the scheme. A report recommends suspending the experimental traffic regulation orders in  Ladysmith Road, Park Road, St Marks Avenue, Hamlin Lane, Whipton Lane and Vaughan Road as soon as practicable. It says a new study highlights the project’s ‘disproportionate negative impact’ on people with protected characteristics such as disability and age. However, the Exeter Cycling Campaign says the report betrays council promises. The group, which is a registered road safety charity, says: “It should not require bravery to cycle to school.” It says the trial has met its aims of boosting ‘active travel’ and reducing car journeys, and councillors are now being put in an ‘invidious’ position by their officers’ report. An open letter to members of the HATOC says: “What a tragedy that you are now being put in the position of receiving recommendations from your officers to reverse the progress we’ve made in the Active Streets Trial – a trial that is delivering on its key aims of enabling active travel and reducing car journeys. You really have been let down here. The campaign says the analysis of the incomplete trial has been poor. And a spokesman said: “The inconvenience of some drivers should not override the benefits available from building active lives and reducing road danger and carbon pollution.” The letter urges HATOC members to ‘take back control’ and stand by their commitments. It goes on: “This is hard, but this is what you have come into politics for – to lead and make the bold decisions that will improve our city.” Comments Tel: 01363 774263[email protected]Follow us Further Links Owned or licensed to Tindle Newspapers Ltd | Independent Family-Owned Newspapers | Copyright & Trade Mark Notice & 2013 - 2025 Motorists and residents in areas of Exeter ruled by Low Traffic Neighbourhood restrictions are believed to have taken their frustration out on the ballot box The shadow of Exeter’s controversial Low Traffic Neighbourhood project loomed large over the city council elections Traffic has been restricted in a number of places through Heavitree and Whipton with supporters saying it will improve safety and cut pollution but opponents saying it has just made matters worse by moving traffic issues elsewhere While Labour held on to the city council and increased its majority by one Independent candidate Lucy Haigh seized the Labour seat and pledged to make the protesters’ voices heard She said: “People probably voted for me because they are frustrated about the LTN in Heavitree and Whipton Barton and the fact that they have not been given a voice to express their concerns “That’s why I stood – to give them that opportunity “I’m going to take the opportunity to sit down with different departments and I’m going to challenge some of the decisions “I will be taking their voice to the corridors of Exeter City Council.” And Conservative group leader Cllr Anne Jobson (St Loyes) said her opposition to the LTN scheme and the government’s recent announcement which said none should be introduced without the full consent of local people She went on: “We have very much fought this election on local issues – the LTN the lack of weeds being cleared up – it was a very very focused campaign we fought as Conservatives “We have consistently pointed out that there was not a proper consultation into the LTN You can’t call a consultation during Covid a proper consultation That message is shown not just with Lucy Haigh winning in Heavitree and me getting a safe majority in St Loyes but in some of the other votes the Independents have got as well “If there is one message to politicians is that if you want to do something Green Party group leader Diana Moore (St Davids) said she was delighted to have seen the party take the Newtown and St Leonards ward from Labour She said: “People can see that we have hard-working councillors who are talking to their communities and listening to what people have to say “It has been a pleasure to be part of this election campaign but it is really important that people go out and vote – to engage with the people who wish to represent them whose Exwick victory for Labour was the first to be announced said the party’s triumph had been down to ‘hard work’ it had been down to a party looking at the bigger picture He added: “I like to think people understand what we are trying to do here in Exeter on behalf of the residents We have to look towards Exeter’s future.” A once thriving independent business district fondly referred to as the 'gateway to Exeter' is set to lose its sixth business this year Heavitree's busy Fore Street is renowned for its mixed array of shops and now fears about the impact following the implementation of a trial low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN) scheme in areas of Heavitree and Whipton has seen traders struggle in the area The latest business to announce its closure is Blossom Lash and Brow Studio owner Emily stated she will be saying a sad goodbye to Fore Street on September 29 and will instead be continuing the business from her home studio Read more: Exeter traffic protesters hit out at council 'clowns' She has told DevonLive the closure is for a 'number of reasons' an employee also having a baby and another opening her own studio She described it as coming to an 'organic end' This month has also seen the closure of Fore Street Vapes after it was raided by Trading Standards, assisted by police officers, on August 31. More than £4,000 worth of illegal vapes was seized The shop had only been open a short while after taking owner the premises previously occupied by Afro Hair Creations salon which closed earlier this year It follows the recent closure of family-run hair and beauty salon Zealous tanning studio Vit-D has also closed this year as well as the premises of home care agency Helping Hands Heavitree also still has a vacant unit which belonged to betting shop Coral and the building occupied by former dog groomers Dufferson's is now being turned into flats a welcomed new arrival in Heavitree this year has been The Thrifty Stylist clothing and gifts in North Street that took over premises occupied by long-established florist Dunstans after it relocated onto Fore Street after a charity shop closed North Street has two empty buildings - long lost locals pub The Windsor and also business Cobalt Technology which is hoping to be demolished and turned into four homes The pub scene remains thriving in Heavitree with a refurbishment currently being carried out at The Horse and Groom following a renovation at neighbouring The Ship last year Indian restaurant Tamarind Bay continues to receive rave reviews on TripAdvisor and Google as does popular meeting point The Daisy Cafe which is regularly ranked Exeter's number one rated restaurant on TripAdvisor The changing face of Fore Street with its growing number of empty shops is said: "It is sad and disappointing to see these losses within Heavitree I think there are multiple reasons that have contributed to this such as Covid and the Cost of Living crisis and hence why we need to act now and support local businesses we are looking at avenues where we need help that cover parking an improved LTN solution and making the area cleaner and more attractive to entice people to spend their money here We need support from the local council and the police to make it a destination people feel safe in and want to visit." Matthew was one of the speakers at a full Devon County Council meeting who spoke against the introduction of the Heavitree and Whipton Active Streets trial last month which is set to be trialled for 18 months Controversial roadblocks are said to be negatively impacting upon the lives of residents and business owners and Fore Street is said to have seen an increase in already heavy traffic urging the council to 'Stop the Block' with immediate effect even if temporarily while a full consultation is carried out he said: "Having over recent years survived Covid and the cost of living crisis the traders and all local business people have now been thrown this latest curve ball… this farcical current LTN solution that will have catastrophic effects to the trading community within Heavitree and I also assume Whipton "Three businesses have closed or announced their imminent closure within the last week on Fore Street alone meaning that come the end of the month there will be seven empty units along this short and now congested Gateway to Exeter Comments received in the last week from traders include footfall and trade is down the post office opened late for the first time in nine years due to traffic congestion yesterday and shop windows are having to be cleaned more frequently due to the additional pollution "Numerous customers have said they will no longer be coming to Heavitree to shop drink or eat due to the blockages and traders have even told me this morning they lost business as a direct effect of these closures yesterday one of the ironies here being one of the roads that people used to use like many historic road names on our highways is named thus due to being a thoroughfare from one town or community to another – Whipton Lane that used to link Whipton and Heavitree The latest business to close in Heavitree - Blossom Lash and Brow Studio - has thanked its customers for their support owner Emily said: "It’s with a heavy heart I’d like to let you all know that Blossom will be closing its doors at the end of September It’s been a hard decision and it hasn’t come lightly but I know it’s the right one "I’m forever grateful for every single client who has come through the doors in the last 5 years And thank you to all the amazing people who have worked in Blossom in that time "I’m excited to be returning to working from my home studio. Jordan, Lily and Sandra are all continuing to work from other locations and you can message them directly for more information." Residents in the Heavitree and Whipton areas of Exeter have been asked how their streets can be improved to boost walking and cycling County and city council chiefs have joined forces for the online consultation on how to make the activities easier and safer The ‘Exeter Streets’ scheme aims to find out what changes people would like to see made to their local areas It follows the introduction of the temporary ‘pop-up’ measures barring traffic from some roads in the city to support walking and cycling during the coronavirus pandemic Some were delivered in Heavitree and Whipton – such as a closure in Chard Road – and Devon County Council (DCC) made a commitment to consult further on them Exeter highways bosses last month agreed to progress making some of the measures permanent They include establishing a permanent point-closure to vehicles in Homefield Road as well as the alleyway between the street and Ladysmith Road It is also proposed that a contraflow in Park Place is made permanent to allow two-way cycling A closure in Vaughan Road was removed following ‘negative feedback’ from the public Heavitree and Whipton Barton representative Councillor Greg Sheldon added: “This is a chance to shape the area and improve lives.” said: “We have pledged to carry out wider consultation in the areas where some of the temporary active travel measures have been introduced and this is an excellent opportunity for people to let us know what improvements they would like to see on their local roads “Our transport strategy has set an ambitious target to get 50 per cent of residents in the city walking and cycling to work and education by 2030 and we would welcome everyone’s thoughts on how they feel we can achieve this “Quieter roads with lower levels of traffic would support active travel improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions.” The online consultation runs until Friday Feedback from this will inform a second phase looking at issues raised and consulting on the detail of potential solutions E Braxton Reynolds died from complications from mesothelioma at 83 Heavitree Road which was both his home and laboratory To quote one retired public analyst “A singular individual in many ways but with sufficient endearing traits to remain much respected.” he read Chemistry at University College in London and left with what he described as “a very undistinguished degree” having not been enthused by the lecturers who “wanted the chemistry to be pure and not applied” On graduating he “went to work for Donald Moir of Moir and Palgrave Public Analysts for Surrey at Southwark Street close also to the laboratories of Amphlett Williams Public Analyst for the City of London in the Kings Head Yard just as Thomas Tickle and my father had trained Donald Moir in the laboratory in Exeter in the late 1920s and early 1930s was invaluable.” He passed his MChemA at the first attempt in 1973 and almost immediately took over from his father Dr Cedric Victor Reynolds as senior partner in Tickle and Reynolds and was appointed public and agricultural analyst for Devon He delighted in classical methods and would employ them in preference to more involved instrumental techniques Why go through an extensive extraction and clean-up followed an instrumental finish on a sample to quantify a non-permitted sweetener which is almost certainly absent when a quick yet sensitive qualitative test will confirm this “No analysis should ever be an ego trip for an analyst upon which substantive decisions safely may be based” At one time he equipped a mobile laboratory with a packed column GC to be able to provide a rapid analysis service for the active ingredients in sheep dip being used on the moors Samples would arrive by motorcycle courier; analysis would be carried out immediately with little sample preparation and the courier would leave with a completed certificate of analysis He was chair of the Scientific Affairs Committee of the Association of Public Analysts (APA) for many years and represented the Association on British Standards Institution (BSI) meetings on issues of foods attending Food and Agriculture Organisation/World Health Organisation (FAO/WHO) meetings on international standards including the Codex Committee for Methods of Analysis and Sampling (1992 to 2004) helping to speed up the importation and exportation of perishable foods raising concerns about the additives widely used outside of Europe.  His Presidency of the APA (1998-2000) came in the wake of the James Report calling for the establishment of an independent Food Standards Agency in 1997 He made a major contribution to the Association’s submission to the Turner Review of the Public Analyst Provision in England and Wales (published in October 1998) When he appeared before the House of Commons Committee on Food Standards on 15 March 1999 with Vice President Bob Stevens he offered “something of the order of 66 questions which it might very well be that this Committee would find of use” in its deliberations During his Presidency APA council meetings were “guaranteed to be entertaining though they hardly ever finished on time” He held the position of Vice President of the Analytical Division Council of the RSC from 1999-2002 With Norman Michie he was one of two public analysts on the original Food Analysis Performance Assessment Scheme (FAPAS) advisory committee FAPAS was set up by the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food to offer a range of external proficiency samples to public analyst laboratories to provide assurance that official analysis of food and feed was fit for enforcement purposes At the time FAPAS was then both new and exciting with continuous development Braxton’s encyclopaedic theoretical and practical knowledge of analytical chemistry was invaluable to the scheme as it developed Fapas now sends hundreds of proficiency tests a year to thousands of laboratories across all continents of the world His 1999 conference (APA’99) on the theme of integrated public protection was held at a time when there were 31 public analyst laboratories in the UK (9 in 2023) the Food Standards Act 1999 and the Local Government Act 1999 were not yet on the statute book Presentations covered the role of public analysts in inspecting food businesses continuing professional competence and unused evidential material Reduced local authority spending on sampling and analysis during the early years of the century together with the increasing demands of accreditation eventually resulted in Braxton relinquishing his appointments though he continued to act as an expert witness particularly in drink driving cases for a number of years The Royal Society of Chemistry is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on this page