Latest news with #NorthDevon
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
How a tech billionaire couple saved a Devon village, starting with its boozer
Two clock-off-early tradesmen nurse pints of Guinness at the bar while a miniature dachshund vents its small-dog fury at a larger mutt sat under a nearby table. 'Quiet, Pebbles,' its lager-sipping owner implores. ' Shhhhh.' It's a scene that could be playing out at any pub in the land on this Friday afternoon, but The Farmers Arms is not just any pub; it's Visit England's Pub of the Year – some accolade for the middle-of-nowhere North Devon village that it calls home. But Woolfardisworthy – or Woolsery, for short – is not your average village. While others of its ilk have faded in that familiar way, drained of brawn and brain by a lack of rural opportunities, Woolsery (population: 1,100) has avoided a similar fate thanks to a Silicon Valley tech bro. In an unlikely turn of events, Michael Birch and his wife Xochi, the multimillionaire founders of the social networking site Bebo, used some of their considerable fortune to buy up failing local businesses – including the then-closed Farmers Arms and village shop – to prevent Woolsery from folding in on itself. That might sound like an odd pet project for two San Francisco-dwelling tech entrepreneurs, but Birch was guided by a sense of duty, matters of the heart. His great-grandparents built the shop, his grandmother was born above it, and he spent many merry summers knocking around Woolsery as a kid before hitting the big time during the dotcom boom. 'It's a Netflix story,' coos Steve Manzanero, who's drinking in the pub with his wife Sarah Roots. They know a thing about reality shows, having moved to Woolsery from Basingstoke after taking part in BBC's Escape to the Country. The Farmers Arms helped seal the deal. 'We fell in love with the place,' says Mazanero, who is launching 'carbon-neutral' holiday accommodation in the village. 'I haven't seen Michael yet, but I'd love to have a pint with him.' 'Woolsery is a bit special,' adds Roots, a teaching assistant who won't be the first person to tell me as much. 'It's the best village I've lived in,' adds Tracey Renton, another regular, originally from Darlington, but who's lived all over. 'It's just magical.' Woolsery certainly has an air of exclusivity about it. In contrast to its rugged rural surrounds, the village looks neat and manicured. The shop is upmarket, there's a gourmet chippy and a boutique hotel scattered across several smartly renovated buildings. It's a model village. The Farmers Arms itself is a far cry from the spit-and-sawdust rural boozers of old, with its craft cocktails and à la carte food, served in the high-beamed restaurant out back. All these businesses, plus an under-construction hotel and restaurant in the Georgian manor opposite, are part of The Collective, a hospitality group set up by the Birches to breathe new life into Woolsery. It employs 62 people, most of them from the village. 'You've got to take your hat off to them, they've done something pretty special,' says Simon Odell, one of the Guinness-sipping tradesmen at the bar. Odell lives in the neighbouring village, Buckland Brewer, which, he says, offers a stark contrast to booming Woolsery. 'When I moved there, there was a pub, a butcher, a village shop, a Post Office,' he recalls. 'Now the pub's applying for a change of usage – all we'll have left is the shop. Not everywhere can have a tech millionaire to invest in it.' Odell, who runs Odell Building and Restorations, says he feels welcome at The Farmers Arms in mortar-splashed overalls, despite the pub's polished appearance and its £75-a-head five-course tasting menu (regular pub dishes, albeit with a gourmet touch, are available). His colleague, James Pearce, agrees. He grew up in one-pub Woolsery and remembers what The Farmers Arms was like before. 'It wasn't very welcoming,' he says. 'The landlord was grumpy and some locals liked to scrap. It went downhill. Then the roof collapsed and suddenly there was no pub.' Inevitably, there are those who hark back to the days when rural pubs like The Farmers Arms were innocent of modern trends. In a darkened nook, one local scoffs at 'the millionaire done good who came to buy the village'. It raises an obvious question: what do we want tech bros to do with their wonga? Fly the missus to space, colonise Mars or save one of Britain's many closed pubs? Others wish the beer was better – and cheaper. 'They've done a great job with the renovation – you can't fault that – and the staff are great, but they need to up their beer game,' says farmer, Zen Butler. '£6 for an ale – it's priced some out.' The Farmers Arms – a pub named after folk like Butler – is not, he suggests, what you might call a drinker's pub. He's right, of course – it's much more than that. A short walk uphill from the inn, along winding lanes lined with hedges, is 150-acre Birch Farm, which is also part of The Collective, and supplies much of the food served at the pub. Like Woolsery, Birch Farm goes against the grain. Literally so – you'll find no fields of wheat here. In contrast to the green parcels of land smothering the surrounding hills like a patchwork quilt, Birch Farm is a colourful mosaic of wildflower meadows, fledgling trees and vegetable gardens. A cacophony of birdsong greets me, courtesy of skylarks, blackbirds, bull finches, swallows. 'It was silent when we got here,' says Josh Sparkes, who manages the farm. 'But they came back.' Sparkes are his team are transforming the former arable and cattle farm into a 'climate-resistant perennial food system' that feeds nature as well as people. Among the wildflowers are chestnut trees, apple trees, hazelnuts and edible perennials such as sea kale and mashua, a potato-like tuber native to South America. Rare-breed pigs and sheep, which will be served at the pub, roam nearby. 'The input is zero; no fertilisers, no pesticides,' says Sparkes. 'We brought beetles back to eat the slugs. It's about working with nature.' Sparkes doesn't consider what he's doing rewilding. 'Rewilding pushes people out,' he says. 'We just want people to have good access to food that protects biodiversity. Traditional farming has got maybe 40 years left [before the soil is depleted]. We want to prove to other farmers that this can be profitable.' Back in Woolsery, chef Toby Neal is certainly grateful for the ingredients coming down from the farm. 'Not many chefs get to have the things that I get,' he says, as the orders fly in. 'It's unique.' The tasting menu is certainly like nothing I've eaten before. Each dish is garnished with edible flowers and leaves that pop with unfamiliar but welcome flavours. The whiteface Dartmoor hogget with morel and asparagus is sensational. And this, in tiny, middle-of-nowhere Woolsery. For waitress Sophie Buckley, who grew up here, the pub's unlikely revival has stopped her from being part of the rural brain drain.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Ellie Goldstein makes acting debut in iconic drama Malory Towers
Trailblazing model Ellie Goldstein is stepping into the spotlight making her acting debut in the beloved BBC iPlayer series Malory Towers. Ellie joins the cast as Nancy, a spirited new arrival at the school, with her first episode available on BBC iPlayer on Monday 30 June and airing on CBBC on Tuesday 1 July. Ellie has already made history as the first model with Down's syndrome to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine. Known for her groundbreaking work in the fashion industry and high-profile campaigns, she's now bringing her talent and charisma to the screen in the television adaptation of Enid Blyton's classic novels. Now in its sixth season, Malory Towers follows the adventures of Darrell Rivers and her friends at an all-girls' boarding school in post-war Britain. The series is a nostalgic celebration of friendship, fun, and growing up - complete with midnight feasts, pranks, and heartfelt moments. Showcasing quintessentially British storytelling, Malory Towers was filmed in studio in Bristol and on location at the beautiful setting of Hartland Abbey in North Devon, as well as other picturesque locations along the Cornish coast. Ellie's character, Nancy, arrives at Malory Towers with her guardian, who is none other than the girls' previous much-feared Matron, played by Ashley McGuire, making a welcome return to the series. Nancy, who has Down's syndrome, is a passionate history enthusiast and quickly proves herself to be a formidable lacrosse goalie. Ellie Goldstein says: "I am so honoured to have been a part of the fantastic series Malory Towers. I'm beyond excited to see my episodes and share them with everyone. I absolutely love acting and feel so lucky to have worked with such a wonderful cast and crew." Anita Burgess, Executive Producer for BBC Children's, says: 'Malory Towers continues to be a cherished part of our children's programming, offering timeless stories of friendship, resilience and adventure. It's a joy to see how each new season brings fresh energy while staying true to the spirit of Enid Blyton's beloved books.' Series 6 also welcomes newcomer Celeste (Ciara Prioux), alongside familiar faces Darrell Rivers (Ella Bright), Gwendoline Mary Lacey (Danya Griver), Sally Hope (Sienna Arif-Knights), Alicia Johns (Zoey Siewert), Mary-Lou (Imogen Lamb), Irene (Natasha Raphael), Jean (Beth Bradfield), Bill (Amelie Green), Felicity (April V Woods), June (Edesiri Paula Okpenerho), Susan (Ava Azizi), Clarissa (Amy Roerig) and Josephine (Emily Costtrici. Also reprising their roles are Ron Gilson (Jude Harper-Wrobel), Mr Parker (Jason Callender), Mam'Zelle Rougier (Geneviève Beaudet), Matron Maher (Ashley McGuire), Matron Shipley (Amanda Lawrence) and Headteacher Miss Grayling (Jennifer Wigmore). Malory Towers has been adapted for television by Rachel Flowerday and Sasha Hails. Episode 8, in which Ellie first appears, is written by Billie Collins. Malory Towers is produced by David Collier, and executive produced by Jo Sargent and Yvonne Sellins for King Bert Productions. It is produced in association with BYUtv and WildBrain, who are also global distributor of the series. Malory Towers was commissioned by Sarah Muller, Senior Head of BBC Children's Commissioning 7+ and the series is executive produced by Anita Burgess for the BBC. Malory Towers is now streaming on BBC iPlayer, with new episodes released every Monday. You can also catch new episodes on CBBC every Monday and Tuesday at 6pm. Watch Malory Towers on BBC iPlayer and add to your Watchlist HH Follow for more
BBC News
20-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Vacuum-packed chicken washes up on Devon beaches
A warning has been issued after vacuum-packed chicken washed up on beaches across part of North and Cornwall Police said officers were first notified at 01:40 BST to about five packs of chicken washed up in Westward Ho! and its surrounding force said it appeared a crate had fallen off a boat and the Environment Agency had been Police warned people not to take home any of the chicken as it would not be fit for consumption and to be careful if walking a dog in the area. Torridge District Council said its Public Health and Community Safety Team was aware of the council said anyone who found a packet should dispose of it responsibility and reiterated the police's warning to not eat the chicken. What is vacuum packaging? The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said vacuum packaging (VP) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) can increase the shelf-life of chilled food by limiting the growth of it added under circumstances a bacterium called non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) can grow in the absence of oxygen."This bacterium is able to grow and produce a harmful toxin at temperatures of 3C (37.4F) and above," the FSA said."It is important that VP/MAP chilled foods have appropriate controls in place to minimise the risk of this organism growing and producing harmful levels of toxin."
BBC News
19-06-2025
- BBC News
Apathy holding back reporting of crime in Devon, officer says
Policing resources can be prioritised if there is evidence of anti-social behaviour, a council meeting has at a North Devon Council's licensing and community safety committee, Devon and Cornwall Police urged people to report issues to help cut said anti-social behaviour was on the rise in parts of Barnstaple, Ilfracombe and Kevin Connar said: "Resources are finite, but if we know what is happening and told where the issues are we can better prioritise the resources we do have." He added: "Sometimes there is apathy [about] reporting because people do not believe there is an outcome from it... as police we are duty bound to investigate reports of crime. "You must coach the electorate to report and support them to report." Councillor Joy Cann said anti-social behaviour in Barnstaple had increased since street-based youth workers were scrapped as young people did not react well to police police said in the last three weeks a new outreach youth work programme had begun in Barnstaple, and a youth centre had been refurbished and reopened. Councillor Pru Maskell suggested crime was shifting to rural areas because it was more closely monitored in towns, and said one child she had spoken to was terrified of going to school in Braunton. Sgt Connar said when young people were not going to school out of fear it was an issue for schools to address as well as police and said when dealing with young offenders it was important to recognise adverse childhood experiences, deprivation and force said it had seen benefits from employing a dedicated child-centred police investigator.
BBC News
13-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Storks released in Devon for first time in 600 years
Conservationists have released 10 white storks in North Devon, in south-west comes as part of a long-term rewilding and species recovery project in the the first time that the birds have returned to the county, after centuries of being extinct in the were once a familiar sight across the country but vanished due to habitat loss and hunting. What's happened? The white storks were released from a farm in north Devon, after being raised in two large aviaries on the Engi, who owns the farm, said that she along with her children had spent several years rewilding their land, which now includes recreated wetlands, mixed grasslands and restored woodlands. Conservation organisation Keep It Wild also worked on the project to release the birds. Ms Engi said those watching "all had their breath taken away" when the storks flew free for the first time."It's extraordinary. These birds haven't lived freely here in over 600 years, yet as soon as they were given the choice, they stepped out into the landscape like it had always been theirs," Ms Engi explained. The birds are not being tracked with GPS, but early signs suggest they are staying close, building their strength and confidence before migrating Viney, director at Keep It Wild, added: "My hope is that more and more landowners will see these magnificent birds and be able to reimagine the land in their stewardship, into one where we can all thrive."The storks are expected to leave in August and fly through France to hope is that they will then return to Devon, as long as there is a colony to come back to.
