Crediton bucks trend in shop closures

There might be doom and gloom on many British High Streets but one place that seems to be bucking the trend is Crediton (or Kirt'n as the locals might pronounce it in their Westcountry way of abbreviating so many local place names). Crediton is a thriving town in Mid Devon and to the west of Exeter. Looking online at the Mid Devon Gazette they have the story that five independent retailers are setting up there whereas one might have expected a piece about a similar number closing such is the economic downturn.

Without me trying to pour cold water on things it isn't perhaps quite so good as it seems. For instance Jan Thresher of Kezia's hairdressing salon has purchased her own premises but had previously leased a different building in Crediton. So perhaps not an entirely new business but well done to her for grasping the chance to buy her own place. Another one is 'Fly Fishing Tackle', a business with a website for the last five years but who have now decided to have a 'bricks and mortar' presence. Now I find this particularly interesting because this is turning a recent trend upside down; I'm of the opinion that certain more specialist shops with their high business rates and energy costs will close and operate on the internet instead so for someone to add retail premises to an existing website seems quite unusual.

It's an undeniable fact that more shopping is being done through the internet and surely this will increase at the expense of our town centres. Once this recession is over it should be possible to start assessing just how much difference internet shopping is making to our retail therapy.

Crediton church clock keeps chiming

Crediton with its lovely red sandstone church and surrounding fertile farmland doesn't feature in the news that often. But new residents Claire Robinson and her partner have caused a bit of a stir recently. It's all down to the chiming of the church clock! Since the installation of the clock in the mid nineteenth century it's been possible to hear the chimes every quarter of an hour and the aforementioned couple although living some distance from the church (half a mile I believe) aver that the chimes are noisy and disturbing their sleep.

They collected a few names on a petition which was sent to Mid Devon District Council. Apparently Ms Robinson, who moved to Crediton last year, wants the chimes silenced between 7 pm and 9 am, no less than 14 hours of the day! The sound has been monitored from her house by officials from the council who have declared that it does not constitute a noise nuisance.

There appear to have been far more residents supporting the status quo than siding with Ms Robinson. I have to say I don't have any problems with clock chimes but there is one particular sound I really don't like: peacocks calling. I think that horrible noise is only in the mating season. Although as a rule I'm very fond of our feathered friends exotic birds like peacocks do absolutely nothing for me. Fortunately I don't have neighbours with peafowl but if I did I would just live with that ear jarring sound I guess.

Back to the church clock, I remember a similar complaint arising in Totnes not so long ago. Again it was an incomer who complained and again I believe that person was given short shrift by the locals. It looks at the moment that Crediton's church clock will go on chiming - three cheers for that!