News Directory

Christmas 2025 in Dartmouth

2025-12-08T13:37:00+00:00

Dartmouth is full of festive sparkle this December. All month long, families can enjoy the magical Steam Train of Lights, a glowing coastal journey that brings Christmas to life in full colour. On the 13th of December, The Concert Band of the Britannia Royal Naval College will fill The Flavel with seasonal music at their annual Christmas concert. A perfect pair of events to get everyone in the holiday spirit along with plenty of other Christmas themed treats to get your teeth in to so why not come and see them for yourselves?

20th Anniversary of the Dartmouth food Festival October 25-27

2024-10-16T09:48:00+00:00

Join us this year to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Dartmouth food festival!

Along with all of the amazing food and events available, this year a new hard back book to celebrate the 20 years is being released “Dartmouth Food Festival Cookbook: A Celebration of Food, Friendship & Feasting” is packed with recipes and photos taken over the 20 years for you to salivate over.

For full details on the event and to pre-order your tickets and/or the new book please go here

Charity Beer Festival Oct 18-20

2024-10-16T09:25:00+00:00

Upcoming events in October 2024

We have a very exciting charity Beer festival coming to the Flavel in Dartmouth courtesy of the Dartmouth Rotary, Starting on Friday 18th to Sunday 20th October.

There will be Live music and great food to help keep the great selection of real ales and craft beers, from many local breweries, flowing.

Tickets start at £10 (includes three drink tokens!) and can be pre-purchased online or purchased on arrival, additional tokens can also be purchased on the day.

All proceeds go to local charities so why not get involved?

Full details and tickets available from here

Dartmouth Regatta: A Historic Celebration of 180 Years Awaits

2024-09-27T15:11:00+00:00

Dartmouth, UK – Get ready to set sail into a spectacular celebration as the Dartmouth Regatta marks its monumental 180th anniversary this August! This beloved event, known for its vibrant atmosphere and exhilarating competitions, promises to be a memorable experience for locals and visitors alike.

Family Fun Weekend: August 23-25, 2025

Kicking off the festivities, the Family Fun Weekend from August 23rd to 25th will feature an array of activities for all ages. Expect lively entertainment, delicious local cuisine, and engaging games, creating the perfect setting for families to enjoy the last days of summer. Live music will fill the air, and children can participate in a variety of workshops and outdoor adventures, ensuring smiles all around.

Grand Opening Ceremony: August 27, 2025

The excitement reaches new heights on Wednesday, August 27th, with the grand opening ceremony. This year’s ceremony will celebrate the regatta’s rich history with a special parade featuring historical vessels and local dignitaries. Attendees can look forward to captivating performances that pay tribute to the maritime heritage of Dartmouth, setting the stage for an unforgettable regatta.

The Regatta: August 28-30, 2025

From August 28th to 30th, the heart of the celebration will pulse with thrilling races and competitions on the stunning River Dart. Sailors and rowers from near and far will compete in various categories, showcasing their skills in what is expected to be a fierce but friendly rivalry. Spectators can cheer on their favorites while enjoying stunning views of the iconic Dartmouth scenery.

A Grand Finale: Fireworks Display

As the regatta comes to a close, prepare for a breathtaking fireworks display on the evening of August 30th. The night sky will illuminate with a spectacular array of colors, celebrating not only the regatta but also the vibrant community spirit that has endured through 180 years. It’s a fitting end to a remarkable event and a perfect opportunity for families and friends to gather and share in the magic.

Save the Dates!

Mark your calendars and gather your friends and family to join in this historic celebration of the Dartmouth Regatta. With an exciting lineup of events and activities planned, it promises to be an epic weekend filled with joy, competition, and community spirit. Don’t miss out on the chance to be part of a tradition that has shaped Dartmouth for nearly two centuries.

For more information and updates, visit the official Dartmouth Regatta website. Prepare for an adventure on the water, and get ready to celebrate a legacy that continues to inspire generations!

Tornado rips through South Devon

2017-08-02T07:48:48+00:00

The powerful steam train Tornado has been steaming through South Devon on Sunday.

There was disappointment earlier in the month when the first steam train to reach 100mph this century failed a test and was unable to pull the Torbay Express tour train to Kingswear.

But she is back in action and has powered her way to Kingswear with carriages of happy travellers and will be leaving at around tea-time.

Russian spy plane seen over Dartmouth

2017-08-02T07:46:38+00:00

David Bown was in his garden last week when a silver speck in the sky caught his eye. He said: “I took the picture on Wednesday, July 12th, in the early afternoon. I was using my camera, it was a lovely sunny day and I saw the light hit it. I took several photos; it was about 10,000ft, going slowly.
“It’s a propeller aircraft. As soon as I saw it in the viewfinder, I knew it was a bit special. I used to be a bit of a plane spotter many years ago. I did some research online and it is an Antonov AN-30, they are phasing it out, a new jet will replace it soon.
“I think it was flying under the Open Skies Treaty which came into force on January 1st, 2002 and has 34 states which are parties. It covers unarmed surveillance flights over the entire territory of its participants. Russia and the UK are signatories and the Treaty is designed to enhance mutual understanding regarding military forces etc.”

Expected bad weather forces luxury cruise ship to avoid Dartmouth - here’s where it’ll be instead

2017-08-02T07:42:55+00:00

The ‘most luxurious ship ever built’ will not be visiting Dartmouth on Wednesday as planned – but she will be able to be seen in Tor Bay instead.

The cruise ship Regent Seven Sea Explorer was due to return to Dartmouth on Wednesday for the second of three visits this summer.

But Dart Harbour said on Tuesday: “We are sorry to let you know that Seven Seas Explorer will not be calling to Dartmouth tomorrow, July 26, because of the expected heavy weather tomorrow – she will be anchoring in the shelter of Tor Bay instead.”

The 55,000-ton, 224-metre vessel, which is only one year old, is arriving in South Devon from Southampton at the start of a 15-day Iceland and Greenland cruise.

Tor Bay Harbour Authority said Seven Seas Explorer is expected to arrive at 6am and depart at 6pm. She will be at anchor south of Torquay Harbour and passengers will be transported ashore to Beacon Quay. A ‘restricted zone’ will be in place.

Call for local communities’ ideas for affordable housing projects

2017-08-02T07:42:50+00:00

South Hams District Council is challenging local communities to come up with affordable housing projects on which it can spend some of the £4.4 million worth of developers’ cash it is sitting on.
The cash – known as Section 106 money - has been squeezed out of developers to mitigate against the impact of their housing projects across the district when it comes to education, roads, open space, sports facilities and affordable housing.
Now the district council wants local communities to spell out how the cash should be spent.
It wants parish and town councils, councillors and neighbourhood planning groups to come up with projects that the it can invest the affordable housing share of the 106 money in.
And later in the year it will be doing the same for the cash designated for open space and sports and recreation projects.
Cllr Simon Wright, the district council’s executive portfolio holder for support services explained: “We will be consulting with town and parish councils and ward members on when contributions are due for payment from developers. We will also be asking local councils, members and neighbourhood planning groups to come forward with specific proposals for affordable housing.
“If communities come forward with applications for affordable housing, we can really put this money to good use. We will shortly be contacting town and parish councils, groups and members with how they can apply.”
Developers are required to hand over money to mitigate against the impact of their development to be spent on the infrastructure in the communities where the development is taking place.
Often developers hand over cash for affordable housing instead of building affordable homes as part of their development.
Some of the money waiting to be spent on affordable housing and community facilities includes £459,415 from the Riverside development in Totnes – now called Camomile Lawn - and £150,191 from Sawmills Field in Dartington.
There has been criticism from local parish councils that they have little idea about how much money is available for their communities and calls for greater transparency.
South Hams Council said that hundreds of thousands of pounds of 106 money had already been spent on projects around the South Hams – including £320,000 towards the cost of the all weather pitch being built on the King Edward VI Community College site in Totnes.
Mr Wright said the district has now laid out plans to improve the process it goes through when spending the money that is gets from developers.
This includes plans to keep communities up-to-date on how the money is spent and a redesigned process of how funds could be spent on affordable housing projects.
He said: “While £4 million does sound like a lot of money, S106 contributions are constantly being added to the pot and then spent on improvements such as sports pitches, play parks and affordable homes.
“This is not a new pot of money, it’s continually being collected and distributed across the district.
“What is new, is how we’re striving to improve this process. Until now, what has been missing is a constant method of sharing the details of when money is collected and how it is spent, so the money can go to the local communities it is intended for.”

South Hams to put merger plans out to public consultation

2017-08-02T07:40:55+00:00

Controversial “marriage” plans that would see South Hams and West Devon councils merge into a single local authority have come a major step closer with the decision to ask the public what they think.
The decision to launch a six-week consultation over whether the merger should go ahead was taken despite warnings it would hit South Hams residents with a massive tax rise and saddle them with the debts of an ailing West Devon council.
Councillors rejected a call to put the issue directly to the people by holding a referendum, amid claims it would cost £130,000 to organise.
But they did agree to totally re-write the draft consultation questionnaire documents that will go out to the public amid accusations that they were “biased” and “slanted” in favour of a merger.
The consultation will now start next month and end in October, when South Hams will have to decide whether to agree to a merger with West Devon and then wait to see if the Government will allow it.
If that happens a new council would not come into existence until 2020 – and that would be after a boundary commission review had taken place to sort out how many councillors there would be and boundary of their wards.
West Devon had already voted unanimously to press ahead with a merger consultation, while at Follaton House councillors voted by 22 to eight in favour – with the Liberal Democrats, one Green and one rogue Tory voting against.
Any merger will involve South Hams residents paying an extra £63 a year in council tax to bring them up to the same tax level as residents in West Devon.
That could be spread over up to 10 years – although the increases would be on top of any ordinary tax increases over those years.
But councillors were told that the merger would create £500,000 in savings and, along with the extra tax cash, would help fill the budget blackholes of both local authorities in the coming years.
Councillors were warned that West Devon is already in £32m in debt – the equivalent of £1,000 on the bills of every average Band D property in the South Hams.
Yet that local authority has just voted to increase its debt even further by borrowing £25m to invest in a property portfolio it hopes with bring in a “bail-out” income.
However, councillors were also warned that West Devon is in such a dire straits financially that it is likely to collapse within the next four years – and South Hams would be forced by the Government to bail it out in any event.
But Liberal Democrat Julian Brazil, who voted to drop the whole idea, warned that South Hams taxpayers would be hit by “huge tax increase to bail out West Devon” and likened it UK taxpayers being told to take a 50 per cent rise in income tax to bail out Greece.
“We will be paying to wrap a giant albatross around our necks,” he told councillors.
But Cllr Nicky Hopwood said South Hams had been happy to save millions of pounds by sharing officers and services with West Devon over the last decade and was now so “entwined” with the neighbouring local authority it now had “no choice” but to press ahead with the merger.
Tory councillor Trevor Pennington put forward the defeated amendment that the consultation should include a district-wide referendum as he protested the merger would herald the “demise” of second-tier local government in the area and was “undemocratic”.
His amendment was defeated by an overwhelming 23 votes to two.
No mention was made of what would happen to both authorities council headquarters at Follaton House in Totnes and Kilworthy Park in Tavistock.
A report that went before councillors said the options available ranged from letting out the offices, seeing them sold, redeveloped or remaining as they are now.
Council leader John Tucker told the meeting that the consultation process would involve town and parish councils, the public generally, Devon County Council, businesses and MPs Sarah Wollaston and Gary Streeter.
Deputy leader Simon Wright warned the Government was removing the rate support grant and there was no certainty over business rate retention, new homes bonus and sparcity payments vital to council income outside of council tax which is already capped.
“We have probably removed all the fat that we can possibly remove and we have to look elsewhere to meet this budget gap. This is one opportunity. It will not fill the gap but it is one opportunity that will help,” he said.
But Totnes district councillor John Birch warned: “We will be asking council taxpayers to pay millions of pounds to rescue West Devon.
“I was not elected to impose a massive council tax increase to save an ailing council.”
Tory councillor Judith Pearce, who was the only councillor to abstain in the vote, protested it was not being made clear the need to equalise council tax between the town councils could only be done by pushing the South Hams tax bill upwards.
She also pointed to the massive debt that West Devon was already stuck with and accused the council of being “irresponsible” in voting to borrow even more before the South Hams Council had even considered the merger consultation.
“It means that if the councils do merge the responsibility to pay this money back will lie with us because West Devon has no way of paying it back,” she warned.

Mayflower 400 in Dartmouth plans a family fun day

2017-08-02T07:35:52+00:00

Dartmouth Mayflower 400, headed by Peter Conisbee, its project director and former chairman of the defunct Dartmouth Business Improvement District, is holding a family fun day. It will be held in Coronation Park in Dartmouth on Sunday, beginning at 11am and finishing at 4pm. Dartmouth Mayflower 400 promises: “There will be lots of activities for all the family to enjoy; bouncy castle, games, stalls and cafe.”