3 minute read

SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP

THE BEST OF SOUTH DEVON

SHOPAHOLICS WILL LOVE SOUTH DEVON FOR ITS ECLECTIC MIX OF BOHOCHIC BOUTIQUES, HIGH-STREET STAPLES AND QUIRKY INDEPENDENTS

Hit the shops and boutiques of South Devon and it’s easy to see the area’s independent streak. There’s always something a little different on offer from vintage pieces to one-off artworks to bespoke jewellery. After an edible gift? The region’s food suppliers ensure that there are plenty of tasty treats on offer.

MAKE Southwest in Bovey Tracey is one of the best places in the region to buy local crafts, and it’s made even more special by its stylish surroundings. You’ll find functional and decorative ceramics, hand-made jewellery, glass sculptures, clothing and metalwork, as well as books and art. If you fancy a go at something yourself, sign up for one of their regular workshops. There’s everything from leatherwork to calligraphy to printmaking and weaving. Also in Bovey Tracey, the House of Marbles sells vintage and traditional toys and games including – you guessed it – marbles! On-site displays explore the history of glass, board games and potting, and there’s also a glassmaker and a brass-rubbing trail.

Cockington Court near Torquay is a 16th-century mansion-turned-studio space for more than 20 contemporary artists and makers. It’s a wonderfully interactive experience where you can see a blacksmith at their forge, a mosaic maker at work and chocolates being created. The studios are also home to a ceramicist, a florist, a furniture designer and a small-batch gin distillery, among others.

Beautiful Homewares

Looking for eclectic shops with an arty vibe? The Cider Press Centre at Dartington is for you. At the lovely ReStore shop, volunteer artists restore and upcycle old materials into covetable homewares. There’s also the Glass Gallery, featuring beautiful pieces made from recycled glass, and The Lifestyle Store, where you can pick up everything from pottery to textiles, including many pieces inspired by Devon’s wildlife and landscapes.

The centre also houses a swish food shop where 87 per cent of the produce stocked is made, reared or grown in the West Country. So you can stock up on cheese, chocolate and more safe in the knowledge that you’re keeping your food miles low.

You’ll find farmers’ markets and food events across the region, as well as plenty of places to buy interesting gourmet goodies, from traditional scrumpy to English wine to Devon-grown chillies.

At Darts Farm near Topsham, the owners concentrate on locally grown, reared and caught produce. Their fishmonger only sells the freshest of fish from Lyme Bay and their ice cream parlour serves up artisan gelato made with milk from the local dairy, as well as hand-made bean-to-bar chocolate. Other foodie goodness includes a small batch cidery, a deli and take-away fish and chips.

To the west, at the top end of Dartmoor, sits the pretty foodie town of Chagford. Blacks Delicatessen is a long-established, family-run affair, and you’ll also discover organic fruit and veg shops and merchants selling local cider and ales.

For more quality cheese head to Country Cheeses, located in Totnes, Topsham and Tavistock. They sell a hundred different varieties, all British and most sourced from the West Country. Try crumbly Totnes special Ticklemore Goat, Devon sage, made exclusively for

Country Cheeses, or the shop’s own Little Stinky, a pungent delight with an orange-washed rind.

In Salcombe you’ll find live lobster and crab on sale alongside wetsuits and fishing tackle. It’s also the home of local favourite Salcombe Dairy Ice Cream, which is made with Devonshire milk and includes flavours such as butterscotch popcorn, cardamom midnight and Salcombe mud (chocolate and biscuit), named after the mud in the Salcombe estuary.

If a day wearing out that credit card is your idea of a good time, you’re in luck! There’s lots of fantastic shopping to be had in South Devon, whether you want to check out some independent boutiques or get branded gear from a local mall or high street.

In Exeter, make a beeline for the Castle Quarter to get your independent shopping fix. It’s particularly good for small jewellers such as the long-established Silver Lion Jewellers on Gandy Street, which sells hand-made and Fairtrade pieces from around the world. Or Erin Cox Jewellery on Castle Street, which offers a fantastic collection of unique, contemporary pieces.

In the hip and historic West Quarter, you can shop for vintage clothing and electric guitars amongst the half-timbered buildings. In McCoy’s Arcade you’ll find Bookbag, a fabulous independent bookstore that puts on regular readings and events, including for children, and The Real McCoy, which is crammed full of one-off, pre-loved garments including ballgowns and retro leather.

For a stylish selection of men’s fashion and sportswear including Folk, Oliver Spencer, Carhartt and New Balance, head to Always in Colour on Fore Street.

Just south of Exeter on the River Exe, Topsham is an exercise in historic charm, thanks to streets lined with

Exeter’s legendary vintage store since 1985

Vintage clothing, American retro and formal wear hire.