business insider
Mark Godfrey focuses on a fun new chapter for the elegant Deer Park
DEER-LY BELOVED Deer Park Country House near Honiton is to cease operating as a restaurant and hotel in order to focus exclusively on being a luxury venue for weddings and other events. Says Mark Godfrey, MD of Deer Park Country House: “The demand for Deer Park as a wedding and event venue just keeps growing. One of the secrets of a successful business is to respond to what’s happening in the real world, so we feel it’s the right time to focus on that side of our business, and specialise in creating one-off celebrations for customers who are looking for something truly out of the ordinary. “The house and estate have never looked better, and the brilliant team behind the scenes are excited by this
change of direction. We have always regarded ourselves as part of the local community, and hope that we will in future be drawing customers to Devon not just from all round the UK, but from all over the world. “The hard part of the decision is that we’ll genuinely miss hosting guests for lunches, dinners and overnight stays. It’s been a real joy that so many of our local customers have grown into genuine friends. We don’t intend to lose touch, however. Deer Park Country House will still be hosting charity events and summer and winter balls, and we have just received planning permission for a new Cider Barn, so stand by for our first community wassailing event.” For more: www.deerpark.co.uk
SLOW AND STEADY Exeter’s first ever Slow Fashion Show – the flagship event of Style In Exeter Week, and hosted by Exeter-based ethical fashion and lifestyle brand Sancho’s and InExeter – saw over 500 people flock to Exeter Cathedral on 22 September to discover what the region has to offer when it comes to sustainable fashion. Says InExeter’s Ann Hunter: “There was a waiting list of people hoping to get in from a week before the event. We hoped the event would be popular, but the response has been beyond our expectations”. During the event, British sustainable swimwear brand Davy J, who are based in Newton Abbot, were named winners of the first Sustainable Design Awards, which uses 100% regenerated nylon yarn from waste, including spent and ghost fishing nets. Runners up were Storm in a Teacup artist and designer, Lisa Tricoteuse; fashion knitwear textile designer, Leanne Callon; and Exeter-based advocate of everything handmade, Arrietty. For more: www.sanchosshop.com www.davyj.org
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Kalkidan Legesse takes to the stage at the first Slow Fashion Show