The Ilfracombe Magazine - December 2022 edition

Ilfracombe

A word from the editor

Welcome to the December edition of The Ilfracombe Magazine! Before we go any further, let’s address the elephant in the room - I know it’s not been snowing and, consequently, the image above and the one on the front page obviously aren’t current. However, I will justify this the same way I do every year - it’s Christmas and I want to see some snow (even if it is old snow)! Frankly, we may well have had snow by the time this edition lands on your door mat, the weather has definitely taken a chilly

turn of late! This month we are happy to bring you the story of Ilfracombe’s new Repair Cafe which should, by the time of publication, be fully up and running. Initiated by the good fel lows at Plastic Free North Devon, this great project aims to get us all sewing, knitting, patching, mending and generally fixing up all manner of things, from clothes to bicycles (full details on page 12). Hot on the heels of last month’s story about the Dilkhusa Hotel - in which the Home Office assured us they

would not be using the property to house asylum seekers - this month we report on the inevitable u-turn. North Devon Coun cil has done it’s best to answer as many questions as possible to alleviate any local concerns (full details on page 8). Let’s not forget these are people who have been through extraordinary struggles and escaped very unpleasant situations to be here - so please, be kind. Merry Christmas!

Leo The Ilfracombe Magazine

- win a delicious roast dinner!

You could win a delicious Sunday roast dinner at the Lakeside Restaurant at Hidden Valley Holiday Park All you have to do is correctly identify the Ilfracombe street In this picture from Google Street View. Email your answer, name and full address to be in with a chance to win. Send it to us at: theilfracombemagazine@outlook.com

The winner of last month’s competition is Ivan Frances who correctly identified Montpellier Terrace. Congratulations!

Dilkhusa hotel - council answers your questions

Following a U-turn by the Home Office, North Devon Council has now confirmed that a group of asylum seekers are being temporarily housed at the Dilkhusa Hotel. The council has now issued a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) in the hope of adressing local queries. We have printed a small selection of these FAQs, but you can read the full list on North Devon Council’s website.

Why is a hotel in North Devon being used as accommodation for asylum seekers?

The Home Office has a statutory obligation to pro vide support including accommodation to homeless asylum seekers whilst their claims are being considered. In recent months, the asylum system has faced significant pressures and it has become necessary to source, and use, additional temporary accommodation, such as hotels to ensure the Home Office can con tinue to meet its statutory obligations.

Who is accommodated at the hotel?

This accommodation is be ing used to accommodate asylum seekers, who comprise a mix of families and

single males. These are people who have claimed asylum in the United Kingdom, and whose initial asylum claims will be pro cessed and are under consideration by the Home Of fice. They are not detained, and so are free to come and go, but are expected to be on site overnight.

How long will the asylum seekers be here for?

It is not yet known how long the hotel will be used for this purpose. No fixed con tract has been entered into with the hotel and so the need to use the hotel will be continually assessed.

Is the hotel suitable accommodation?

We have not assessed the hotel as a local authority,

and the standard of the accommodation is the responsibility of the ac commodation provider. The accommodation is safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped in line with existing asylum accommodation standards, contractual requirements and is Covid-19 secure.

What security measures have been put in place?

The hotel has a security presence 24/7. The Home Office and its accommoda tion provider keep security under review.

Read the full FAQs at at www.northdevon.gov.uk/ housing/asylum-seekerscontingency-accommodation.

new repair cafe comes to ilfracombe

A new project with a “make do and mend” philosophy is offering people in Ilfracombe an opportunity to come together as a com munity, learn new skills, save money, and help save the planet - one punctured bike tyre or broken zipper at a time! The Ilfracombe Repair Cafe is a partnership project, part of local envi ronmental charity Plastic Free North Devon’s (PFND) expanding Repair Cafe net work. It will be jointly hosted by Ilfracombe’s Earth Repair Shop and hand:plant cafe, with the support of volunteers from the local community. The aim of the cafes is to reduce waste by helping people to repair items that may otherwise be thrown away, to support people during the cost of living crisis (donations are welcomed, but there is no pressure or expectation), and to create a welcoming community hub. The first Ilfracombe Repair Cafe was held on Sunday 27th November, with bike and sew ing machine repairs taking place in the Earth Repair Shop on Church Street, and sewing, general, and some basic jewellery repairs tak ing place in hand:plant cafe on the High Street. The plan is to host the Cafe on the last Sunday of every

other month from 10am1pm. The team are currently on the lookout for more volunteers, either to share their mending skills or to help out behind the scenes. You don’t need to be a professional seamstress or upholsterer or mechanic to volunteer - just someone with some basic skills who is happy to share what they know. There is no pressure to undertake any repairs that you are not confident with. Please get in touch with the Earth Repair Shop on info@earthrepairshop. org if you would like to get involved. Tia Psihogios, Campaigns and Premises Manager at the Earth

Repair Shop, said: “We’re really excited to be starting up a Repair Cafe - here at the Earth Repair Shop, we’re always looking for new ways to support nature and biodiversity within our community and local area. Reducing our waste, and providing an alternative for consumerism, is a really simple way to do this.”

Claire Moodie, CEO for Plastic Free North Dev on, said: “Running our Braunton cafe over the last year has been one of the most rewarding things we have done and we are re ally proud and excited to be expanding on this concept.’’