Spring is here – hurrah! After a very rainy January and February, fingers are firmly crossed for dryer times. We are now open full time again and seeing guests both new and established is an excellent accompaniment to brighter weather.
Looking Ahead
And looking ahead in a different kind of way, we have been putting our thinking caps on to find ways to reduce our carbon footprint. A good and relatively simple step was replacing our plastic complimentary White Company products with a pump system, thus cutting out a lot of plastic packaging. We have also stopped supplying slippers – it just seemed a dreadful waste as they were used for one or two nights and then thrown away.
Turning to shower gel, hand soap and conditioner, we have chosen Natural Remedies for their vegan and plant-based ingredients and recyclable packaging – as well as the lovely aroma of Sage and Nettle! Overall, they say that 95% of the ingredients they use are of natural origin. Of course we rather like them; we look forward to hearing what our guests think – do let us know.
We’ve Been Branded!
They say you should always brand your business so with that in mind we decided to give the breakfast room an update with some – we thought rather delightful – place mats for the tables, with our logo in the top right-hand corner. And in case you’d like a reminder both of your stay with us and the English Riviera, we also have some for sale.
We Couldn’t Resist
Now, as some of you will know, we’re quite partial to the right antique – one that will fit in well with The Somerville. When we saw that two five-foot gold palm tree lamps had become available from a five-star hotel in London’s Mayfair we couldn’t resist! We were sure they’d look amazing in the drawing room and, so far, all of our guests have agreed.
And there’re more! A Congreve clock is one we’ve wanted for a very long time and now – success! Dating from the 1960s, they work by a ball bearing running across a track and knocking a bar which moves the time on. Let’s be honest – they are dreadful timekeepers! But who cares – they are mesmerising to watch.
Local Artist, Modern Art
We are always keen to support local artists and we recently came across a chap called James doing some rather eclectic pieces. He’s an artist and digital designer living in south Devon and his work is inspired by the peculiarities he finds in his surroundings. His art usually incorporates new technology, digital and traditional methods and techniques. Although he studied art and design at art college and university, he often prefers to learn by simply experimenting. Throughout his professional life James has created designs for some well-known companies and individual clients, but his energy is now focused on creating stunning works of art to sell to a broader audience.
Here is a taster of one of the 4 prints we have bought – we know its not our ‘usual’ style but thought it would look fabulous in the corridor as you enter the front door.
The Ups And The Downs
Keen to try a new route, we recently decided upon a rather epic walk from Brixham to Kingswear. In summary: 11 miles and LOTS of ups and downs! It took us six hours to complete and it is certainly not for the faint hearted. However, there’s a lot of sheer beauty along the South West Coastal Path as reward, and you can be pretty sure you will only see a few fellow ramblers as you go. Do remember, we are happy to advise on local walks – strenuous or less so! Just ask.
And that’s it for this update. Until next time.
Peter and Helen
