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An eco-hub for Sidmouth?

  • by JW

Sideshore, Exmouth – “an award-winning coastal eco-hub, home to a watersports centre, restaurant, beach school, eco-hub and beachfront retail.”

And for Sidmouth – “a drop-in spot somewhere in the centre of town, to allow for different ‘eco-groups’ to present what they do and to engage with the passing public?”

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A couple of months before the pandemic hit, back in January 2020, there were serious thoughts about creating an ECO HUB for Exmouth.

These ideas were put on hold – until May last year, when a survey was launched to help shape ‘eco hub’ plans for an Exmouth public loo:

L: Imperial Recreation Ground public toilets (Google). R: Artist’s impression of the proposed eco hub (Transition Exmouth)

Environmental awareness group Transition Exmouth and Exmouth Town Council are developing plans to turn the public toilets at the Imperial Recreation Ground into an ‘eco hub’. They have now launched a survey asking people what services, activities and events they would like to see there. The hub could feature a cafe, wildlife habitats, solar panels, a wind turbine, vegetable plot, an accessible toilet and more. It comes after East Devon District Council advertised for people to “creatively repurpose” several Exmouth loos it cannot afford to run.

[It’s now somewhat out-of-date, but here’s the link to the survey at the time, as well as a note on the Transition Exmouth Facebook pages.]

Since these efforts, a fabulous eco-hub has emerged, in the shape of Sideshore“an award-winning coastal eco-hub, home to a watersports centre, restaurant, beach school, eco-hub and beachfront retail. Run by a non-profit Community Interest Company to inspire low carbon living and the protection of the natural world.”

As the website says, the making of Sideshore has been quite a journey, the germ of an idea hatching as far back as 2011.

Today, an important part of the set-up is the Sideshore Community – with inspirational things happening:

Sideshore Community was launched in February 2024, with a vibrant new Community Hub just next door to Ella’s.  The Hub is for the whole community, to host workshops, talks, events and drop-in sessions.

Throughout 2024 we have talked carbon footprints, circular economies, upcycling, local botany, renewable energy, sewage pollution, climate science and so much more.

900 children were taught about the Exmouth marine environment, by Exeter University, as part of the inspiring Sideshore Sea Safety project (which will be back bigger and even better in 2025).

The Hub regularly hosts plant-based bring and share picnics, letter writing workshops which give a voice to nature, a Climate Café, a resuable nappy scheme and opportunities to meet key people working on eco projects in Exmouth. To keep up to date with everything that’s happening at the Hub, make sure you follow us on Facebook or Instagram, and sign up to our Newsletter.

Over 2500 of you have used the Hub over the summer of 2024 – we are proud that! We want our CIC by the sea to be a centre for change. Whether you’re a seasoned environmentalist or dipping your toes into eco-living, the Sideshore Community welcomes you.

This is quite an undertaking – thirteen years in total.

But would some initially temporary set-up be possible for Sidmouth? Maybe not a full suite of talks and workshops and events – but a drop-in spot somewhere in the centre of town, to allow for different ‘eco-groups’ to present what they do and to engage with the passing public?

A possible germ of an idea?