1.  Home in Dartmouth

There’s a new shop in town! Home… in Foss Street is the brand new venture of Helen & Adam (formerly of Dartmouth Ice Cream). As the name suggests home … is a colourful array of gifts for you and your abode! They stock a wide range of pottery, textiles, soft furnishings, toiletries, baskets, wood ware, cards and gift wrap, as well as 2 exciting ranges of country furniture all handcrafted in Devon.

Adam and Helen are proud to offer exclusively, a range of top designer brands such as Emma Bridgewater, Susie Watson, Greengate, Grand Illusions, Avoca and Baileys Home & Garden as well a selection of innovative and unique gifts from individual and local artisans including Theresa & Simon Hart, Anne Mortimer and Hanne Rysgaard. So pop in and see them over Easter and add a splash of colour to your home …

The Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Link are proud to announce their new company trading name of Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company. To celebrate the new name, on 17th and 18th April the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company are offering Devon residents the opportunity to travel on any excursion for half price!!

Andrew Pooley, General Manager said, “In the past the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Link have been known by a number of different names. Recent market research shows that there is still considerable confusion in the market. With the new company name I see great opportunity to capitalize on the back of a fantastic 2009 season and make us a must have experience for people visiting the area.

The Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company are also introducing a number of new excursions in and around the South Devon area this season. On 1st May ‘The Sea Train’ will set sail for a regular service from Torquay to Dartmouth by boat, returning by steam train and bus. There is also going to be a fortnightly boat trip from Dartmouth to Salcombe and an afternoon Cream Tea can be enjoyed on the return trip to Dartmouth.

The Stoke Gabriel ferry is now a permanent and regular service on the River Dart and along with the Dittisham ferry the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company are linking communities together again. So to all the Devon residents don’t forget that on 17th and 18th April you will be able to enjoy a fantastic day out for HALF PRICE at the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company. Proof of residency will be needed at time of purchasing your ticket. Click here to see their new website.  Last night Debbie Morris our Town Mayor opened one of the newly refurbished boats and the photographs of the event are above.

3.   Music Festival

From the official Dartmouth Music Festival Website ( click here to see it )The 2010 Dart Music Festival (7th to 9th May) will be the 13th annual event since the Festival’s inception in 1998. The Festival includes almost every type of music from rap to folk, from rock to orchestral, and from jazz to opera, and music is performed in venues all over the beautiful South Devon harbour town of Dartmouth, as well as on the main stage of the bandstand in Royal Avenue Gardens. The Festival is now one of the established features of the Dartmouth calendar, alongside Shakespeare Week and the Royal Regatta, and attracts great support from local residents and visitors.

Festival Chairman Pam Brackenburg told us "This year's event has about the same number of events as last year but with an even greater mix of music styles"  Pam went on to say the new Programme is available right now at The Royal Castle Hotel and the TIC.

The Dartmouth dot TV crew struggled to see only half last year's events, it's a simply great time for all!

To see last years event click here? (you really should!)

4.   Eggstream Easter Fun

Woodlands fun at Easter, click here for more details.

2nd April – Good Friday
Find Hoppa the Bunny
Paint your own Bunny to take home * small charge applies
Spot the Chicks Competition
Emazdad the Magician & Balloon Modeler
Ben the Master Juggler

3rd April – Easter Saturday
Find Hoppa the Bunny
Paint your own Bunny to take home * small charge applies
Easter Bunny Hunt
Richie - Award Winning Street Performer
Ben the Master Juggler

4th April – Easter Sunday
Find Hoppa the Bunny
Paint your own Bunny to take home * small charge applies
Woodlands Famous Cadbury Cream Easter Egg Hunt Richie – Award Winning Street Performer
Emazdad the Magician & Balloon Modeler

5th April – Easter Monday
Find Hoppa the Bunny
Paint your own Bunny to take home * small charge applies
Easter Bonnet Competition - 1/2 price park admission to entrants.
Woodlands Famous Cadbury Cream Easter Egg Hunt
Emazdad the Magician & Balloon Modeler
Spangles the Clown,
Father Mike’s Jazz Band

5.   Stamp Duty;  fact or friction?

Q. I’m confused. Is the new £250,000 Stamp Duty threshold good news?

David Freeborn Chartered Surveyor of Freeborns, Dartmouth replies:

A. That rather depends. Unlike the previous Stamp Duty holiday, for example, which came to an end last December and which temporarily applied to all purchases up to £175,000, this one is specifically designed to benefit first time buyers only.

So, while it will do little or nothing for the housing market as a whole, it is certainly good news for first time buyers, since it could save them as much as £2,500. Everyone else, meanwhile, will remain liable to pay Stamp Duty at the usual rate, which basically means 1% of the value on properties priced between £125,001 and £250.000.

However, as you might expect, things aren’t quite that simple. Why? Well, because everything hinges on whether you fit Alistair Darling’s strict new definition of a first time buyer. To be eligible, you must be someone who has never, ever possessed a freehold or leasehold interest in any residential property - either in the UK or anywhere else. So, if you inherited your current home, rather than buying it…you don’t qualify. If you used to own a property but sold up years ago to work abroad…ditto. Divorcees who once co-owned the marital home but are now buying on their own need not apply. Likewise anyone who has moved to Britain after owning their own home abroad.  Nor does it stop there. If two or more people are buying jointly, then both or all of them have to fit this new definition in order to qualify. So, if you have never owned a property before, but your partner has…then tough luck.

How will HM Revenue and Customs know if you’re a genuine first time buyer? Basically, you’ll have to sign a formal declaration to that effect. And if that sounds like it’s worth taking the risk, just remember that the authorities can check up on you for the next 6 years! The new threshold also only applies if you are buying a property for your own personal use – so, all buy-to-let purchases are explicitly excluded, as are those made on behalf of someone else.

6.   Small News

• We reported on the 22nd of February 2007 about how an episode of Doctor Who was filmed in The Royal Avenue Gardens, click here to read it again? We are pleased to report this week that Matt Smith and Amy Pond were spotted with a film crew on Bayards Cove.  The plot is somewhat bizarre and they had travelled back in time to The Onedin Line.  But not the 1970's TV series but a real Onedin Line in a parallel universe!  The Tardis was unceremoniously delivered on a low-loader and a certain Bayards Cove resident complained that it blocked his view of the river!  We understand the episode is due to screen on BBC1 Saturday 11 September 6:30pm

• What's special about the hot cross bun?
  The cross on the bun represents the cross on which Jesus died.
  The four quarters of the bun represent the four corners of the world.
  The spices in the bun suggest the spices used to anoint the dead.
  The yeast in the bun makes it rise, and reminds us that Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday.
  
  Easter church services in the parishes of Dartmouth and Dittisham are:
  
  Good Friday 2 April
  10.00am Stations of the Cross - St Clement’s
  12 noon Procession of Witness - Dartmouth Town Centre
  2.00pm Good Friday Liturgy - St Saviour’s
  6.30pm Stainer's Crucifixion - St Saviour’s
  
  Easter Eve Saturday 3 April
  4.00pm Easter Egg Service - St Clement’s
  
  Easter Day Sunday 4 April
  6.00am Dawn Service - St Clement’s
  8.00am Holy Communion - St Clement’s
  9.15am Eucharist - St George’s Church, Dittisham
  9.30am Holy Communion - St Petrox
  11.00am Sung Eucharist - St Saviour’s
  6.30pm Evensong - St Clement’s

• Jes reports: Dartmouth Music Festival. Friday 7th, Saturday 8th, Sunday 9th May. The Royal Castle Hotel is at the heart of one of Dartmouth’s premier events and there is music for all tastes. Join us for three nights (minimum stay) and enjoy a Gala buffet on Saturday evening and a musical river cruise on the beautiful River Dart on Sunday lunchtime. There will be live music in both of our bars and in many other venues around the town. From £299.00 per person in a double room. For more information call 01803 833033.

• Liz Ridding reports:  Join us on Thursday 8th April 2010 for a BAREFOOT walk along the Embankment in Dartmouth and back again, whatever the weather!! We will be meeting up at All About Feet in Smith Street, Dartmouth at 4.30pm and will make the canon at the Lower Ferry end our starting point. One Day Without Shoes has been organised by Toms Shoes in the USA, to bring awareness to the many children in developing countries that do not have shoes to wear. At Toms they give a new pair of shoes to a child in need everytime a pair is purchased from them. We want to help spread awareness about the impact a simple pair of shoes can have on a child’s life.  We are just doing this for fun, but for some people in other countries this is all they know, walking without shoes.  For more information click here.

• Liz from Dreams of Foss Street reports: We are doing a fashion show at the Royal Seven Stars in Totnes on 27th April at 2pm in aid of Help for Heroes. Tickets £10. Why not go along for a very good cause!

Endracht visits Dartmouth this week
 

Time and tide wait for no man (St Marher, 1225)
 

Seen on Bayards Cove!

Why not come and visit Dartmouth?

• Self catering accommodation click here
   
• Dartmouth B and B  click here
   
• Dartmouth Hotels click here
   
• A Tourist Guide to Dartmouth click here

Images copyright Dave Cawley, David Temple, Andy Kyle,  Tony Pike & others.