Comments for Hopcott news archive - articles, stories, discussion from Rob

Comment on Horner car park charges imposed by National Trust Holnicote Estate by Stuart

Stuart — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:01:37 +0000

The National Trust have done the same thing at Devil’s Dyke near Brighton. Parking costs £2 “all day” which few people need. Parking is free for NT members: on my last visit 5 out of the 6 cars there had NT membership badges, one had a £2 permit. The local council bus company run a service from Brighton to Devil’s Dyke, but its a tourist bus at £5/ticket.

The Devil’s Dyke site was bought by a local businessman in the 1900s for the enjoyment of local people and left to the National Trust. Reading your post has reminded me to get hold of a copy of the Title Deed for the land from the Land Registary (cost £4) and look for covenants for free access that can be enforced at the Lands Tribunal court (cost £200-£300).

Comment on Plymouth Inn good Saturday session at Baring Gould Festival 2009, Okehampton, Devon by Rob

Rob — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:13:48 +0000

I’ll look forward to that, Malcolm and I reckon I’ll stay over in my campervan so I can attend Sunday as well.

This weekend is the Radway Reunion at Sidmouth so, hopefully, more great traditional English tunes to play in good company

Comment on Plymouth Inn good Saturday session at Baring Gould Festival 2009, Okehampton, Devon by Malcolm Woods

Malcolm Woods — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 07:50:05 +0000

Hi Rob

Glad you enjoyed it. As it happens, I wasn’t back in the evening but we did manage another thre hours or so on Sunday lunchtime. As for this year (2010), I’ll be there.#

On the tide,

Malcolm

Comment on Sidmouth, Devon camper-van parking in February 2009 for Radway Inn folk festival reunion solved by Caravan Club CL by Rob

Rob — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 19:31:41 +0000

I stayed here:

MRS C GARTON
Little Bulstone
Branscombe
Seaton
EX12 3BL
England

Telephone: 01297 680408

You have to be a Caravan Club member normally to book

Comment on Sidmouth, Devon camper-van parking in February 2009 for Radway Inn folk festival reunion solved by Caravan Club CL by sally kesalahti

sally kesalahti — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 14:00:46 +0000

What was the name of the campsite in Sidmouth? We are desperate to find a site in this area – immediately!!

Comment on 4th Sunday Folk music session Hunters Inn, Heddon Valley, Devon by Rob

Rob — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:41:26 +0000

I look forward to seeing you there

Comment on 4th Sunday Folk music session Hunters Inn, Heddon Valley, Devon by Charlotte

Charlotte — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:36:25 +0000

Hopefully get to the next Hunters Inn Session sounds like this months was a good one also.

Comment on Bampton Free Folk Festival 2009, North Devon sessions rock with an English, Irish, Breton traditional music flavour by Rob

Rob — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:34:45 +0000

Like fine wine (or is it vin ordinaire), Roger, I reserve my articles these days to celebrate only the very best events. Thanks for all your hard work and for a great festival

Comment on Bampton Free Folk Festival 2009, North Devon sessions rock with an English, Irish, Breton traditional music flavour by Roger Quig

Roger Quig — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:11:38 +0000

3 Guitar strings, a sore throat, a lot of renewed friendships, and Robs unassailable wit. A full set of ingredients for a great weekend. I thought you were retiring from this sort of thing??

Comment on Bampton Free Folk Festival 2009, North Devon sessions rock with an English, Irish, Breton traditional music flavour by muzz

muzz — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:58:07 +0000

Looks like a fantastic event and what a cracking blog you have

Comment on Traditional English and Cornish folk music sessions at Priddy Folk Festival 2009 by Rob

Rob — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:59:57 +0000

Definitely Lorraine and yourself, Elspeth

The survivors session sounded great. Perhaps next time I shall make the effort to stay on later.

Hey! Guess what? I’ve been playing in the band for Exmoor Border Morris which is lots of fun and is a great way of meeting lots of people because Morris is such an open community. It probably means that I’ll be going to lots more festivals next year with the Morris side. Whether any of these will clash with Priddy next year I don’t know yet. Hopefully, I will be still able to get to Priddy to play with you ‘red hot gals’ there again.

Woohoo!!!

Bye for now

Rob

Comment on Traditional English and Cornish folk music sessions at Priddy Folk Festival 2009 by Elspeth

Elspeth — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:19:27 +0000

Hi Rob

Have just stumbled on this article.
Might the awesome pair of lady fiddlers from the Milborne St Andrew area be Lorraine and myself?
If so, I don’t mind my playing being described as red hot!!
You missed a great survivors session by the way….a mixture of irish, english, blues, 60s songs…very eclectic and fun!
Cheers
Elspeth x (hopefully still red hot!)

Comment on English Country Music Weekend 2009 (ECMW 2009) a great success at Ampthill, Beds organised by Taz Tarry and friends from Redborne Morris by Taz Tarry

Taz Tarry — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 05:30:50 +0000

Hi Rob

Well, the decision has been made – ECMW will be back in Ampthill in 2010 – same weekend, 18th-20th June. More details to follow in due course. I think you’re on the mailing list anyway, but I thought I’d let you know here as well. (If you haven’t received an e-mail about it, let me know, with your latest email address and I’ll make sure you are on it. E-mail me at taztarry@btinternet.com )

Cheers
Taz

Comment on Sun, sand, sea and sociability at Swanage Folk Festival 2009 in Dorset by Rob

Rob — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:30:27 +0000

Great to hear from you Jon and looking forward to next practice session

Bye for now

Comment on Sun, sand, sea and sociability at Swanage Folk Festival 2009 in Dorset by Jon Newsome

Jon Newsome — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:54:26 +0000

You’ve summed it up perfectly, Rob. A great weekend and it was good to have you with us.
Cheers

Comment on Captain Banjo’s Street Band rock The Hunters’ Inn Heddon Valley Parracombe North Devon by London Band

London Band — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:08:32 +0000

Keep working, great job!

Comment on Captain Banjo’s Street Band rock The Hunters’ Inn Heddon Valley Parracombe North Devon by Rob

Rob — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:02:09 +0000

Great to hear from you Ian

I understand we could be coming over to Appledore at some stage?

Comment on Captain Banjo’s Street Band rock The Hunters’ Inn Heddon Valley Parracombe North Devon by Ian hudson

Ian hudson — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 07:35:43 +0000

That was a great evening….never thought I’d have such a good reminder as this! Thank you for taking the trouble to showcase a wonderful landlord(and good friend),David Orton and Hunters’ Inn. it was a fantastic night, and I can only hope that it’ repeated soon!. Cheers! Ian

Comment on Captain Banjo’s Street Band rocking at Pilton Green Man Festival fundraising for children’s hospice, North Devon by Jay Smith (the 12 string gansta!)

Jay Smith (the 12 string gansta!) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:53:33 +0000

PM Please.
Hi Rob. Well what a weekend it was! Still in recovery mode;-) I was wondering if there is any chance you could e-mail me the original photo of Dave with his fist in the air whilst we were playing the OY song at the top stage (first spot on Sat.) I have downloaded the reduced version off of Picasa but would like the full size pic. I’m hoping to enlarge it as much as i can and put it in the pub for all to see.

Many thanks.

Jay.

Comment on English Country Music Weekend 2009 (ECMW 2009) a great success at Ampthill, Beds organised by Taz Tarry and friends from Redborne Morris by Rob

Rob — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:57:10 +0000

That’ll be great Taz! Thanks for all your hard work

Comment on English Country Music Weekend 2009 (ECMW 2009) a great success at Ampthill, Beds organised by Taz Tarry and friends from Redborne Morris by Taz Tarry

Taz Tarry — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:43:15 +0000

Hi Rob

What a great write-up! It was a cracking weekend wasn’t it! Many thanks.

Latest news on ECMW 2010 is that there are now two or three other potential venues being investigated/considered so the odds on it being back in Ampthill next year are reducing. However, I would imagine we’ll be back there another year if it is not next year – it was such a good venue for it.

As soon as I hear more definite news on next year I’ll let you know.

All the best

Taz

Comment on Captain Banjo’s Streetband entertainment to rock Barnstaple Town Centre 23rd May 2009 by DON HEARN (GUITAR GANGSTER)

DON HEARN (GUITAR GANGSTER) — Sat, 23 May 2009 18:05:52 +0000

GREAT DAY HAD BY ALL THIS AINT NORMAL BUT WHY GO RIGHT WHEN YOU CAN GO LEFT LUVIT DON

Comment on Free publicity for small businesses and home-based businesses from Government regeneration grants is key to building successful local communities by Genesis Pure Business Opportunity

Genesis Pure Business Opportunity — Fri, 15 May 2009 06:52:53 +0000

Small business can use all the help they can get…sure it’s agood thing that the government have alloted regeneration grants biut that doesn’t mean you’ll just hope and pray these programs can get you through these tough times.

Remember…Success is not by chance, it’s by CHOICE!

To your success,
Genesis Pure Business Opportunity

Comment on Key to boosting Minehead and West Somerset tourism by Rob

Rob — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 08:00:07 +0000

It’s great to hear from you Christine and the Exmoor Producers Association is an example to us all as to what can be achieved by local cooperation.

Although my remarks in the local newspaper were prompted by the West Somerset Council’s tourism consultation, I suspect that a lot of businesses on Exmoor and surrounding areas would benefit from increasing the level of local buzz and discussion online even though they are not tourism based.

I was playing some tunes with an artist last weekend (along with about 35 other musicians) at a the Sidmouth Folk Festival Sailing and Angling Club musicians reunion in Sidmouth and he was talking about how he gets orders for his paintings from all over the country who contact him through his web site.

Whenever people talk about increasing the level of economic activity in the Exmoor area, it is always tinged with the worry that the countryside we love could become like a busy theme park and I feel the same as most people on this because I enjoy walking the lonely and beautiful moorland too.

Although writers, artists, musicians, sculptures, craftspeople and other small businesses can benefit from building a local online community with businesses that are specifically tourism based, the same local Exmoor and West Somerset community can potentially help them sell their products and services world-wide so we get the benefits into the local economy without additional footfall.

Comment on Key to boosting Minehead and West Somerset tourism by Christine Coomber

Christine Coomber — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 09:17:23 +0000

I have had a blog for a few years and post about Exmoor and the beautiful area we live in. It is always amazing and rewarding to receive a comment from someone on the other side of the world. I do agree that we need more tourism but there is a balance in that we could spoil this beautiful area too. Tourism brings more than money. I have a very small hobby business and am a member of the Exmoor Producers Association. Discussion and ideas are always good but so is local support