Supporting and working with local businesses is one of the key values of Nub News - and that's what this week has been all about. 

To start the week, we officially launched our partnership with Bridport Nub News' new sponsors, Gavin Dixon Finance Solutions – a small, local firm that shares our values of supporting the community and we look forward to working with Gavin and the team over the coming months.

Early this week I visited Ric's Kitchen in Axminster which has just reopened following a six-month closure. It's great to see chef Ric Edgell giving his dream to run his own restaurant a second chance, having initially been hit hard by the cost of living crisis, and from the initial public response I'd say it's going to be a soaring success!

This week we've also published features on The Railway Kitchen in Axminster, which has been affected by recent train strikes, and an update on Axminster Arts Cafe which has been closed since a fire in October 2020. It seems there's real support for these local, independent eateries on our high streets.

From East Devon to West Dorset… I headed to Bridport to meet with Lesley Windsor, the town's Co-op Member Pioneer, who told me all about the great local causes Co-op are supporting this year and plans for upcoming events including Fairtrade Fortnight - watch this space!

After our meeting I popped into The George Hotel for lunch. The George has recently been taken over by Robin and Angela Collyns and their family, who previously made a success of the renovated Pilot Boat in Lyme Regis. They are also now looking forward to soon reopening the Bridport Arms in West Bay. We can't wait to see it back up and running!

As well as supporting local businesses, this week saw me return to covering local council matters after the Christmas and New Year break. I attended Lyme Regis Town Council's Town Management & Highways Committee on Wednesday night, where the ever-present issue of parking difficulties was once again high on the agenda. 

This week I also had the chance to meet some of our Nub News readers in Axminster and Lyme Regis at my regular drop-in sessions, where you can pop in to share your local news stories and events. Details of upcoming drop-ins in Axminster, Lyme Regis and Dorchester can be found below.

One of the highlights of the week was a delicious dinner at Lyme Regis Golf Club, a late Christmas celebration for the Lyme Regis/St George's Twinning Association. The food was excellent and I'll definitely be returning for the club's poplar Sunday carvery.

Having been lucky enough to join the twinning association on one of their visits to St George's in Bermuda a few years back, this is a local group that I like to stay in touch with. Twinning links across the country have suffered in the last few years due to the pandemic, but the Lyme Regis association is keen to continue its historic links with Bermuda. 

Perhaps one day I can go back to beautiful St George's!

I finished my week with a great event in Bridport - celebrating winter and scaring off those evil spirits for a good harvest at the wassailing celebrations at Bridport Community Orchard. It was my first visit to the orchard - what a a great community space for the town and I look forward to going back when the trees are in blossom later this year.

For now, another busy week beckons and I'll be working on the first 2023 issue of the LymeOnline printed newspaper, coming out this Friday.

Share your local news stories and events

Don't forget, you can always get in touch with your local news stories and events by emailing [email protected] or call 07810 221 420, or you can submit them via the Nub News websites by simply clicking the black 'Nub It' button on the homepage. 

You can also share your news stories and events with me in person at my regular drop-in sessions – from 1pm to 5pm at the Community Waffle House in Axminster on January 26, February 9 or 23; at the Old School House Community Cafe at The Hub in Lyme Regis from 10.30am to 1pm on January 27, February 10 and 24; and at the monthly coffee morning at Inspirations in Poundbury from 10am to 12noon on February 3.

To stay up to date 24/7 you can follow all the Nub News sites on Facebook and Twitter or sign up to our free weekly newsletters sent out every Friday via the links below.

And you can follow me on Twitter @ChezzieEvans where I share news stories from across my entire patch and what I'm up to every week.

Dorchester Nub News - dorchester.nub.news/newsletter-subscribe

Bridport Nub News - bridport.nub.news/newsletter-subscribe

Axminster Nub News - axminster.nub.news/newsletter-subscribe

Seaton Nub News - seaton.nub.news/newsletter-subscribe