A Devon town where visitors can "breathe in the friendliness" has been praised by locals for its close-knit community. Budleigh Salterton, a half-hour drive from Exeter, is framed by red sandstone cliffs rising above a beach that stretches over 2.5 miles from Littleham Cove to Otterhead. The town appeared in The Times list of Top 10 South West Beaches last year and is beloved by residents.
Local businessman Michael Lees explained how he and his wife Susanne, known as Smudge, came to settle there. Michael first moved from the UK to New Zealand, where he met Susanne. The pair built a life together in Australia before deciding to return to the UK and settle in Budleigh Salterton.
Michael told the Express: "At the ripe old age of 35, I left the UK and headed as far around the planet as I could without starting to come back on myself. I touched down in Wellington, New Zealand, and worked as an operating theatre nurse."
Speaking of their decision to put down roots in the UK, Michael said: "We had achieved all we wanted to achieve and wanted new challenges and new adventures."
The couple were looking for somewhere with "a sense of community", which Budleigh had in bucketloads. He said: "Smudge and I wanted to live somewhere with a sense of community. When you come into Budleigh you almost breathe in the friendliness. People stop and speak to you. They remember your name. They notice when you need a hand. We felt welcome from the moment we arrived. People introduced themselves, came into the shop to wish us well and seemed genuinely pleased to see us having a go. We were newcomers from the other side of the world, yet people made room for us here. The welcome left us feeling responsible for giving something back. For us, this means refusing to give up on the high street. It means supporting other traders, taking part in local events and keeping The Rowan Tree useful to the people who live here. A community does not stay strong by accident. People have to turn up, spend locally and look after one another. Budleigh did this for us when we arrived."
Instead of big chains, Michael says Budleigh Salterton is full of "small businesses with excellent products and customer service" who take "real pride in their products and genuinely love to engage with customers." He added that the sense of community in town "hangs in the air like pollen."
Smudge said their gift shop The Rowan Tree had already become an established part of the town, having been in business for more than two decades. She said: "The shop's been running for 21 years, it's got a really good history, a very good reputation. The visitors make us thrive in summer, but the locals keep us alive during winter. It's a great mix. The whole business community has been really welcoming."
Devon Town Praised for Its Friendly Community