Devon LivingIssue #01
Escape to the Exe
After running the popular Avocet Café in Topsham for nine years, for Nigel and Caroline Lamacraft, it was time for a new challenge.
Nigel and Caroline both grew up in the Devon countryside and were keen to return to a more rural setting. Nigel tells us: “We love Bampton with its great community spirit and excellent range of independent shops and pubs, and it’s great to be able to walk just a few minutes from your front door and be away from it all, with hardly a building in sight.”
“We feel it has certainly been worth all the love that we’ve put into our rooms, especially when a guests comes to breakfast saying ‘If I’d known the bed
was that comfortable, I’d have gone to bed earlier!”
Nigel and Caroline have been at Bridge House, a gorgeous country restaurant with guest rooms, for more than four years. Situated in the beautiful Exe Valley and just three miles from Exmoor National Park, it’s a popular area for walking, cycling, fishing and shooting.
Bridge House has been welcoming guests for over a century. Previously known as The Railway Hotel and before that, The Cyclists Rest, at one time, it was one of two Temperance hotels in the town. “Today, we’re still popular with cyclists, only we’re licensed to serve alcohol!
“We offer a short daytime menu utilising the abundance of local, seasonal produce available to us, and everything is freshly made. We are always busy in our kitchen, making our own bread, cakes, puddings, chutneys, preserves, sorbets and cordials. Sunday lunch is especially popular – we service a traditional roast with either
local Longhorn beef, Saddleback pork, slow-roasted local lamb shoulder or
free-range Beech Ridge chicken with traditional accompaniments and fresh seasonal vegetables.”
Nigel and Caroline are immensely proud of their en-suite rooms which, after extensive refurbishment, are now available for guests. “Our aim was to keep the traditional feel of our lovely 250 year old building but incorporate modern comforts. We have chosen handmade cast iron beds from Cornwall and wool-filled Devon Duvets, complemented with Bramley toiletries in keeping with our ethos of using local and natural as much as possible, just as we do with our food.
“We feel it has certainly been worth all the love that we’ve put into our rooms, especially when a guests comes to breakfast saying ‘If I’d known the bed
was that comfortable, I’d have gone to bed earlier!’”
Nigel is the chef and Caroline looks after front of house. “When we’re open, we’re both always here as we believe that the personal touch is at the heart of our business, creating a relaxed atmosphere whether you’re staying for a few days, coming for lunch or just popping in for coffee and cake.”
BRIDGE HOUSE
24 Luke Street, Bampton EX16 9NF
01398 332138
COMPETITION
Win a one-night stay at Bridge House worth £115.
Click here for all the details. Closing date: 23/04/2018
“We feel it has certainly been worth all the love that we’ve put into our rooms, especially when a guests comes to breakfast saying ‘If I’d known the bed was that comfortable, I’d have gone to bed earlier!”