TWELVE well-spaced picnic tables with benches and parasols have been placed in Crediton’s Town Square for people to sit at, meet friends or take a break, completely free-of-charge - and already local people are enjoying using them.

From July until the end of September, look out for Share in the Square, a new Town Team project supported by both Crediton Town Council and Mid Devon District Council.

Anyone can use the picnic tables and seats, and they are large enough to allow for two metre social distancing.

The food and drink businesses around the square are supporting Share in the Square and many have already seen an increase in sales.

These traders, The Green House, Ashton’s Coffee Lounge, Crediton Coffee Company, Baobab Cafe and the Three Little Pigs, are giving the refreshments to the volunteer helpers.

Crediton Town Team member Rod Brookes-Hocking, who came up with the idea of the free-to-use tables and chairs, said: “You don’t have to buy any refreshments in order to sit at the tables, you can bring your own or just sit and relax and watch the world go by, but if you fancy a take-out drink or snack from nearby then please do!”

VOLUNTEERS WANTED

Volunteers from the Rotary Club of Crediton Boniface will be on-hand each day from 11am to 2pm to welcome people, sanitise the tables and advise on social distancing.

Additional helpers will be very welcome and anyone who can help is asked to let Rod know by emailing him at: [email protected] .

The picnic benches and parasols are placed around the inner perimeter of the town square.

The initiative is a response to the Covid-19 pandemic and social isolation as well as a help to local businesses and provide people with a safe outdoor space to gather, whether meeting family or friends while socially distanced.

Once every fortnight, on a Friday afternoon, the picnic tables will need to be moved a few metres back to the outer perimeter of the square so that on the Saturday the Farmers’ Market stalls can set up.

Volunteers are also asked to come forward to help move the tables to the outer perimeter on the Friday afternoons and also to help put them back on a Saturday afternoon.

If you can help, please email Rod on the above email address.

ENGRAVER, STENCIL-PAINTER OR SIGNWRITER

Rod also issued an appeal for engravers, stencil-painters or signwriters to step forward.

He explained: "Do you know anyone locally who can engrave on wood or who’s got signwriting or stencil-painting skills? And who’s also happy to volunteer their help for a good cause? 

"The team would like to mark or ‘brand’ the benches and parasols to put off anyone from stealing them.

"Even though the risk of theft or damage is very low and the great majority of people are law-abiding and support community ventures like this, the benches will be in a public place night and day for three months and we want them to be available for community use in future years.”

If you can help, email Rod at: [email protected] .

ENTERTAINMENT

Later in the month, some socially-distanced entertainment and community activities will be included in Share in the Square, organised by Crediton Arts Centre.

The music programme for this weekend is as follows:

Tomorrow, Saturday, July 11 - 11am to 2pm - Etchechuria, Treehouse and The Triffles.

Sunday, July 12 - 11am to 2pm - Pete Mason, The Saga Louts and Stuart Toms.

The Arts Centre confirmed that there will be more music going on each weekend, excluding Farmers’ Market Saturdays, and other types of activities and performances as we get further into August and September.