ECLECTIC AVENUE

Words & images: Lou Jones

Half of the High Street might be boarded up thanks to the recession but down in the West Quarter independent trading is thriving. Exeter List took a trip down to New Bridge Street and Fore Street to get the inside track on what it’s like to be in the groovy part of town.

Walking from New Bridge Street up to the top of Fore Street, you can buy anything from tailored suits, hiking boots and surf boards, to crystals, comics and curries. But in recent years the area has become even bolder and brighter as new independently-owned shops have opened their doors to curious customers. It’s all in stark contrast to the depleted number of city centre chain stores.

So, what’s the West Quarter’s secret of success? For a start, you would struggle to find anywhere like Otto Retro elsewhere in the city. Located across from the Westgate Festival mural, every spare bit of the shop is crammed with fascinating pieces from the past. On just a brief look round we spotted early James Bond posters, cabinets from the 1950s, a Babycham glass presentation set, early edition Dennis Wheatley novels, a gym bag from the 1970 commonwealth games...

The ever-changing selection has plenty to lure the serious collector, the kitsch-loving home owner, or the nostalgia junkie. A lot of thought and passion is clearly put into the shop but owner Sarah Brunner is modest about its contents. She explains: “It’s an emporium of junk, from Victoriana to the ‘70s. Our big thing is restoring things that would otherwise be tipped. We bring them back to life and pass them on to other people to enjoy. It’s been really popular, which tickles me because it’s so random.”

Further up the hill, Make Art is a hub of activity with adults and children seated at tables, engrossed in arts and crafts. A snug coffee bar provides refreshment to fuel the creativity. Make Art offers an inventive outlet and respite from today’s technology overload. There’s clearly a need for it because the shop has built up a strong following since opening three years ago.

For owner Fan Austin, the West Quarter is the most interesting part of town and the perfect location for what she’s trying to achieve. She explains: “A creative element is a crucial part of any town or city. We want to give help and inspiration. We’re on a mission to get people making things – to get their hands dirty and get creative. It’s good for the soul.”

Over the road, Hidden Jewel offers a different kind of artistic artwork. Customers have been coming in for tattoos and body piercing for nearly two decades and owner Mac McKeown has no worries about trade. He said: “Fore Street is a nice old street. It’s like with your big cities - you always go for the back street shops. If you want it you will look for it.”

Well, if you’re looking for something frothy, frivolous and alcohol free, you’ll find milkshake specialist Shaker Maker nestled half way up the street. They also do fruit smoothies but why bother with that when you can have chocolate Oreos whipped up into a dairy delight? Staff member Grace likes the community feel of working on Fore Street. She says: “The West Quarter is a nice little hip area. There are no big names here, everyone is doing their own thing and gets along.”

As previously reported in Exeter List, Fore Street is also the place to go for vintage and one-off outfits. For years, style seekers have made the pilgrimage to McCoys Arcade to pick up anything from a 1920s flapper dresses to Levi denim from The Real McCoy. Fore Street’s fashion cred has been further boosted with the addition of Electric Gypsy, Venus and Off the Hook. And let’s not forget Fantasy World, which has been hiring out fancy dress garb for the last 25 years.

Fore Street’s bohemian credentials were further cemented with the arrival in 2009 of Hush, selling smoking paraphanalia and legal highs. Owner Simon Tomlin has years of industry experience and wanted to be based on an independent street. He said: “People seem to like it. We’ve been very busy with customers from across the board. We’ve had no hassle – Exeter is a reasonably open-minded place.”

Hello Sweety is another relative newbie but has already become an eye-catching addition, with a shop window bursting with colour, big shiny balloons and a pair of red lips. Inside the shop, owner Craig Scott has crammed the shelves with over 350 jars of old-school sweets including sherbet lemons and Vimto Bonbons. There’s also American ‘candy’ like Hershey Bars, as well as sugar-free treats, amongst the dizzying display.

Craig wouldn’t be located anywhere else. He says: “The street is full of individual shops and we felt it was the best place to be. I like the characters and the other shops owners have been very welcoming to us.” And it seems offering something a bit specialist is an advantage during tough economic times. He explains: “It’s been very busy – non-stop. One customer compared it to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. In a recession people are intimidated by a shop if they think they will have to spend a lot of money. Here they know they can come in and only spend a few pennies, or they can spend up to a £1000 on party pieces with all the works.”

Rooster Records owner Jaimie Fennell has got his ideal location at the top of Fore Street. When he decided to transfer the shop from Taunton three years ago he turned down a few options before a place in the West Quarter became available. Since then the independent record shop has enjoyed a steady trade, with music lovers relishing the chance to flick through the vinyl, find rare CDs, and request special imports via mail order.

Jaimie is glad to be away from uniformity of the High Street. He says: “It’s so predictable. High Streets are the same the world over. I prefer shops on the periphery – when I go to another city I hunt out the small records shops.” Like the other Fore Street traders, Jaimie finds that offering something specialist provides relative immunity from trends and market forces. He said: “A record is something tangible, something real, especially if you have a collection. It’s like an antiques collection. Some records go for thousands.

“In a recession people go to independent record shops because they think they’ll get a cheaper deal. And when there’s no recession they come here because they’ve got cash to spend. It’s fairly constant – we just trundle along. We’re selling more vinyl than ever before.”

The West Quarter’s interesting and creative spirit, not to mention its visual character, helps to keep Exeter unique. So it’s reassuring that its independent outlets are doing very nicely thank you, despite the recession. The High Street is dead – long live Fore Street!