The Conference was held in the Holiday Inn, Armada Way, Plymouth on Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th October 2009.
The Holiday Inn overlooked the famous Plymouth Hoe which is perhaps best known for the possibly apocryphal story, that Sir Francis Drake played his famous game of bowls there before setting sail to do battle with the Spanish Armada.
Elliott’s Restaurant, where we had dinner, was on the top floor of the hotel, and had a wonderful panoramic view of Plymouth Sound.
Large parts of Plymouth were destroyed during the Second World War, but the spectacular Barbican area survived, preserving the mediaeval street layouts and many of the Tudor Dwellings. It is a maze of narrow streets and alley ways, adjacent to Sutton Harbour, the original seaport of this historic area. The Barbican is also the home to many art galleries, and is a Mecca for local famous artists. Along the narrow streets there are many unique and individual shops. The Barbican Centre has over 25 craft shops, design shops, and antique shops.
There has been much development in the town, the most recent of which is the Drake Circus Shopping Centre, one of the West Country’s most popular shopping centres. Here, you’ll find many of the UK’s top brand names and the biggest stores in the region all under one roof. There are over sixty shops in the centre.
Maurice Eglinton kindly put together an interesting and varied itinerary for us, starting with a visit to Buckfast Abbey, home to a Roman Catholic community of Benedictine monks, and famous for its beekeeping and Buckfast Tonic Wine, which was quite fascinating.