As some of you may have noticed from my social media posts, I have a love affair with Sidmouth, but I’ve come to realise it’s not just about the beautiful features like the prom, the Ham, Connaught Garden, the Byes or the fragile red cliffs that frame this amazing little seaside town.
Yes, all those are attractions in their own right but without the people who live and work in Sidmouth, would it be so attractive?
Yes, it probably would be; however, the people who live and work here are the icing on the cake.
Within Sidmouth, there is a plethora of independent, family-run local businesses, and this is just one of the many reasons why I am drawn back time and time again.
Some of you may have seen my social media posts about some of the food I have enjoyed during my many visits over the years; this time, I would like, if I may, to sing the praises of one independent shop in particular, The Cheeseboard on Sidmouth’s High Street.
I’d driven past The Cheeseboard on my trusty mobility scooter many times but never actually got round to stopping and calling in; this year though, my wife and I fancied having some cheese to put on our crackers, so I parked up my scooter and hobbled through the door to be met with an Aladdin’s cave of a delicatessen.
Standing behind the counter was a young lady who greeted me with a welcoming smile.
The cabinet in front of me was filled with more cheese than I had seen before, and most of the cheeses I had never heard of before.
What cheeses should I choose?
With such a choice, I couldn’t possibly stick with our usual favourites, could I?
Now, what follows is one of the reasons why I always choose independent shops: their knowledge, passion, and love of the produce that they sell.
It is not just a 9 till 5 job to these people; it’s their life.
With such a choice, I decided the best thing to do was to ask for some expert advice, so I asked the young lady to pick out a selection of her favourite cheeses.
What followed was a discussion of what I looked for in a cheese; soft, creamy, cheese with a vein, strength of flavour, and so on.
Cheeses chosen, crackers, a chutney, and a local butter bought, I headed off to where we were staying to sample said purchases.
Fast forward several months, and a stay in Sidmouth wouldn’t be the same without calling into The Cheeseboard, and it’s so lovely to be remembered when I visit, which is another bonus of supporting independent businesses.
The young lady behind the counter is Phoebe, who hails from Nottingham and has many years of experience working in delicatessens and hospitality in the UK.
After graduating from university, Phoebe and her boyfriend decided to have a summer by the sea, and it was during that summer she worked part-time for the previous owners of The Cheeseboard.
After spending a season as a ski instructor in Japan, Phoebe and her boyfriend knew that when they returned to England, they wanted to settle in Devon.
2024 saw them return to Sidmouth, and this is when the previous owners decided to sell up, but unfortunately, they couldn’t guarantee her job would be safe.
Phoebe knew that the shop had so much potential; she could bring her passion for delis and give the shop a real feel of an Aladdin’s Cave.
So after a chat with her dad, the decision was made to buy the shop herself.
Not having done anything of this scale before, she navigated a steep learning curve, taking on banks and commercial brokers.
After many discussions and negotiations, Phoebe got the keys to her dream shop on the 1st of December 2024, which proved to be a baptism of fire.
What Christmas isn’t complete without a festive cheeseboard?
Almost two years on, and she is loving owning and running The Cheeseboard with her able assistant Becky, who are both incredibly grateful to see so many regular customers, some of whom pop into the shop multiple times a week to buy their ham, quiche, and cheeses.
Some of us also enjoy the friendly atmosphere and banter, which, as Phoebe says, is all part of the service.
Like me, Phoebe feels so welcomed by the people of Sidmouth, and like me, she thinks that Sidmouth and the people who live there are the best place in the world.
So dear reader, if you haven’t been to The Cheeseboard, please do call in and remember that they don’t just sell cheese.
Follow The Cheeseboard on Instagram and Facebook; there is also a website, www.cheeseboardsidmouth.com.
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