East Devon Luncheon Club celebrates 25th anniversary at Sidmouth’s Victoria Hotel

EAST DEVON LUNCHEON CLUB

THIS year marks the 25th anniversary and during this time more than 15,000 lunches have been provided by the Victoria Hotel to the club.

Following an advertisement in the Sidmouth Herald in 1986, Susanne and Eric Golding organised the first luncheon meeting at the hotel on October 21 of that year.

On Tuesday, October 18, the club celebrates its 25th anniversary with lunch at the Victoria, when guest speaker will be Di Bowerman, news editor of the Sidmouth Herald.

It was Godfrey Talbot, the well-known BBC commentator, who was the club’s first speaker. Others over the years have included Sir Bernard Ingham - best known as Maggie Thatcher’s press secretary - and Lady Solti, widow of Sir Georg Solti the conductor.

Matthew Raistrick, general manager of the Victoria Hotel, congratulated the club on its anniversary, saying: “We are pleased to have been associated with the club and its members in all this time and we look forward to a continued association over the next quarter century.”

If you would like to join EDLC call (01395) 515002.