Budleigh Past and Present

Iris Ansell, who as a volunteer at Fairlynch Museum looked after the Costume Department, recalls more memorable moments from her time as proprietor of Southlands Hotel on Budleigh Salterton's Marine Parade.  This is one of a series of her recollections. In the Quiet Season, i.e. the winter months, we, like most hotels who open all the year round, do not have so many guests in these months, so to keep our staff on, nearly all the Saturdays we catered for weddings. Southlands Hotel brochure, part of the Nick Loman Collection These were not the expensive occasions they are today, but much quieter low-key affairs, usually finishing with the departure of the bride and groom at 5.00 pm and all the other guests soon after. We did however have some funny moments during the happy events. The Bridal Cake, often made by the bride’s Mother, was made with not the hard royal icing used by professional bakers but soft fondant icing, easier to cut an...