Opinion | How Exmouth's Devoncourt Hotel could become the 'Jewel of the Jurassic Coast'

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This article is the view of a local residents group and concerns a current planning application to demolish the existing Devoncourt Hotel on Douglas Avenue and build 81 new apartments and a new hotel.

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Our vision is that the Devoncourt Hotel could become second only to Lympstone Manor in bringing tourists to the area who are prepared to pay that little bit extra for quality.

Moreover, the position of the Devoncourt is very prestigious, situated as it is overlooking the sea, and with beautiful grounds offering a gateway to the World Heritage site, and on the edge of the Maer local nature reserve, the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the proposed Valley Park.

In fact, one ex-hotelier has commented that it has everything going for it: a prime location and beautiful garden, indoor and outdoor swimming pool, gym and sauna, snooker room, tennis court, and fitness classes.

The hotel currently provides a well used venue for community groups to meet. It employs 30 staff and the restaurant and bar services are well used. It continues to generate positive online reviews with the only negative comments being about the deterioration of the building and the need for modernisation.

Imagine how it might be after refurbishment.

The present amenities could be expanded so that it becomes one of the greatest spa hotels in the county, and possibly in the whole South West area.

I have recently visited a spa hotel in Cornwall where they had turned round the dismal TripAdvisor reviews to ones of glowing praise.

Like the Devoncourt, this hotel was in need of complete refurbishment. It has retained some large family suites such as are available in the Devoncourt, which provide real luxury and no difficulty in attracting families who are prepared to spend a considerable amount of money for this whole experience.

We see no reason why the Devoncourt should not be refurbished to such a high standard. It could make full use of the grounds for some of the popular outdoor spa facilities, such as the hot tub from where you can sunbathe or star gaze.

The whole of the ground floor could be adapted for massage and treatment rooms and improved gym facilities. It would become a much sought-after location for weddings and other celebrations.

We envisage that with these improvements the hotel would bring in a wider range of tourists and amenities that would benefit the whole town in terms of improving the economy and job opportunities.

Local people would benefit from the improved facilities and it would become the central hub for meetings and social gatherings. Our vision is that it would indeed become known as the 'Jewel of the Jurassic Coast' and would draw custom from all over the country.