Emma Richardson: 'reminiscing about The Bank and Number 9'

Are you really from Exmouth if you’ve never sung Karaoke at The Bank? I remember particularly fondly a rendition of a Kings of Leon track with about 25 of us singing it together. Both bars were solid stops on any Exmouth pub crawl back in the day- usually the stop before Q Club because there was the short-cut alleyway that took you almost door to door. I can also remember pool games, watching sport on the big screen, dancing with friends, listening to bands all whilst wearing some ridiculous fancy-dress outfits. The Exmouth of 15 years ago was a cracking night out every Saturday without fail.

I have to be honest; it’s been best part of 15 years since I went out of a weekend with any regularity- sometimes life takes us in other directions. But this recent closure once again brings to mind that all our lovely local unique pubs, cafes, restaurants and shops can only survive if we actually use them. It’s been tough trading in the last few years and tough times on our finances too. However, sometimes it’s a question of thinking about where that pound is going; do I choose to spend it at a chain pub, or do I spend it with a local landlord? Do I buy the gift from a physical retailer in town or order it from Amazon?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and I know many of us hark back to times when Exmouth was bustling with students, with more independent shops, less empty units etc. But look at it another way, our children and children’s children will look back at how Exmouth is now and regard this as the good old days. So let’s make the most of the great retailers and hospitality venues we do have and enjoy them right now. The Japanese have a phrase- ‘Ichigo ichie’ which means, everything is one time only. Every moment is precious. Be fully present.