CREDITON Town Council is excited to announce its relocation to prominent Grade 2-listed building Manor Office, situated on the North Street side of the town square, formerly the Gilbert Stephens office, owned by local solicitor Jeremy Lee.

The building will serve as the official home of Crediton Town Council, not only guaranteeing the safeguarding of this building for the future but also creating a permanent space that supports ongoing community engagement.

Moving from the current office space, which the town council has called home for almost seven years, it is excited to be entering larger accommodation with space for full council meetings and community groups to rent, community consultation events, and additional storage capacity which will offer a far more open and accessible office for the public to visit.

Crediton Town Council would like to acknowledge current landlords Chris and Trevor Pugsley for their support in providing two buildings whilst the town council have been on the town square, enabling it to grow as required.

Crediton Town Council is committed to respecting the integrity of Manor Office whilst making it fit for purpose as a hub for local government and community activities, aligning with its Strategic Plan published in 2024.

Whilst Crediton Town Council will rent the building initially, plans to purchase the building in the future have been made, which is an exciting milestone for Crediton Town Council, which has been renting premises for a considerable amount of time.

Crediton Town Mayor Guy Cochran said: “This is a project Crediton Town Council have been working hard on achieving. We are excited to undertake works to the building in the coming months to bring it in line with our needs and we can’t wait to share it with the community.”

Jeremy Lee, said: “This building has been the home of solicitors (latterly Symes Robinson Lee before merging with Gilbert Stephens) for two centuries and maintains the historic link to John Symes (a local benefactor) and his present family who still live in the local area.

“It is a pleasure to offer the building to Crediton Town Council, maintaining these historic links.”

The relocation reinforces the town council's pledge to combine stewardship of historical assets with opportunities for modern engagement, supporting Crediton as it continues to thrive as a community.

Further details about the move and further initiatives will be shared in due course.