The pretty Devon town that said ‘no’ to political correctness

Pip Sloan sings the praises of Bideford, Devon’s “Little White Town” 

Throw a dart at a map of north Devon and it’ll land somewhere fantastic, be it the secluded beaches of Ilfracombe and Watermouth, the moss-carpeted ancient woodlands of Minehead, the tiny village of Clovelly with its single, steep, cobbled street or the rugged cliffs at the border with Cornwall, where winds whip and waves crash and poets get moody. In fact, the entire 100-odd square miles of coast are designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

In all the drama and beauty of it, the little town of Bideford could easily be lost. You may never even have heard of this quayside community, though it did make headlines recently…