Bovey Tracey is becoming the new Eco Spot in Devon.

One town in Devon is fast becoming an eco hotspot as environmentally friendly businesses are growing in number and eco-tourists are flocking to the area

With its green spaces and easy access to Dartmoor, Bovey Tracey sits just off the Devon Expressway, nestled in the same valley as Ashburton and Buckfastleigh.

While the town may not be as well-known as its famous neighbours, it’s becoming a go-to destination for tourists who are conscious of their carbon footprint.

That’s because many shops and businesses focus on ethics rather than profits - whether that’s a handmade bike, bespoke furniture, a UK-made gift, or a bag of organic nuts.

Corin Burton, owner and proprietor of Bovey Larder, said: “Bovey is known for its green spaces. The river runs through the town, there’s a focus on being outdoors. It’s about protecting that, I guess.

“Sustainability is on Bovey people’s agenda like it hasn’t been historically. There was a wave about ten years ago and it started to get into the public consciousness a bit. MAKE Southwest, Devon Guild as it was, has been here a long time so that was probably the pioneer.

“12 to 15 years ago the profile of the high street wasn’t anything like it is now - it was charity shops and a restaurant. That’s changed a bit.”

Bovey Larder, on Fore Street, is a zero-waste shop and opened in 2020. The shop, run by Corin and his wife and business partner Rebecca, stocks pantry staples and plastic-free goods in bulk, so customers can come and fill paper bags or their own containers with as much as they need.

Corin continued: “By encouraging shoppers to reuse containers, local refill shops cut single-use plastic waste by up to 96 per cent compared to standard supermarket packaging, actively support a circular retail system and deliver fantastic customer service at the same time.

“At Bovey Larder we believe that our lifestyle and shopping habits need to change to allow us to have a good, sustainable future.

“Consumerism has led us to believe that quick, plastic, one-use products are what we need and this is destroying the environment. Single-use plastic packaging, even when recyclable, still pollutes.

“We’re very proud of the success we have helped our loyal customers to achieve.

“Between us we’ve prevented many thousands of plastic bottles from entering use and we’ve supported numerous fantastic local suppliers with hundreds of orders.”

Throughout the year, Bovey Tracey is host to a number of events that reflect the town’s businesses.

In April there’s the Green Man festival, one of the newest Pagan festivals in the UK, then there’s the big craft fair in June, which is more like a festival than a fair, and then the Bovey Festival in September where independent traders take over the main road through the town.

And there are many community-led groups which help people naturally reduce their carbon footprint. There's a social supermarket every Tuesday, where for £4.50 residents can access affordable, healthy food and handy household products - all sourced from food surplus. There's a repair cafe held on the third Saturday of every month, and Van du Pain, a pop-up bakery selling organic sourdough every Saturday.

At the bottom of the hill and down a quiet lane sits Clandestine, a bespoke bike maker, and furniture maker Tammy CR.

Tammy makes contemporary furniture that “plays with linearity, contrasting elements and textures” from her workshop in the town.

She uses sustainable materials and makes products that are designed to last.

She said: “When I first began as a furniture maker, the focus was always on the joy of making something by hand, of turning raw materials into something beautiful and functional, with its own style that was uniquely mine.

“But as we’ve all learned more about the environmental emergency, the sustainability of what I do has become more vital for my customers and I.

“Using local timber became a core aspect of my business, and one that most of my customers really value.

“Bovey is a fantastic place to be as a furniture maker, surrounded by native woodlands. Using British hardwoods helps support British forestry and creates a market for the kind of diverse native woodlands that are so positive for our ecology.

“I think there’s a shift culturally with heritage crafts and sustainable materials, people have become a bit more aware.”

Clandestine, run by Pi Manson, sits on the same business estate as Tammy CR.

Pi said: “Bovey is the gateway to the moor, it attracts people who are interested in the outdoors. People interested in the outdoors tend to care about the natural world.

“It brings people to Bovey, undoubtedly. There’s such a tight link between the natural world and the town itself. It’s nestled between ancient woodland and the moors, and the people who are attracted to that outdoor world are going to like Bovey in particular because we have all these businesses that focus on sustainability.”

Pi makes “fun and durable bikes” and components out of steel. His range includes The Carrier, a single-seater, and The Companion, a hand-made tandem that’s perfect for an eco-commute for two.

He added: “Historically, cycling was always done on handmade bikes. I’m just the latest in a long line of British bicycle builders, stretching back nearly a hundred years.

“The fortunes of the handmade bike have ebbed and flowed over the years, but there has been a real resurgence over the last decade or so. I feel that so much of that is a recognition of the importance of reducing our consumption, of having fewer, but much higher quality things.

“I was drawn to work in Bovey by the lifestyle that comes so easily to living in the town. Being able to have my workshop right in town, walk to a cafe for a mid-morning cake, and being right in the heart of so much of the local cycling scene, Bovey is perfect.

“That Bovey has so many small businesses is a testament to how conscious people in Bovey are of their carbon footprints: far better to support a local business than drive to another town or order online.”

Another business that stands out is Grace and Favour, which supports the circular economy by only stocking items made in the UK.

This comes at a cost to Steve Jones and Rachael Rowe, the business owners, as there are some items they would like that they simply can’t find made in the UK.

Steve, from Grace and Favour Home, said: “It’s about well-made, longer-lasting products, but products with a purpose - just because it’s Halloween we don’t stock 20 plastic pumpkins. We’re not into gimmicks.”

Rachael said: “By working with people you get to know the actual people that are making things, no one is being exploited which is very important. Their manufacturing processes are more sound, so all our fabric products are digitally printed which is more environmentally sound. It’s print on demand so you only order what you need. It’s just woven through what we do, it’s how we approach things.”