The Old Thatched Cottage Restaurant, Weston-super-Mare
In 2023 I was commissioned to investigate the history of one of the oldest buildings in Weston-super-Mare, a beautiful thatched cottage on the sea front now run as a restaurant by Andie Jeffries. The building holds a special place, not just in Andie’s family, but also in the history of Weston. It turned out to have quite a past.
The research I undertook uncovered some amazing and long-hidden secrets, the significance of which were so important that the property has now been awarded a blue plaque by Weston District Council - one of only a very small number in the town, alongside names such as President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Deborah Kerr, Bob Hope and Haile Selassie. The plaque recognises the fantastic history of the property, but hopefully also demonstrates my abilities as a historian - skills that may be of use in unlocking the forgotten stories of your own property.
The official unveiling of the blue plaque: Graham with Andie Jeffries (owner of the Old Thatched Cottage Restaurant), John Crockford-Hawley (Deputy Mayor of Weston-super-Mare) and Julia Grobicka (manager of the restaurant).
The plaque was unveiled in an official ceremony by the Deputy Mayor of Weston and I was pleased to be asked to give a talk to the assembled guests on the history of the building. My research and the subsequent awarding of the blue plaque has brought some very positive attention, both to the restaurant, but also to the town of Weston, which is seeking to reconnect with its rich and varied past as an important part of an on-going process of regeneration in the town.
As well as the adjacent story in the local press, you can read more about how the blue plaque is part of this important process in this feature on the BBC.
The Western Daily Press, November 3rd 2023