THE first ‘South Hams conversation’, organised jointly by Save the Kings Arms and the South Hams Society, will be held at the Methodist Church in Kingsbridge on Monday, April 4.

At the meeting, Peter MacFayden will talk about the successful and ongoing regeneration of Frome in Somerset.

Alison Murdoch, chair of SATKA explained: ‘Peter McFayden is a stimulating speaker with considerable experience in urban regeneration and local democracy, who we hope will inspire local residents to think about how they can support the town and its future.

We feel this is one of the ways that SATKA can contribute to the regeneration, not only of the Kings Arms, but of the town and wider area.’

Like Kingsbridge, Frome is a market town with a large proportion of independent shops, and has experienced many ups and downs in recent years.

However, last year Frome was crowned ‘best town in the UK’ in the British Urbanism Awards, awarded ‘council of the year’ by the National Association of Local Councils and Frome Independent Market was named runner-up in the Observer Food Awards.

Peter will talk about how Frome has achieved this success, followed by a question and answer session.

Peter is the leader of Frome Town Council, describing himself as an ‘accidental politician’ he is also an undertaker and works for Comic Relief on climate issues. He is the author of ‘Flatpack Democracy’ - a DIY guide to creating independent politics.

The event is free, but donations will be requested on the night to cover costs. For further information, visit www.southhamssociety.org or www.savethekingsarms.org.uk.The meeting will be at the Methodist Church, Fore Street, Kingsbridge from 6pm until 7.30pm, with doors opening at 5.30pm for tea and coffee.