{"id":516,"date":"2020-09-28T17:17:01","date_gmt":"2020-09-28T16:17:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dr-mark-dixon-blog.onyx-sites.io\/?p=516"},"modified":"2020-09-28T17:17:01","modified_gmt":"2020-09-28T16:17:01","slug":"the-story-of-sideshore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drmarkdixon.co.uk\/?p=516","title":{"rendered":"The story of Sideshore"},"content":{"rendered":"

I can\u2019t remember exactly when the idea first came to me, but I know I\u2019ve always hated how the road ran right along Exmouth seafront.\u00a0 It\u2019s always seemed such a barrier to the beauty and potential of the beach and water beyond – and a logistical nightmare for families with young children.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, in 2011, East Devon District Council published plans to regenerate part of the seafront.\u00a0 Various plans were put forward – and ultimately dismissed – but this sowed a seed of an idea in my head.<\/span><\/p>\n

Also around this time, while wanting to learn a new watersport, I discovered Edge Watersports – a small family-run business operating from an out-of-the-way temporary building at the back of an industrial estate. Despite the unpromising look of their premises, they had lots of customers and I remember thinking how, with the right location, they could inspire thousands of people to get out and use the water.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And so a vision was formed: to make this area of Exmouth a destination for watersports.\u00a0 I wanted to make the most of the council\u2019s suggestion of re-routing the road further inland, and could imagine a landmark, sustainable building on the seafront, making the waterfront more accessible and offering lessons and kit hire right there on the beach.<\/span><\/p>\n

By 2014, I decided to commit myself and propose my vision.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the time I was on the board of directors for Exeter\u2019s Grenadier Estates which specialises in sustainable, ethical real estate, designed to make a lasting impact.\u00a0 I knew Grenadier would be perfect to develop this area and create a legacy for the community of Exmouth, as well as a destination for holidaymakers and watersports enthusiasts alike.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sideshore – in Exmouth, and for Exmouth<\/b><\/p>\n

I truly believe that enabling people to spend more time on or by the sea has immense benefits. Watersports promote a healthy lifestyle and improve physical and mental wellbeing. For those who don\u2019t want to be in the water, being by the water is the next best thing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sideshore isn\u2019t just for watersports enthusiasts.\u00a0 It will offer a place to simply \u201cbe\u201d by the sea – with relaxed dining spaces, casual restaurants and takeaways plus retail units and green space for community ventures and events.<\/span><\/p>\n

I have always had an attention to detail and a passion for wanting to improve on what I do. It means I\u2019m always looking at things and questioning: how can we do this better?\u00a0 Back in 2007, my wife and I were lucky enough to spend a weekend at Gidleigh Park where we met Michael Caines. Although he was in a completely different business, I was struck by the similarity of his ethos: \u2018This is great. How can we improve it?\u2019 Being passionate about food myself, there was a strong connection.\u00a0 I have since become friends with Michael, and when he agreed to partner with us at Sideshore I knew we were about to create one of the world\u2019s best destinations.<\/span><\/p>\n

My other passion is to help save our planet. In line with this goal, Sideshore has been created with strong environmental credentials. We\u2019re building a structure designed to leave a minimal impact upon the earth, and to honour the natural environment around it.\u00a0 We\u2019ve focused both on sustainability in our construction methods, and we\u2019ll continue to focus on sustainability in our future operation of the building.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, and perhaps the most important facet of the project, is that this whole endeavour is not-for-profit.\u00a0 It\u2019s not ours to keep either.\u00a0 Sideshore will be run by a purpose-built Community Interest Company.\u00a0 Our CIC has a full asset lock meaning no-one can profit and all proceeds are returned to the people of Exmouth.\u00a0 As soon as the Grenadier\u2019s costs are reimbursed, every penny goes into the local community.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sharing a passion for being on the water<\/b><\/p>\n

After more than twenty years in business, I enjoy the privilege of having the means to be philanthropic.\u00a0 The trouble I\u2019ve found is that charity and privacy don\u2019t sit well together and people are often suspicious if something seems to be \u201ctoo good to be true\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sideshore is built on my passion of being on the water and wanting to help more people enjoy it too.\u00a0 This project in Exmouth – so near completion now – is my opportunity to deliver.<\/span><\/p>\n

I think it\u2019s this spirit of genuine philanthropy which has been the hardest for us to express and it\u2019s been a long journey trying to persuade people that this project has no hidden agenda.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, I\u2019m not motivated by money on a personal level – wealth doesn\u2019t sit easily with me.\u00a0 It\u2019s not something I grew up with, but as the first member of my family to get an \u2018O\u2019 level, let alone a degree and PhD, I\u2019ve been incredibly fortunate that it\u2019s been a by-product of my working life.<\/span><\/p>\n

What does excite me about money is the ability to make a positive impact on the world.\u00a0 It\u2019s exhilarating to have the means to make sustainable investments which aim to create a better future for all.\u00a0 To this end, The Dixon Foundation will enable my family to continue making impactful investment for generations to come.\u00a0 I hope this will give our philanthropy a framework which will reassure and inspire potential grantees.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sideshore is our flagship project. I couldn\u2019t be more excited to see it grow and thrive, filled with people enjoying the water as much as I do.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I can\u2019t remember exactly when the idea first came to me, but I know I\u2019ve always hated how the road ran right along Exmouth seafront.\u00a0 It\u2019s always seemed such a barrier to the beauty and potential of the beach and water beyond – and a logistical nightmare for families with young children. Then, in 2011, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":517,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe story of Sideshore - Mark Dixon<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/drmarkdixon.co.uk\/?p=516\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The story of Sideshore - Mark Dixon\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I can\u2019t remember exactly when the idea first came to me, but I know I\u2019ve always hated how the road ran right along Exmouth seafront.\u00a0 It\u2019s always seemed such a barrier to the beauty and potential of the beach and water beyond – and a logistical nightmare for families with young children. 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