A NEW display was launched at the Dulverton Heritage Centre last week. ‘Dulverton – A Thriving Town Past and Present’ was opened by John Deering, who cut the ribbon at the entrance to the display.

The ribbon was made up of branded bags from many of the shops in the town.

John is the son of the late Michael Deering, a photographer for many of the local papers. Michael set up the Exmoor Photographic Archive, now housed in the Guildhall Centre and several of the photos are used in the exhibition.

John paid tribute to the fact that Dulverton has remained a bustling and lively town for generations, with shops and businesses contributing to its sustainability.

Photos have been incorporated into a special montage, showing the changing faces of the shop and businesses over the last century and beyond.

The display also features some of the town’s hidden businesses, showing the work of two craftsmen, Brett Wright and Laurence Beckford.

Brett is a joiner and has worked on high profile ecclesiastical projects in the UK and in New York.

Laurence is a wood and stone carver and has worked on projects in Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace.

The pair have worked together in creating choir screens in Bath Abbey.

The Centre hopes to add more photos to the exhibition during the coming months.

The Heritage Centre is open Monday to Friday from 10am-4.30pm, Saturday from 10am-1pm and Sunday from 2pm- 4.30pm.