Impressive start to new housing plans

Bideford’s last link with collar-factory days went down with a wallop! It was the 60-ft. high chimney stack, last remnant of the factory off Northam Causeway, Bideford, that was in full operation some 50 years ago. Before the last war it had become Bideford and District Laundry until during the war years it was completely gutted by fire. Recently Bideford Bridge Trust sold the site of the old factory to Mr Arthur Beer for purposes of housing development.

Two carpenters and a labourer began preparations at 8 a.m, replacing one side of the base of the chimney with wood props which they set fire to. As the wood burnt through, the huge column of red bricks fell over dead-on line with an impressive thump.

Gazette article 19 November 1954