Tony Rogers

We fought like bloody hell to save Compton. It was a hell of a local attraction. I think we raised somewhere around £5,000 to save the Compton but it was nowhere near enough.

Is it still existence? Well I'm buggered. Truro? A flower shop! Oh my dear, is it really? And I'm a Cornishman. I was born near Looe, a little place called Menheniot. A flower shop in Truro! What a pity old Penhaligon isn't still living. My colleague David was a former Liberal candidate for Totnes before me and then went on to win Truro. He'd have loved that, he would.

And that's reminded me I'm sure I have a photograph somewhere of myself and all the West Country parliamentary candidates during that election including Marian, Jeremy Thorpe's wife, on the Compton Castle. I must see if I can find it.

Feb 7th 1978

Appeal for steamer

The people of Kingsbridge are being asked to set-up their own appeal fund to save the Compton Castle paddle steamer - the last paddle steamer to operate on the River Dart - from being forced to leave the area.

The harbour authority is recommending to Thursday's meeting of South Hams Council that the steamer should be removed from Kingsbridge having failed to produce a safety survey report. The authority has also agreed that the owners should be fined £10 a day if the steamer is not removed by April 1.

Her owners, a Dorset firm, have said they will remove the steamer but this has brought disappointment to hundreds of residents throughout South Devon who have enjoyed her presence as a floating restaurant on the estuary for over 15 years.

Mr Tony Rogers, prospective Liberal candidate for the Totnes division is appealing to South Hams Council to defer a decision to allow local people to set-up their own fund to buy the steamer. It could then be repaired and kept in the estuary and used as the headquarters of the local information centre.