The Octagon, on Exmouth seafront, is currently closed for the winter, while the owners plan to refurbish the iconic venue.

In a post on their website, owner David Freer said: "Due to our exciting refurbishment programme, The Octagon is now closed until Spring 2024, we look forward to seeing all our existing and new customers soon."

David spoke to the Journal soon after taking over the Octagon in 2021.

When David first took over, he and his family spruced up the Octagon and have been busy since then serving up refreshments to locals and staycationers.

David said: “In 1979 I worked at the Orcombe Point Cafe for Bernard Hughes who bought four businesses along the seafront. I then travelled all over the UK in several retail roles but always wanted to sell ice cream on the beach again.

David, who was born and raised in Exmouth and also has two grandchildren, said: “By a quirk of fate my job in retail ended where it began and so my ice cream selling career will begin where it ended.

He said: “Entertaining the family will now be a lot easier and you may even see some of them working alongside me handing out the 99s, coffees and smiles."