Biography
I am Gail Caddy and I'm very pleased to be a new councillor for Lyme Regis. I have been a local resident here for over 40 years now.
Most people know me as the owner/landlady of the historic Rock Point Inn, Cobb Gate Fish Bar and the Lyme Kebab shop. I traded there for 35 years. So historic is the Rock Point that it was copied in Thames Town, Shanghai, China. It is the only pub to be sited at the river estuary (the Lym) and the sea. The Chinese even diverted the course of the Yangtse River to site both the pub and the fish and chip shop in the same location. I had fantastic free publicity, not only for the properties, but for Lyme Regis as well. I was interviewed by DJ Chris Evans and he asked if I was going to put soy sauce on my chips instead of salt and vinegar!
The Rock Point was always a hub for fundraising for local charities. It was well patronised by the locals. There were Harvest Homes, fundraising for the Christmas lights' fund, main sponsor of the Easter Bonnet Parade, the lion's share of the cost of the over 70s Christmas dinner when it was held at the Alexandra, and many more.
I married into the local Caddy/Austin family. I have four sons and three granddaughters. I am very proud of all of them. They have all flown the nest, except for one son who lives in Lyme. He has had 20 years' distinguished service for the lifeboat and is a coxswain and training officer for the RNLI. My two youngest sons are talented sportsmen and have played football and cricket for the Lyme teams from an early age. My eldest son is a high flyer, working for WPP advertising agency as a networking architect. They have grown up and been educated here.
Lyme has changed so much since I moved here. Now it is a thriving tourism place to visit but second homeowners have pushed house prices so high so that local youngsters can't afford a home here anymore.
Lyme has been very kind to me and I hope, as a town councillor, that I can give back to the local community. Somewhere along the way, I fear Lyme has lost its heart. Change isn't going to happen overnight, but I am committed to doing my utmost to support all locals.