established 907AD
established 907AD

A work in process…

With a positive vision of the future, the Totnes Reconomy Project is one strand of many in a visionary town with a proud history of innovation and resilience.

A brief history…

Much work led up to the establishement of the Reconomy Project Totnes, and much continues in parallel and in collaboration.

We emerged from the Business and Livelihoods group of Transition Town Totnes, in the wake of the publicity created by the Totnes Pound and the success of the Transition Streets Project.

Below is a (very rough and open to interpretation) timeline of some key moments in our history, including links to related reports and research (yet to be added).

907 AD Totnes Founded
Warrior urban planners, the Saxons, designed a tough, strategic little town, integrated with its surroundings and with a strong, economic infrastructure, based on local food, energy, defence and communications.

…quite a lot happened over a number of years…(Normans, tin, Tudors, wool, cider, explorers, privateers, steam engines etc)...

1925 Dartington
Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst purchase the degenerating 14th century Dartington estate on the edge of Totnes. They embark on a bold experiment of rural regeneration, establishing a host of rural enterprise and educational projects.  The area becomes a pull to pioneers, creatives and innovative thinkers of the time. 

Our approach focuses on fostering a local network of sustainable, community-driven enterprises that prioritise environmental regeneration, community resilience and social well-being.

We're at our best and happiest when we see our community supporting local businesses to start up, link up and scale up.

2005-2006
Dairy Crest and Dartington College of Arts close (are centralised elsewhere having been subsumed by larger organisations with no interests in Totnes).  

The last of the town's sizeable employers are gone, after a couple of decades of significant closures.   Other Devon towns are becoming dormitory or retirement centres with struggling high streets, some hollowed out by second homes. 

There is a clear need for a new economic vision and destiny for rural towns.   Totnes hits campaign mode. 

An Inconvenient Truth film by Al Gore released. Climate Change moves from the fringe to be universally accepted, although government and business responses remain weak or absent.

Transition Town Totnes (TTT)  is founded. 

2007
Totnes Pound local currency launched.  Totnes is suddenly a little bit famous! 

Totnes Renewable Energy Society (TRESOC) launched; the first independent, community enterprise to emerge from the TTT process. 

Transition Network founded as the Transition Town idea spreads worldwide.

2008
ATMOS Project formed.   A new, community vision for the Dairy Crest site, and an unlocking of collective understanding and belief in how community-led economic regeneration could work.

Totnes Community Development Society (TCDS), now Totnes Community Builders, is established to formulate the Atmos Project and bring the site into community ownership.

International economic blip (crisis); It turns out many of the mega banks didn't  know what they were doing after all. People are suddenly more open to consider change and alternatives.

2010
New government in UK.  Era of austerity, with some interesting, albeit weak and criticised, Localism legislation.  A resergence of social enterprise across the UK.

There was a need for communities to be more resilient in the face of significant cuts, and for localisation to be more clearly communicated and better framed in the context of contemporary economic development.

TTT had strong working relationship with South Hams District Council following successful delivery of the Transition Streets project.


2012
REconomy Project Totnes established.
Local Economic Blueprint commissioned.
The First Local Entrepreneur Forum in the Civic Hall. Pitchers include: New Lion Brewery, GroCycle, Babes in the Woods.

2013
Local Economic Blueprint published.

The Second Local Entrepreneur Forum with a revised format; ‘celebrity’ dragons ditched; the audience becomes the ‘Community of Dragons’.  Pitchers include: School Farm CSATransition Homes, Totnes ArtsHub, Totnes Mosaic. 

Reconomy Centre opens.


2014
Local Entrepreneur adds a fifth pitching slot for a youth project.  Pitchers include: Dart Valley TimberArgand SolutionsHillyfield CICThe Living Projects and Grown in Totnes

2015 
Reconomy Project has become an international affair
Pitchers to Community of Dragons include:  The Green Funeral CompanyWild & Curious, Dartmoor Pony Training Centre, and The Underground Chocolate Company, a school student cooperative from KEVICC, our secondary school. 
Totnes residents get to help design and then vote for what they want to see in the ATMOS Project.
2016
Pitchers to Community of Dragons include: The Kitchen TableAmbios, and Horse and Heart.


2017
The Royal Seven Stars gets a revamp and the Community of Dragons moves to their new glitzy ballroom.  Pitchers include:  The Woodland PresentsHuxhams Cross Farm, Studio 45 Pottery Hub, Black Bee Combe. 

Totnes Community Builders takes control of The Mansion

Totnes residents vote 86% in groundbreaking referendum for what they want to see in the ATMOS Project

2013-2017 Impact Report published.

2018
Community of Dragons boasts an all-female line-up!
 Pitchers include:   Thoughtbox CICNourishing Families and Revolutionary Women.     

2019
Pitchers to Community of Dragons include:  Apricot Centre CICNew Futures Academy,  MelBee ArtworksDartington Mill



2020
COVID strikes.  We’re locked down!  
A Trans-Local Entrepreneur Forum takes place on Zoom.  Pitchers from Bern, Luxembourg and Liverpool.  

2021
Coming out of lockdown, Community of Dragons goes open-air, festival style at former-pitcher venue, The Woodland Presents.   Pitchers include: The Living ProjectsThe Mend AssemblyBrewHaHa Craft KombuchaCommon FloraMontreal Style Bagels.     

2022
Community of Dragons has a focuss on hubs, recognising the community-supported enterprise approach is often most effective in physical clusters or hubs.  We go live at the New Lion Brewery Taphouse at Meadowbrook (now Things Happen Here), an emerging hub of community and vibrancy.  Most pitchers are from another emerging cluster in town, The Mansion. They include Totnes Bike HubResilient Lives / Pizza PiratesFresh Flour, Edgy Veggie.  

2023
Community of Dragons back at the Seven Stars.   Pitcher include: Jamming StationWildmoor TanneryBowden Pillars FutureCirclewise

2024
Pitchers include: E-cocarsTotnes PulseFresh FlourMama Tokus.    



Want more?

We are keen to meet groups who are interested in our work.

We have run study visits for students of all ages, business groups, councillors, NGOs and community organisers.

We know how to make this stuff engaging, relevent and fun!

We can organise study visits to Totnes or run a workshop or give a talk at yours.

Our mission

We want to inspire an era of economic regeneration that's local, inclusive, and sustainable.

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People in the office
People in the office

© 2025 The Reconomy Centre

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