Eric Hardacre: “A legend” leaves the Cider Press

I first met Eric pulling his cardboard trolley at the Cider Press centre early one morning on my way to work at Schumacher College at the Old Postern. Stopping for conversation felt natural and he made a great impression on me. As the seasons passed, it was always a delight to bump into Eric on my morning walk to work and I soon realised I was in the presence of a Cider Press hero!

With a humble stature, flat capped and a friendly face, Eric Hardacre comes across as a force of nature. Physically in his late eighties, he seems unstoppable in his positivity, youthful attitude and his knack of inspiring people to feel good when they see him. Several of Eric’s former colleagues have described him as a legend and he brings many smiles to people’s faces when they talk about him.

Virtually nothing would keep him off work

3 Decades

Eric retired from the Cider Press Centre in late December 2024 and his surprise leaving do was attended by around 40 current and past co-workers and former Cider Press Managers. He racked up  almost thirty years work there and has just turned 87 this last month. The current manager of the Cider Press Bryony Lawson finds Eric so inspiring that she brought her children to meet him at  work one day. Just so they could see a fine example of how to live a good life in older age. “I love work – I’ve been working since I was ten“ says Eric, as he tells me about the paper round he had in  Watcombe, Torquay in the morning and evening when he was a young whippersnapper. Fast forward years later, following a career in the army and in butchery, Eric started working at the Cider  Press as a contracted cleaner in 1995 ( at the age of 57) with Pierce’s cleaning company. On hearing of his new contract, Eric told his boss “I’ll give it a go!” this proved to be a good move, as he fitted  into the place like a happy pea in a comfy green pod.

Every Day

His initial contract was from 6 in the morning, working 3 hours a day at the Cider Press (7 days a week) and then after his shift he would go off to work on other cleaning contracts in the area like the nearby Dartington school. Every day Eric would be back in Torquay in time for lunch with his wife Margaret. Around 2005 Eric had been  assisting a colleague informally with collecting, sorting and compacting the cardboard and on that colleague leaving Eric then took on an extra 2 hours a week at the Cider Press adding the recycling  and waste collection to his duties. His new lengthened shifts were still seven days a week. In 2018 after his cleaning company retired Dartington Trust took him on as a direct employee – perhaps  their only octogenarian employee at the time. On the first day of his new Dartington contract Eric cheekily asked one of his colleagues for a tour, as he was now ‘the new boy’.

Ellacombe Lad

Born and bred in Torquay, the village of Dartington was lucky to gain the work and good cheer of this Ellacombe lad and it obviously suited him fine too. He is incredibly fond of the Cider Press,  which has been his working home for the last three decades. Eric tells me that in all that time he has only been up to the hall once – for a medical ! Eric lights up, even more than usual, talking about  he Cider Press Centre in its 1990’s heyday era, when there were 35 staff (with a waiting list for jobs), 15 Shops and plenty of entertainment. Eric says that at this time the Cider Press was offering  omething ‘unique and different’ and that ‘people felt the atmosphere’ & ‘the vibes’. It is beautiful to hear Eric describe the camaraderie of the staff at this time and him and I both share high hopes that the Cider Press can regenerate into something vibrant in the very near future.

Never scared of an early start, in this time period Eric used to clean Cranks’ vegetarian cafe at 5 in the morning and was very happy to be part of this big family. As well as his regular cleaning and  recycling tasks, Eric also gave his care and attention in ways outside of his duties. When Marianne De Trey, the famous studio potter was based at the Cider Press, in her latter years Eric kindly went  up to her studio each morning, lit the fire for her and bought her morning pint of milk, all ready for the start of her day.

Cardiculture

Making many friends at the Cider Press over the years, people often stopped to talk to Eric when they saw him walking with his trolley. He also had many people seek him out asking to save  cardboard boxes for them for house moves and Schumacher College regularly called on his efforts and picked up trailer loads of cardboard for mulching. These passionate gardeners put the salvaged cardboard on the grass to stop the weeds and also help keep moisture in the ground, which made a big difference in hot summers. It also helped create the beautiful craft and cut flower garden in  Henri’s field at the college and other areas.

Eric was also a friend to the non-human world at Dartington, feeding the birds and admiring the array of nature in his working environment. He tells me there used to be 20- 30 ducks at one time,  then some otters and then less ducks, with a potential correlation! He also used to see trout by the mill and some crayfish. From getting to know Eric it is clear that he has an active interest in the world around him, he “treats everyone as equal” and with this approach to life makes friends in many places with the gift of his, curiosity, attention and care. And he is a law unto himself in many ways!

Wonderous Stories

Also a natural and sometimes cheeky raconteur, one of the current Dartington staff told me they would go to work a bit early just to hear Eric’s stories in the staff room over a morning cuppa.

His youthful spirit is self evident and I ask him if he has always been so positive and he tells me he has ‘never been downhearted’. He always greets the day with gusto and gratitude: “soon as my foot hits the floor I’m up and I’m away! – Thank you Lord for another day!” Knowing Eric, retirement from the Cider Press will not mean he puts his feet up too much! He is still up at 5 am each day and  back at home in the mornings now, Eric is learning the parameters of how much cleaning is too much cleaning with the careful guidance of patient Margaret – ‘ We don’t need to hoover every day Eric’. He has also quickly learnt that timing is important and no longer vacuums at 5.30am. He has ongoing projects, including a big de-clutter and his working life is still not over as he is “still doing  pieces here and there”.

Eric is a great example of how to lead a happy life and I am sure he will keep on lifting up others with his stories and making them laugh. Bryony Lawson said: “Our Eric was a loyal, much loved and valued colleague to all at the Cider Press Centre. He had the most extraordinary work ethic which was an example to all. Virtually nothing would keep him off work. Defying age  and retirement he became such an integral fixture, he was not going to be easily persuaded to hang up his cap and park his trolley. Something of an institution here, he was a generous provider  of much laughter, biscuits, chocolate and much more. All enjoyed their morning chats with Eric as he held court at the head of the staff room table reminiscing of days gone by and sharing stories  with us latecomers!”

Once, when about to be driven off in an ambulance after being taken ill at work he was extremely unwilling to relinquish his keys for the site, which we kind of did need! Eric could be very  mischievous. These same keys he might tease staff with some days by pretending he didn’t have them or disappearing off with them somewhere on site with us having to go off searching for him in  all weathers so we could open up a shop. Sometimes he might jokingly reprimand and wiggle his finger at us for producing too much cardboard for us to recycle. Miss him we may, but how  wonderful it is to know Eric can now enjoy his well-earned retirement.”

Myths and Legends

It is clear that the myth of Eric the Cider Press legend will live on. People like Eric give a place or a moment an unexpected and welcome splash of radiant colour, that doesn’t fade so easily after they have walked away.