It is my sad duty to inform you of the loss of my brother, Diccon Bewes, who died on the 11th March 2025 after a three-year battle with cancer. 

Diccon was born on 27th July 1967 and attended Churcher’s from 1978 to 1985.  He excelled academically, both at school and later at the London School of Economics where he was awarded a rare ‘starred first’ in International Relations (1988).  A post-university 18-month world trip set him up for a career in travel writing, though he took the scenic route via bookselling. After leaving Waterstones in 1994, he then spent ten years as a travel writer for Lonely Planet and then Holiday Which? Magazine, before moving to Switzerland in 2005, initially to become manager of the Stauffacher English Bookshop in Bern.  

His love of writing and experience of moving to Switzerland and getting to know and understand the Swiss led directly to his first book ‘Swiss Watching: Inside the Land of Milk and Honey’ which not only won recognition as a Financial Times Book of the Year (and remains a bestseller today) but quickly became recommended reading for anyone considering travelling or moving to Switzerland.  He published six further non-fiction books over the ensuing years; his eighth book will be launched in Bern in April 2025. Over the last ten years Diccon became well-known in Switzerland as a resident expert on the UK (and particularly Brexit), appearing on the screen and print media many times. 

Diccon became a Swiss national, but always retained a close link with Petersfield, where his parents still live, and with his very wide circle of UK based friends and family.  In the final three weeks of his life, Diccon organised and attended a ‘goodbye’ party in Portsmouth for 90 friends and family including a few OC’s. Two weeks later he attended a similar event for his Swiss friends and colleagues.  His body finally gave up the battle just two days later, but he died having achieved his remarkable goal of giving everyone he loved the opportunity to say goodbye and to share some very happy memories.   

Diccon was a devoted son, brother, uncle, husband and friend and will be sorely missed by all whose lives he touched. 

OC Andrew Bewes (83)