The Worst Things In Torquay
Ok, before you read this list of The Worst Things In Torquay, note that I didn’t write this, nor is it to be taken as my opinion of Torquay. This list it taken from another website I found whilst researching Torquay. It’s also a tad out of date but an interesting read of tourist opinions non the less.The point of me posting this is to get your opinion via the comments box at the bottom.
So we can’t deny that some of the issues stated below have existed in the past, and the seafront on a Friday and Saturday night is not the most welcoming of places for a strolling tourist to find themselves, but is it really this bad? Please leave your comments below and add the positive things about Torquay and I will make a new list of the Best Things In Torquay for TalkTorbay.
The Worst Things In Torquay…
- Some of the people in Torquay can be small minded and racist. Disliking ALL tourists is ridiculous – they are good for the economy and Torquay would be nothing without them! As for some multiculturalism…there isn’t much here.
- My memories of Torquay..squalid decaying hotels, once used by tourists, now the hospice for heroin addicts and alcoholics strung out on benefits. Highly dangerous pubs filled with drunken mothers screaming at the various fathers of their children and teenagers high on drugs baying for a fight (Torre Abbey). I saw headbutting, bloody broken noses, police throwing someone down some stairs (Lansdowne Inn), and I was threatened for no reason wherever I went. The chance of being beaten up is probably 50% on a friday or saturday rising to 90% if you’re there for a while. Virtually everyone is a dealer or knows a dealer within a minutes walk. If you like people watching, go there to see how not to live your life. If you don’t like where you live, go there for a few days and you’ll miss your home badly. If you live there already and you are sober enough to read this, go while you still have your own teeth.
- The awful surrounding Countryside. My Mother-in-Law. My Missis. My Boss. My Screaming kids!, The Willows, The local CID, Traffic Wardens on bonus for their Argos Points
- Within 10 minutes of arriving in the harbour area, we saw a group of drunken yobs throw one of their friends into a wheelie bin; they seemed highly amused when it overturned and his head was cut open. Regular sections of the pavement were decorated with the partially digested contents of various revellers stomach. We witnessed 2 girls almost get killed by a chav driving his pride and joy clapped out piece of sh*t with a loud exhaust at high speed through the harbour area as they attempted to cross the road. If you have managed to avoid being glared at, attacked or vomitted on during the early part of the evening, why not try the piece de resistance and go to Valbonne nightclub. We went there on the basis of reviews from this and other sites and surprisingly comments from locals – perhaps it was just a bad night but I can honestly say that it was the worst club I have ever been to. I thought at first I had walked into a weight watchers class at the start of a new course; or a gurning contest, such was the attractiveness of the clientele. The atmosphere was hostile, with groups of very drunk males and females clearly looking for trouble. Needless to say we did not hang around. The journey to the taxi rank from the club involves walking past large groups of frustrated males standing outside eating chips, throwing up, asking you for a fag, asking you what you’re looking at etc.. Nearby Paignton – For a moment I thought I had taken a wrong turn and gone to Rhyll; this place is truly awful – tacky souvenir shops and “amusement” arcades line the entire route from the seafront to the town and vest wearing Northerners can be seen buying rock to take home as a souvenir of their trip to the English “riviera”. What a joke. If you have already booked a trip to Torquay and want to take an excursion go to Dartmouth instead.
- People who slag of Torquay Community College that don’t know the first thing about it or have never been there and are probably from Grammar, Westlands or Cuthbert. People who moan about those on DSS when most cases are genuine and those that moan are normally either into dodgy dealings themselves or have everything paid for by mummy and daddy
- the dogs! mess every where, its a bloody night mare!
- No clubs which do rock music, just the usual Chav scum rap, hip hop, garage and r n b rubbish again an establisment thats all for the chav scum.
- Crossways shopping mall in Paignton. An obscene mass of decaying concrete in its bizzare tangle or brutalist 1960s concrete. Very ugly indeed!
- If i havent complained enough then right now i would have to say the growning violence and criminal element the careless governing bodies and the amount of doggy kakka on the streets.
- The lousy third world wages. The oafs who infest the centre of Torquay at the weekend. The silly girls who walk around dressed in summer clothes when the temperature is below freezing. The horrible smell of burnt fat and stodgy pastry coming from so many of the restaurants. If it smells as bad as that, what on earth does it taste like? Cafes that advertise “panini” but don’t know that that is a plural word, as in one panino, two panini. The hills.
- drunks, druggies and knobheads – torquay seems to attract them all!
- Don’t go out after sunset…The amount of homeless people. All the chavs. NO decent shoe shops! OLD PEOPLE!
- DRUGGIES
- lack of jobs even being able to get a job!evry job minimum wage,no future narrow minded devon people who have only ever been out of telegraph hill once!prejudiced locals!
- The Bloody council
- the police
- The one down side was on my first night out, a group of lads walked past me and my wife, and told us to f off back to Africa.I thought strange, because Im from Birmingham. Then about 5mins later a car drove past, shouted out more of the same, and then threw a bottle at us. I thought to myself, Welcome to Torquay
- chavs and townies
- Virtually everyone on the road, from grockles (tourists), to the abundance of pensioners driving in hats. Leave at least three seconds gap between vehicles, expect no signals (why brake? that`s what the gearbox is for). Expect to be cut up and to drive at 15 mph behind retired brummies behind the wheel of mercedes. Follow the diversion routes to and from Paignton, especially in the summer or lose the will to live in traffic jams. Typical local headline “Pensioner reverses into primary school, 15 dead. `I didn`t realise that it was in gear` states Sidney Oldbloke (79).” Skates, boards and bikes keep to the pavement but beware of the eponimous electric disabled chariots – these people are blind as well as arrogant.
- the arrogance and igorance of the general public, and the slowness of people’s cretinous ways! thats true.
- Townies and Chavs who gain great plessure in assaulting anyone not like themselves. Often they grow up into binge drinking lager louts who beat you unconciouss for a laugh on a weekend evening. There are also lots of chlidrens homes who invite savages from all over the country to come to Torbay and intimidate and beat up the residents whilst corrupting our own youths to indulge in violent savage behavior. Public Transport very expensive and some drivers are quite rude to users.
- Er hello? Torquay? Not enough room.
- Locals that moan about the place. Price of Property now. Local working families are unable to purchase because of influx from elsewhere pushin prices thru the roof! The main road in and out of here is a nightmare. This is 2004 aint it? No decent local work unless you are lucky or Hotel and Catering. We all have to commute to Exeter or Plymouth. The One-Way system that takes you miles out of your way to go 200 yards. Stuck in traffic burning up precious fossil fuels and contaminating the atmosphere. No hand car wash company Greedy Councillors
- slappers!!
- there are some excellent local bands but enough suitable venues, for instance why do some pubs insist on shutting their doors when the bands perform so we the audience and the band have “sweat it out”! Get rid of the homeless scum who think it is their right to be aggressive to innocent passers by as well as amongst themselves.
- tourists, seagulls, foreign students, druggies, townies, general seaside nastiness, lack of character, lack of live music,
- Lee69′s pants.
- torquay smells of urine after 6 pm weekends , especially the step’s by shiptons in fleet street, it’s not an ornamental fountain !!!!! guy’s and girl’s leek everywhere and anywhere no police there, car’s in fleet street more traffic than the m25 , speeding on sea front no cam’s no police, busy week end and no police on monday , tuesday, wednesday (sorry should i say low police presence ?) drunk’s , druggie’s , dope smoking freely on the street call police on a fri, sat , sun nite they to busy , more domestic’s on the street on sunday nite than any other nite, pub’s and club’s doing 2-4-1′s and happy hour’s , god you seen the cleintele ? in crazy horse by the time they leave, over zealous entreupreneurs ? who get above them selve’s
- DEADLY after 7.00pm during Autumn weekdays – no after-work drink culture.
- �1 shops and discount stores
- I lived in Paignton and Torquay for 3.5 years (2 Years Paignton & 18 months Torquay). It was the most miserable experience of my life and I believe sent me into a mild state of depression. The range of shops is appalling – I used to come to W-ton to get decent stuff and then take it back to Devon. The people are rude, unwelcoming, unfriendly, seem to think they’re superior to everyone else and so far up their own a***s they’re stuck. The area is stuck in a “chilled-out rut” which was no good for me, the relaxing pace of life nearly killed me. Everyone lives a geriatric pace of life and the technology is non-existant. Never lived anywhere so primative in my life. Not even Channel 5 – five years after it was launched. The only good thing is the weather. And then there’s Gemini FM – a station worth axing to save the taxpayer’s money and eardrums. Wouldn’t visit again out of choice if I was offered �1,000,000. Nice weather, hellhole of a place !!!
- Fat Northern Sun-burnt losers walking around like it is actually good here!!
- The general seedy air of Torre. This is basically a continuation of the High St. but has the atmosphere of a Dickensian garret district being largely full of takeaways, charity shops and various brain damaged individuals staggering into the street, abusing each other and brawling with their husbands/wives/partners etc. This is a real shame as the actual buildings are good, the area has potential, there are some nice parks in the vicinity which are quite pleasant after the police have released the dogs and flushed out the prostitutes and dealers. With a bit more self-respect the area could be great. Castle Circus is also atrocious. It is the civic centre of Torquay, including the Town Hall etc, yet also acts as the meeting place for every scrofulous drunk, soapdodger, chancer, junkie and scrote that has retired to South Devon from the big cities. Periodic crackdowns by the local police often dispers these characters in to back alleys but, like pleuresy, they return.
- ALL THE SCUM OF THE EARTH THAT HAVE DICIDED TO MOVE TO TORQUAY AND GO ON THE DSS GET A FREE FLAT AND INVITE ALL THE REST OF THE FAMILY DOWN, AND A LOT OF THEM SEEM TO BE FROM THE LIVERPOOL AREA??????????? SO ANYTHING TO RUN AND HIDE FROM TORQUAY SEEMS TO BE THE PLACE TO COME
- tourists pigeons/seagulls
- Tourists, and especially those who choose to come in the winter, and those who seem to have the disallusioned view that TQ is such a nice place to migrate to. Clubs, lack of money, b******s who live off social security, lib dem Mp, washouts, homeless population, spoon muggers, people who insist on having 20 sky dishes outside their houses, 1 star hotels. Shopping is Shit.
- Torquay has been blessed for many years with an anachronistic Tory council but since the late nineties the ageing electorate are no longer voting for their natural Lords & Masters out of “deference”. Change is now creeping in at last.
- Too many rough people have moved to the area
- The weather (not as good as you think) and the fact that Torquay is almost devoid of culture
- tourists
- All the goddamn tourists winter
- There is so little to do becoming a nun seems like a good idea.
- The Small town attitude of some of the residents. Some of the native Devonians here (I am one), get very angry about northerners who moved down here during the 70′s/80′s. I am not one who holds that opinion, I think it makes the area more interesting. The way some of the locals treat foreign students, who are for the most part well-behaved, respectful and polite.
- no chess club!
- Trendy Assholes all over the place.
- jason mildons clumsiness
- Like anywhere can be rowdy in the summer. Police cars chase boy racers round the harbour, drunks pissing in the sea, louts, tarts, foreigners (lots) It turns into a ghost town in the winter If it rains it’s really grim (But if it’s bright it easily makes up for it) A favourite tourist destination for the blue-rinse brigade It’s not near any major cities. (Exeter & Plymouth aren’t really big enough)
So what do you think? Please leave your opinions in the comment box below. If you want to add something positive about Torquay, I will create a new list of The Best Things In Torquay!
People who moan about Torquay when there not willing to put anything back into it should keep quiet.
Maybe if your people watching skills only allow you to see heroin addicts and fighting then maybe your sat in the wrong place.
Very true Chris, people only see what they want to see. Tell me your favourite thing about Torquay and help me build a list of The Best Things About Torquay!
Wow that person really does have a hatred of torquay lol
, along by the slip way there are 3-4 lovely cafes for a nice coffee and cake,there are loads of shops in torquay not just rock shops, me and me partner love going over there and we never had any trouble, but thats just my view 
i,ve lived here now for 5 years and yea it does get a bit rowdy on club nights but hey it does that in any town or city, i love it here in torbay, i live in paignton but i love going to torquay and sitting by the harbour, at night the view is lovely the irish bar on the harbour Seamus O’Donnells) does a lovey guinness and has a lot of good old band for us older folk (46) lol the ryans bar torquay is a great little pub for bands to..never seen a fight in there yet and nope never seen anyone chuck up either in there
thanks very much, i have booked a long week end to torquay, i am looking forward to it very much now. i have never been before and it looks like i had better take my battle fatiques. i will tell everyone how i found the place when i return, it cant be that bad can it?
Hi John. No it really isn’t that bad! You will love coming to Torquay, don’t worry, its a great place really, trust me! I wouldn’t live hear if I didn’t think so.
I know its a pretty negative post about Torquay, but you could make a similar list of most towns in England! The idea was to counter it with a more positive list, so when you do come, please do as you said tell everyone how you found it, your feedback would be much appreciated.
Nick
Editor – TalkTorbay
Hi, Being a middle aged resident of Torquay, who has lived in other places in the country (and world even) I really think things aren’t that bad. Brits tend to focus on the negative rather than the positive – it’s a national trait for sure. Unfortunately all the bad press too puts people in a bad state of mind – ie if you expect bad, that’s all you will notice. Yes, there is drunkeness at the weekend, but I go out sometimes and it really isn’t that bad, no worse than it has ever been. The press really does exaggerate this one – focussing on one-off incidents making it out to be all-out warfare. Anyway, things don’t get ‘rowdier’ until very late 11-12pm and beyond, I wouldn’t have thought there were many families wandering around town at that time anyway. So there is no reason why all the tourist/local ‘markets’ can’t coexist (at different times maybe). Torbay on the whole is a set in very pretty area, with lots to see and do (I don’t understand how people can say there is nothing to do – restaurants, bars, beaches, cinema, great walks, scenery, attractions, national park and many things to see nearby – what more is there? (unless one really has no imagination) – other than a decent shopping experience maybe. It does have it’s problems but then so does everywhere across the world – by their very nature tourist resorts the world over attract all types. There are good people and bad people and let’s be clear that ‘local’ doesn’t necessarily mean local – unlike many towns many ‘locals’ living here are originally (recently or distantly) from other parts of the country so you can’t always blame attitudes on locals. Where Torbay does fall down is a lacking a decent/strong economy with well paid jobs, chic shops/shopping centres. The poor economy will always create an atmosphere of mild despair or cynicism, but I really think it’s better than many places. we really need to look at the postive too.
My partner and 2 children (aged 3 and 7) are about to sign on a property on Monday to move to Chelston. We are living in Bucks at the moment and my partner has seriously been put off moving after reading your article!!
I must admit that when I looked at work in Torquay and Exeter, the wages are low compared to the equivalent work elsewhere. Also the high unemployment rate is off putting and the correlating crime stats.
I have just got back from spending 4 days in Torquay and I have not had a bad experience at all. I found everybody I spoke to exceptionally friendly. Really lovely and helpful. Traffic in and out is really depressing and some areas are quite run down. I have lived in Portsmouth for 10years and the comments in your piece could have well been written about that town. Having said that I did buy the local paper with pictures of a man beating a stranger up. Scary. I want my girls to be safe, cultured and have opportunities. Is this possible living in Torquay?????
Hey Mary,
We’re moving to Torquay on Saturday with our 4 year son and like you I freaked a little bit when I read this. Oh my God what are we doing? As the writer says this is from another website called knowhere.co.uk which also has the best things about Torquay listed.
We’ve been overseas for the last four years and the UK has changed a lot but some things will always true, including the way us Brits love to moan.
Anyway if you fancy meeting up as newbies in Torquay feel free to contact me on mama.ursa@hotmail.com. Good luck to you and your family with the move,
ND
I totally disagree with this. Infact it rather insults me. Being a 14year old girl from Torquay i am shocked that people view Torquay this way. Why can’t people focus on the positive all the time?
-Louise
I didn’t spend too much time reading the article
but I will spend time to support Torquay/Torbay… Brixam and of course Paignton – Lots of generalisations …
So I will generalise…
I spent 7 very happy years in Torquay and enjoyed it most of the time – most of the people are [mostly] happy and friendly!
(And thinking back, the rail station were helpful too)
Some of the other peoples comments were now cautious about living there – then it’s upto you to make it a better place too!
I would recommend it to anyone…
Most people who go to Torbay -
want to be Happy – why not!
P.S. a friend (Local) told me it takes at least
2 years to ‘settle in’
and 3 years before the locals
will accept you as stayers… it’s upto you.
I am getting All very confused. It is very true that English are great in moaning and very negative. I am in process in selling my place here in London and want to move near seaside, I went last week to view Torquay and looked up some property and I must say that people I came across were very friendly and helpful. And most of all I quite like the place, initially I was planning to go to Cornwall St.Austell which I thought rather far for me. Like someone commented above that there are Yobs and trouble makers all over Britain. So if I do move to Torquay then I will stay out of the trouble area as I do here in London. So Nick could feel me in about me moving to Torquay as you are residing there yourself. Thanks
Hi Nargis. Torquay is a great place to live and like I said above some of the comments on this post could be made about any town in England. I’ll tell you what, there are a million places you could live that are worse than Torquay that’s for sure….
The point of the post was to get feedback about the BEST THINGS IN TORQUAY! I think the new list is well overdue… I’ll look into making one!
Been here since 1967
Worked Yacht Marine spa and all the good past places
Was a great place to live .
Letting property opens a new world the world which should remain hidden .
Since then the best has been demolished and replaced with bad ideas and still is .
Most people admit it is sinking fast like the rest of our once great country.
Lets pray for change and common sense
Jeff
Lived here since 1984, and I must say I agree with most of those points. Drive around the town in torquay during the day and you’ll see packs of males 4-5 plus (and not youths I might add) roaming around looking for their next fix or DSS cheque or fight, or fix…! Single mums, not so single mums pushing their pram(s) around in their leopard skin effect clothing, somoking over the toddler, swearing at it ( I promise I’m not exaggerating here) maybe accompanied by their equally clever boyfriends / things, also not working but still able to smoke and drink all day, arguing loudly with each other like an episode of east enders! Oh, for sure, its chavsville here at the moment. Its such a shame, it never used to be like this, but so many wrong’ens have moved into the area its gone rapidly downhill! Go towards the front and it gets even better. You can’t move for the unemployed (and not the decent unemployed) roaming around pissed and making a bloody nuisence of themselves. The worst of the society frequent the seafront pubs all day every day. even as early as 2000 you couldn’t walk up the steps by the Hope and Grope because of smack heads shooting up there.
If you’re one of the so called happy residents of this once great community who’ve posted on here saying its all nonsence and its all rosey in Torquay, I say, wake up and smell the vomit!!
Came to Torquay about 3 yrs ago, being Asian i expected some racism, not a thing, people are polite, and yes every town has its disadvantages, name me a place that hasnt. The only place i have had racism is Newton Abbot.
Torquay is ok, love the sea, no probloems for me.
I have worked in Torquay for over 10 years, for an organisation that attempts to improve areas through environmental improvements and assisting the unemployed back to work. Now, there are nice areas in Torquay, but these are fast becoming enclaves of civilisation in a declining, seedy town. I have worked in the Torre area for years, and have seen it go downhill steadily and relentlessly.By day the area is populated by a heady mix of shaven headed chavs with Staffys, mainly from Liverpool or Birmingham, pox-ravaged derelicts on crutches who are in their 30s but looked 50, alcoholics, drug addicts, dealers, prostitutes and the terminally bewildered. A random selection of Torre performance art over the years:
- a drug addled halfwit defecating in the garden outside my office at 11.00am.
- several drug addled halfwits pooling their funds in order to purchase more intoxicants, in broad daylight, in the street, at 10.00am.
- three children, all under seven, playing in rubbish in Brunswick Terrace, 4.00pm.
- a comatose middle-aged reveler,complete with bottle of white cider upended over his shirt and urine soaked trousers, sprawled across the steps of the Conservative Club at 9.45am.
- a police drugs raid on the property next to my office resulting in five arrests.
- numerous drugs related deaths.
- mothers in sports clothing bellowing at toddlers, effing, blinding and threatening physical violence.
- queues in the Post Office building as the person at the front, bewildered by excessive opiates/cider/the sheer joy of being alive repeatedly enters their PIN incorrectly…
As an example, consider this scenario, at a Torre convenience store, 8.30am last Thursday…one middle aged, rather unsteady gentleman purchasing four cans of Tennents Super and smelling strongly of same….two shrieking harpies, in their teens, laughing as they yelled about ‘straightenin’ their hair, gettin’ bladdered and beein’ felt up by some local Beau Brummel…one tattooed, toothless, tracksuited local hero threatening to kick his effin’ Staffys effin’ head in if it didn’t sit down outside the effin’ shop…signs in the shop advising the good folk of Torre not to attempt alcohol purchases before 8.00am, and to refrain from verbally or physically assaulting the staff…a selection of at least five super strength lagers and three white ciders….
I’m off. I’ve had enough. Torquay’s great? Yeah, right, whatever. I’ll leave it to you guys then. A few things you may like to try though; don’t go unitary (Doh! You already have, and hasn’t it been great? Just look at those schools..), if you must encourage human wreckage to move to Torquay, invest mightily in drug/alcohol treatment services and child protection, encourage the local licensing authority to grow a backbone and increase the size of the police force…a lot.
Hey Guttersnipe and DarKnite, thanks for your contributions. The sad truth is that we have all witnessed the same things as you guys, a culture of drink, drugs and lack of respect for others is spreading like wildfire across the whole of the UK. (Please don’t get me started on smoking near children, that’s a whole post on its own!)
I used to run business premises in Torre and I can honestly say, I’ve witness a lot of what your saying, in fact probably all of if short of ‘drug related deaths’. It’s not nice turning up to work at 9am and having to remove a couple of drunks from your doorstep. I have witnessed open street dealing, stereo typical skin heads in tracksuits with staffies bouncing around like they own the place, abuse and fighting in street. Torre really has become a hub for this sort of activity, thankfully, Torre is a minuscule part of Torquay and every town has its hubs. The people I feel sorry for is the businesses that have to deal with these people every day. At this point I will say a good friend of mine, Conservative Councillor Robert Excell is doing his damn best in Torre and Tormoham to eradicate this type of behaviour and bring Torre back to a decent, friendly neighbourhood and business hub.
Thankfully though, Torre does not represent Torquay as a whole, there are many many great people living here, lovely areas, and for the majority it offers a much better lifestyle than many other areas of the UK.
Keep the comments coming guys, it’s great to get your views…
How you can have a page on the worst things in Torquay without mentioning Hele, I don’t know…
Hi. After following this forum for the last few months (and some other research I have been doing ),I have now decided not to move to Torbay. I was leaving a lovely home and job in Bedfordshire to move to Paignton ,as I thought that Devon was a beautiful place to live with decent people and a safer way of life. I have now found out from the locals that there is no work, no opportunities, that Torbay has a bad drugs problem , that it is full of people on benefits and that all the shops are closing. I have also been informed that in this day and age it is very racist and 98% of the population are white ! I have decided I do not want to live in such a small minded place and am now looking into other places, which is really sad as I have family in the area and think Torbay is such a beautiful place. Am I being fed just negative things about Torbay ? Thank you.
Hi Lily
If you are oozing with cash nice areas can be found and you can vet the rest
Babbacombe full of scumbags and pervs
but more good than bad
If good where you are ?
Think
Jeff
Are there posh/nice areas in Torbay? Is it possible to live in Torbay and enjoy the benefits while managing to ignore the negatives. I suffer from Ill health and want to move to the area for the warmer climate which makes a vast difference to my wellbeing. I would so appreciate some local knowledge advising me on areas of Torbay that are safe and nice or areas nearby that benefit from the better weather. Thanks in advance for taking the time to help.
Hi Cara
Wellswood nice and thatcher avenue area but costs more plus lots more
If you find a place ask and you will get good advise
Jeff
Omg talk about hate Torbay!!
I’ve lived here all my life and it’s really not that bad!!
Did the guy say he’s from Birmingham?? My god I
would say thats a bigger hellhole then anywhere I’ve ever been.
If anyone if thinking of moving to Torbay u shouldn’t b worried about comments
On here it’s a gorgeouse place to live, yeah it has it’s bad points but what
Place doesn’t.
I’ve got 2 children aged 18&13 and there not crazy druggies or chavs and nore
Are any of there friends!
How can someone that’s only spent a week here have such a bad opinion!
Happiness is Torquay in my rear view mirror!
I don’t think it was neccessarily a good idea to just post the bad things in Torquay, and that list is a lot of the same stuff repeated over and over again. Of those 47 items I only count about 15 different things. Could have possibly linked the article to the best things in Torquay list as well.
I’ve lived in London, Torbay and Plymouth in several different areas in each and Torbay is my favourite place so far. The weather is nicer (by comparison), the scenery and surrounding areas are great, and there ARE things to do if you look around, and for all age ranges too!
We’ve got many blue flag beaches, Quay West waterpark, Living Coasts, Paignton Zoo, Babbacombe model village, Paignton pier, the Hi-Flyer hot air baloon, many golf courses/pitch n puts, go karts, quad biking, cinemas, leisure centres, lots of restaurants, bars and clubs.
If you’re interested in history/culture there’s Torre Abbey, Cockington village, Kents Cavern, the museum, Brixham’s fishing village.
It was mentioned that Torbay is predominantly a white population and seen as maybe rascist. I am mixed English/Thai and I think I’ve received maybe one comment, I told the guy where to shove it and he shut up and moved on. When I first moved to Torbay 12 years ago there didn’t seem to be too much of a mix, but over the years I have seen a massive increase in the diversity. Torbay even holds multicultural festivals, one in particular Teranga that I helped with one year, has a vast range of different stands selling different foods, and different groups putting on various displays too. It’s a really good event!
We have many of the same issues as many towns/cities (drugs,alcohol,violence) but these aren’t as major problem as they’re made out to be, and the addition of some of the tourist town related issues too (traffic, seasonal influxes). However, the area I’d say Torbay Council needs to focus on is the traffic, improve the road systems in and out of the bay and you solve a lot of the other issues as well.
As has already been mentioned, English people just focus on the negative things. Torbay is an awesome place to live, and it is continually developing into a better one!
Thanks for your contribution Mike. I have to be honest I really did worry about this post but now I think it was a great idea to put this post up, look how many people have come out to defend their town! Torquay is my home town, has been for 25 years and it’s a great place to live, as previously stated has the same issues as any town across the country.. The idea of the post is to get peoples reaction to it, and that was successful, so I’m happy it’s up and glad you put forward so many positive things about Torbay. Im interested to know more about Teranga, you got any details? send to nick@talktorbay.com – Cheers Mike!!!
I’ve read all of the comments and they make for interesting reading Nick so I’m glad you posted this.
I’m vice chair for the Torquay Town Centre Community Partnership and there are similar partnerships for Torre and Upton and Hele and Barton as well as others in Paignton and Brixham. All of the partnerships are working to try and encourage business to the area, improve the environment and make the Bay a safe place for everyone who lives here.
We are all local people in partnerships; by local I don’t mean necessarily born and bred but people who’ve invested their lives and, some of them, substantial sums of money to live here. What we all have in common is we work voluntarily to try and improve living and working propsects for everyone. We all care passionately about making the Bay a better place.
Like everywhere Torbay has good and bad pockets. What I’d like to see in posts are not only complaints and praise (though still good to hear them) but also suggestions about how we might go forward to make Torbay a better place. Then Partnerships can take these suggestions forward to our local councellors/police/housing/planning/safer communities.
I’ll be monitoring all your responses. Please just take a little time and add your ideas. People power can change everything so don’t be shy. We can make a difference when we shout loud enough!!
The high rate of Domestic Violence and Abuse in the home, along with Anti-Social Behaviour, in Torbay, speaks volumes.
“The grass is always greener … ”
^ but that is not the case. You’ll find the same negative comments about every town and city. I could say the same about my home town, a town that many, many people love.
However, I love Torquay!
We have visited Torquay a number of times; every time we have found the people to be friendly and our nights out to the pubs and bars have been very pleasant experiences. I feel quite relaxed after a long weekend there. The view from the harbour on a warm and sunny evening is a real treat, especially with a beer in hand. *sigh* I’d go there now if I could.
Sadly, we will find the same problems everywhere but we will only depress ourselves if we choose to focus only on the negatives. In reality, you would have to buy your own island in order to isolate yourself from crime, drunks, junkies, racism, free-loaders etc.
Don’t be down about Torquay. It’s a lovely place but you just have to be realistic to the fact that nowehere on earth is flawless.
I lived in Torquay from 1980 – 2005, and in that time left for two years to go to college. Only when I returned did I notice the decline in the mid 90′s. It’s one of those things that as a local resident you become used to and dare I say blind to.
I point you in the direction of your wasteful and self serving council.
Look at town planning, all these large residential dwellings in the area, allowed to be converted into flats. More council tax of course they would argue. Conversely, more housing benefits to pay out for those who live there courtesy of us taxpayers. Those villas and ex-hotels turned into bedsits. There’s little wonder there was an invasion from the “north” (let’s face it, everywhere is pretty much “north” of Torquay)
Street parking for residents, some people now have to have permits, yet the council wouldn’t allow my parents to have their garen dug out and create two parking spaces for themselves which would have meant at least one less car clogging up the already crowded streets (I refer you to converted flats) and again at least one less car if they had visitng family or friends.
It’s a shame and I feel bad for the local residents, a few of which are family and friends who still live there. The council should clean up the place and stop wasting money in the first place on ill conceived ideas.
I went out into town when I visted last. It was mid week and quite quiet, but having a Metro Tesco in the middle of town seems too convenient for bulk buying of cheap lager and cider.
Torquay could be great again, and I mean great. Not just any old seaside resort. I’m sure it’s the minority who spoil it – unfortunately that minority are also very visible and that is what people will remember.
Drugs, drink, screaming kids and parents…. well that’s just Britain all over isn’t it?
Hiiyaaa u know wat you slag of torquay but look at london at the moment !!! and thats meant to represent our country!
Devon has some gr8 things beaches are amazing if u look outside the tourist zone, there are some gr8 people and why do u need a thousand designer shops on your doorstep!!! People in torquay ARE NOT RACIST AT ALL! yes there are fewer multicultural people living in our town than say london but thats not our fault!!! I have grown up here and really miss the surrounding when i go away! You just have to look at the nice parts of torquay tosee that we are a lot better of than many parts of the country/countries in the world !!! why cant u people be more grateful for what youve got !! why even construct a bad list of torquay anyway who is that sad !!!plus when your a local trying at 5pm it is very annoying when tourists constantly are blocking up the roads or driving slow to get a closer look at the beach !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ha ha, I have to say that article and some of the reaction was very amusing. Everything in that article is completely true. However it is a generalisation of the area, and not everyone behaves in that manner. I happen to live here in Torbay, moved here when I was a kid from Manchester with the family. I have to say its a beautiful place to live, if a little quiet, but thats not to say that the area doesnt have its problems. Lets just say on the one hand its good and on the other its bad, same as everywhere. Manchester had its plus points and its negative as well, at the end of the day if you arent happy where you are living then you should be looking for a new place to live not leaving comments on a forum discussing the bad points of an area that you dont like. Its pretty straight forward I thought anyway. Ta see you all down the job center, in the dole cue or just generally around town causing trouble and moaning at tourists and being small minded people lol
We recently had a holiday in Paignton, could not believe the place was over run with dogs. The beaches in the are supposed to have been awarded the blue flag award for cleanliness, from early morning they are are turned into dog toilets. The council should be ashamed of themselves,the main beaches should not allow dogs either in or out of season, they are turning a blind eye to the mess left.
The green at Paignton has always been a place where families can play games together and have fun together, its what makes the seaside great, it helps bring families together for a few days a year. The new play area takes up a lot of the green up and will segregate families, kids will play with kids and adults will sit watching. it has not been thought through properly.
British sea side resorts need all the help they can get to attract families, Torbay seems to be doing everything it can to drive people away. Why would a family choose to holiday in Devon, they seem to be doing everything they can to drive tourists away from the area. I would not want my children playing on a beach where dogs have fouled.
The recent change in policy regarding parking is counter productive. You used to be able to park on the sea front out of main season, or find a side road to park. It seems the tourist are now made to feel unwelcome, all these small things add up, it is just discouraging people from coming to the area.
I lived in Torquay most of my life but moved to London when I was 23. After living in London for 10 years now I can honestly say I’m amazed I lived in Torquay for so long. Yes its a very pretty place to live but the people have changed the town considerably. In terms of employment opportunities there is nothing in Torquay for most people unless you work for the council in what could only be described as a dull venture into a grey abyss or you work as a doctor prescribing methadone. My advice would be for younger people looking to move to Torquay to consider Exeter.
i moved from torquay 6 years ago with my wive and 2 children,we moved to weston super mare which is great,since the move my marriage has recently broken up and my wive is moving back to be with her family.is torquay that bad as imight be moving back soon to be close to the kids or shall i stay in weston where i love and just stay for the weekend.and are the schools anygood for the kids.i welcome all coments
Did you ever run that ‘Best Things in Torquay’ piece?
I am researching as I am thinking of relocating .. the ‘Worst Things’ article stopped me in my tracks a little bit.
Sorry Karl no we never! Not enough feedback, but there really are lots of great things in Torquay.. the article (which I put together) Is obviously highlighting worst case examples… It’s really a great place to live, you should come!
I have just come across this article and although the guys impression of the area is a little exaggerated, he has a point. I have lived here for 13 years and I am one of those who came down from ‘up north’. I wanted a safer haven for my children to grow up in and it has been. The area I came from was particularly ‘rough’ and although I lived there for 30 years without a criminal record I wasn’t prepared to risk it with my children. They have all grown up beautifully, hard working and decent members of society. They all work for a living, as do I and I am very proud of them all. I work in Torquay and recently moved offices and I am now situated just around the corner from The Town Hall. I walk from the car park, down the steps and past the homeless flats on Factory Row, I seriously hope the tourists don’t do the same. I regularly see druggies and alcoholics swearing, fighting, being sick, being arrested, shouting, being aggressive and a multitude of other anti-social behaviours. Whoever thought it was appropriate to put this provision like this in the centre of a busy tourist area is an idiot. The Government make it far too easy for those who choose this lifestyle, to impact heavily on those of us who work hard for a living. The annoying thing is that because I have a strong Birmingham accent, I get tarred with the same brush as these wasters. How can it be fair that I have slaved for years to bring up my children as decent citizens, always worked and paid tax and yet others can choose a lifestyle of drink and drugs, never have to work a day in their lives and get away with that? I think the general attitude is ‘if we are going to live a life of drugs, alcohol and benefits then we may as well do it by the seaside’! Luckily I live in Paignton and it isn’t as bad there. Something needs to be done before this town goes to the dogs!
hi all, i was wondering weather if you could give me some info on the area Southlands Road, Torquay, TQ2 5SN? as i have someone interested in a 3 way swap and am now unsure of the area after reading this page please could someone help? many thanks Stacey
xx
Haha, I couldn’t agree with the feature more. I got a job in Torquay a while ago before having lived and worked in Plymouth. Thankfully it seems I work for one of the very few good company’s. I wanted to move from Plymouth for a couple of years as that was getting so bad but I tell thee, I would sooner live in Plymouth than Torquay. Thankfully I can just about afford to live well outside of Torquay in a nice town. Such a pit and so funny the locals speak so finely of it. English Riviera my backside!
Hmmm,we are looking at moving down south and to be honest we had our hearts set on Torquay. Good weather, by the sea but to be honest this has got me a little bit on the backfoot (especially as Nick hasn’t had enough feedback to write “the best things about torquay” after 2 years!)
Is it really that bad? Everywhere in Britain has bad parts and the vast majority of town centres go to the dogs on a weekend night as well.
What are the schools like? we have a 4 yr old starting next year and for us that would be the clincher, if the schools are poor we wouldn’t bother moving.
Well, all I have to say is if you where here this weekend you’d be forgiven for thinking you were on the Costa Brava! It’s been beautiful!
Hi,
I moved to Torquay in July last year from Kent. Having just completed our first year in the area my input to the thread is as follows:
Local wages are low and work opportunities are more limited than the big cities and like it or not, are reliant on tourism. Infrastructure, roads, broadband etc is generally poor and parking is really expensive and increasingly difficult. Torquay town centre is not great in the day – its a bit grubby, there aren’t many high end shops, there are a few, but choice is limited, with low wages generally in the area the shops here are serving the local market and income. My wife works in Torbay Hospital (which is very good in her opinion) and says for the size of town there does seem to be a high ratio of illness/disease related to alcohol and poor diet, and again for the size of population a higher than expected drug problem.
In our experience Torquay on a night out is ok, there are the normal drunk idiots, but there is a visible police presence and around the harbour area we have always felt safe. It must be noted that we are a holiday location and on holiday some people do everything to excess including drinking. For me here is the real problem for Torquay – We seem to be marketing ourselves soley on “cheap” and the businesses here seem to be competing on price alone. If we set out to attract coach loads (literally) of people paying £10 for their transport and £14.99 for bed and breakfast, we have to expect them not to put too much into the local economy and chances are they are going to seek value for money over quality. With the current financial climate and the “staycation” I really think Torquay and Torbay missed a trick in not going for the higher end of the tourism market. There are no really great hotels in the area, not one 5 star hotel in what we call the English Riviera. There are perhaps one or two great restaurants – yes there are lots out of Torquay but how many really great mitchelan (is that how you spell it?) star restaurants are there in the town? Given our economy is linked to tourism for me its a no brainer, we need to work to elevate the offering to holiday makers and aim at visitors with a higher disposable income. Clearly, looking at some areas of Torquay and the housing stock, there was and to an extent still is money in the area.However much of the town doesn’t cater for those guys. The Harbour in Torquay is fantastic and goodness knows how many ££ worth of boats are there. Now ask how many shops and restaurants are there catering for the boating fraternity..Where are the upmarket boutiques, cafes etc around the harbour catering for these guys that clearly have a bob or two. I think the council have a fair bit to answer for here. They have passed some awful,awful planning decisions in the past and ruined some gorgeous buildings and allowed some really tacky pubs to open in what should be prime high street space. The harbour area is pedestrian friendly (great) but then the shops and cafes are to be blunt rubbish. Why cant they offer some form of incentive to get some higher end shops etc into this area as a start? The council have to take the lead on this in my opinion.
On the flip side to all of this, here is what’s great – Generally the people are way more friendly than many places we have lived, the countryside is beautiful, there are interesting places visit and things to do that don’t cost a fortune and if you go at the right time arent mobbed with people. There is a feel of community and generally people do care about their town and their neighbours etc. On balance we are pleased we made the move, but pray that Torquay stops pitching to the lower end of the tourism market. At the end of the day do we really want the 3* Grosvenor Hotel to be the face of Torquay?
It sounds rather like the guy who submitted this diatribe was an example of a person looking for trouble and finding it. Firstly and foremost Torbay is a place of exceptional natural beauty, as is the surrounding countryside. This itself is a real bonus and does wonders for ones state of mind. I have lived here for 11 years (moved from Bognor Regis). I live in Paignton, and have never personally suffered from any criminal action. It really is a safe place to live, the town centre is, well mediocre but homely in an nonthreatening quiet way. Of course there is grockles alley full of those vest wearing chavs, but you would only go there if you wanted to. Paignton is probably the best of the three towns that make up Torbay. There are stunning views of the bay from many of the streets and corners up on the hillsides, and Paignton is a more family orientated place that avoids the more sleasy aspects of life in Torquay, and of course we have the marvelous Paignton Zoo here.
Torquay down by the harbour side is stunning and really does betray that Mediterranean feel. Venture away from the harbour side (Rock walk area aside) and you might as well not be in the English Riviera. There are some downbeat areas (I will not mention them, all residents here know which areas I mean) that do have some endemic social problems, drugs, poverty and the associated issues that go with them.
The author wrote this article in 2004. I am writing this in 2012. Things have now improved I think. The new by pass is now being built that will alleviate the congestion on the Newton Road. The anti-social behaviour on Torquay harbour side at the week-ends has diminished quite dramatically (some thanks to the street pastors here).
Yes there is not much work here, but that is probably the same everywhere in England, at least we have a tourist industry. Many places in the UK have no industry of any description.
On the whole Torbay is a fantastic place to live.