THE pedestrianisation of Torre has been a disaster, traders claim.

Now moves are afoot to reopen the shopping parade to traffic at Brunswick Square.

As part of a public consultation exercise, 1,000 flyers have been sent out.

Now a meeting will look at reversing the £100,000 scheme just six years after European funding paid to convert the shopping parade at higher Union Street into a pedestrian-only area.

Calls are being made to let one-way traffic back in.

Councillor and local trader Robert Excell said he agreed that pedestrianisation had been a failure and had been behind moves to reverse the road closure.

He said: "I got this started as executive lead for transportation. We asked Torre Action Group to carry out a survey and that will come back to the transport committee on February 16.

"I feel we should allow the street to be reopened.

"There is a need in that area to have quick drop-off points to get the flow of business going again.

"It doesn't make sense to have that area restricted."

Kevin Fannon, chairman of Torre Action Group, said: "The shops are dying on their feet.

"The butcher's shop has closed, the greengrocer's has closed and one cafe has closed. There are two empty shops.

"I have sent out 1,000 flyers and, so far, the answers I have had back seem to be slightly in favour of re-opening.

"Hopefully, we will set up a consultation marquee on Brunswick Square gardens.

"That road goes straight down from Higher Union Street at Brunswick Square, all the way into Torquay town centre.

"This is not just about Torre. It is about the complete regeneration of Torquay shops in general."