IS THIS TORQUAY'S BEST KEPT SECRET?
IS THIS TORQUAY'S BEST KEPT SECRET?
If you've been watching The Hotel
programme on TV recently it might have made you laugh – perhaps not as much as
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Fawlty Towers but for every person
tempted to visit Torquay there may have been twice as many 'put off'.
What a shame, you might think,
but is the real secret out? Does
Torquay in fact want to deter visitors, not attract them?
Maybe this is why a proper access
road to the resort has been put on ice for over 20 years (a scaled down version
finally started this year)
Impossible, unlikely, you say, but
perhaps these are the reasons the residents might want to keep the 'Bay' to
themselves:-
One of the most beautiful
coastlines in the UK with child-friendly waters and sandy beaches from Torquay
through Paignton to Brixham. Sailing,
yachting and water sports aplenty with the Royal Torbay Regatta celebrating 150
years this year.
A unique micro-climate where palm
trees last through the winter months – the Met Office say this is because
Torbay is uniquely situated in the lee of Dartmoor which attracts the extremes
of the weather to its craggy moors.
Dartmoor itself , one of the world heritage sites – not on
everybody's back door but that is the case in Torquay, it is only 20 minutes'
drive away!
Excellent shopping with top department stores like John
Lewis in Exeter and Austins in Newton
Abbot or unique individual shops and businesses in nearby Totnes ('twinned with
Narnia').
The Express train to London can be accessed from Paignton
and Torquay via Newton Abbot while France and Spain are serviced by regular
ferries from Plymouth, less than an hour's drive away.
Excellent 18 hole golf courses at Torquay, Churston and
Dartmouth.
Dartmouth itself, with the Royal Britannia Naval College and
its eminent history, not to mention Michelin starred restaurants and fabulous
seafood.
Brixham – where William Prince of Orange landed in 1688 – a centuries'
old fishing port.
Paignton – with its' own Regatta and old fashioned pier and
the unique Oldway Mansion built by the Singer (sewing machine) family and which
interior was modelled on Versailles.
A visible testament to all this
is the sheer number of historical figures who lived here. In Torquay alone, people
such as Agatha Christie, (who was born here) Charles Kingsley, Charles Darwin,
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Oscar Wilde, Robert Graves, Rudyard Kipling, Sir
Edward Lutyens even Sean O'Casey! In
fact there are increasing numbers of blue plaques being erected all the time as
more people of renown are discovered having lived in Torquay.
So – do the residents of
Torquay really want to extend an eager welcome to tourists and outsiders
or is it best to appear just a little
bit inept, a little bit lacking – perhaps just enough to 'put them off'?
What do you think..
22 Comments
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by SidneyNuff
Tuesday, February 05 2013, 1:07PM
“TORQUAY, CLOSED TO TOURISTS.”
by omnivore23
Tuesday, February 05 2013, 1:01PM
“Yep - thought not.......the boy can't help it.
Obsessive-repulsive disorder.”
by SidneyNuff
Tuesday, February 05 2013, 12:57PM
“The centre of Torquay in 5 years time. Tourist (enters cafe). Can I have two cafe lattes a chocamocha and a slice of panacotta please. Vendor '' sorry mate, we just dispense methadone here these days".”
by omnivore23
Tuesday, February 05 2013, 12:05PM
“Have you ever stopped to wonder Sidney, whether the people you attempt to argue with on this site might actually agree with you about some of the issues you raise?
The problem people have with you is that you lie and exaggerate to such an extent that no right-minded person could ever to anything but pull you up on your claims.
In the lines of the old song - "it's not what you do, it's that way that you do it - that's what gets results"
........or not, in your case.”
by SidneyNuff
Tuesday, February 05 2013, 11:56AM
“It looks like Torquay is saying ' It's not my problem, I'm not changing, you need to change. ' to tourists. WAKE UP TORQUAY, AND SMELL THE COFFEE. Before we have no cafes left to smell the coffee in!”
by omnivore23
Tuesday, February 05 2013, 11:45AM
“Can you see the central flaw in your(ahem) "argument" Sidney?
Would you like me to point it out for you?
Meanwhile - this should please you - looks like the DWP are getting to grips with lazy feckless English people at last:
http://tinyurl.com/alv4myz”
by SidneyNuff
Tuesday, February 05 2013, 11:37AM
“Sorry omni, but this site is not about solving personal problems, you will need to book in elsewhere for that. Comparing the centre of a Devon seaside town to numerous large transport destinations in one of europes largest cities will not get your point across and rather looks like you are clutching at straws. Morgan Avenue, which runs parallel to castle circus has many guest houses on it and there are two large hotels at the top of Lucius street that runs onto castle circus. Perhaps omni and sinjis are suggesting that these places move elsewhere as well as the area is just not for tourists. Maybe bluemedsec is indeed right and the people of Torquay just don't like tourists.”
by omnivore23
Tuesday, February 05 2013, 11:20AM
“I didn't mention the cafes and restaurants? Your powers of observation and attention to detail are still at their usual standard I see - my post only had three sentences and one of them was all about the cafes and restaurants.
Bus stops? So what?
I don't see London promoting Paddington, King's Cross, Liverpool St, Waterloo etc as "must visit" tourist destinations - they are transport hubs - and all pretty seedy as well, like many transport hubs - you go there and then you move on to your destination.
Just like Castle Circus.........
As Sinjis suggests - Why don't you move somewhere else?
Since you don't like the English (or the Welsh) very much - can I suggest Scotland?, Ireland? - we just want you to be happy Sidney.
While your commitment to "solving" Torbay's problems is admirable - it would seem to involve removing English people (and Welsh) and replacing them with people from other EU states - so I'm not quite sure where your sense of commitment comes from - who, or what are you so committed to that you would stay in a place you seem to have so many problems with.
I don't expect a coherent response from you by the way.”
by SidneyNuff
Tuesday, February 05 2013, 10:59AM
“It also looks as though it will stay Torquays best kept secret. The moment a story gets a few commemts that are not in keeping with the Heralds policy of light liberal entertainment, they quietly make sure it drops dowm the pages.”
by SidneyNuff
Tuesday, February 05 2013, 10:54AM
“Yes omni, I notice you didn't comment on the restaurants and cafes that surround Castle Circus, or the bus stops that bring tourists here. And sinjis, is that your advice to tourists 'If you don't like it, go elsewhere'. Putting you heads in the sand like liberal democrats won't solve Torquays problems.”