Working with TDA and SWISCo we are set to invest £221,293 into Torbay’s seafronts and town centres this summer holiday season to help boost our reopening and deliver critical support for local businesses hit hard over the past 15 months.

Our seafronts will undergo further environmental improvements such as repairs and refurbishment of railings, benches and shelters, re-painting of beach cabins, and extra bins to address litter in high footfall areas. Areas to benefit from the fund include Meadfoot, Broadsands, Babbacombe, Brixham, Torquay Harbour and Princess Pier.

Visitors to our town centres will be able to explore more easily with new signage and street-based maps, while wider marketing and events will help drive footfall to our shops and venues. Brixham Central car park will also undergo re-lining.

Key partners across Torbay including Chambers of Commerce and Brixham Town Council, have been closely involved to identify works and ensure investment is delivered where it is most needed.

Councillor Swithin Long, Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration, Tourism and Housing said:

“Many of the Bay’s residents depend on our visitor economy for work, as well as enjoying these spaces ourselves, so creating an even more welcoming and enjoyable visitor experience plays an essential role in our safe reopening this summer.”

Vince Flower, Chair of TDA said “Our work to secure this investment and to ensure a Torbay-wide and business focused approach, builds on our long-standing commitment to supporting the Bay’s businesses. The funding will help make the most of what is set to be a very busy summer and deliver a much-needed boost for our business communities.”

The investment builds on ‘Reopening High Streets Safely’ works which took place last summer following initial restrictions lifting and is part of the Welcome Back Fund provided by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The Welcome Back Fund has also received funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.