Maroons will be fired from Torquay and Brixham harbours on the day of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.

The funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will take place at 11am on Monday 19 September. A 2-minute silence will be held at the end of the funeral at approximately 11:55am. Torbay will mark the start and end of the silence with the sound of maroons echoing around the Bay.

Vue Cinema in Paignton, Brixham Theatre and St Lukes Church in Torquay will be screening the funeral for those who wish to watch the proceedings with others.

The Worshipful Mayor of Torbay, Councillor Mandy Darling, said; “Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral is the opportunity for local people to join those across the world to reflect, pray and give thanks for the life of Her Majesty. She was an extraordinary woman and our longest reigning monarch whose duty to this country was unwavering.

“Queen Elizabeth II visited Torbay on several occasions, visits which will forever be etched in the memories of some of our local residents who met her. It is fitting that we mark her funeral with two minutes of silence in memory of her life.”

The day of the funeral will be a public holiday. As a mark of respect and to allow everyone in Torbay to pay their respects there will be some changes to SWISCo services.

SWISCo will not be collecting waste and recycling on the day of the funeral. Collections will continue as normal from Tuesday 20 September and crews will be working on Saturday 24 September to complete as many rounds as possible. Residents are advised that if their waste and recycling isn’t collected on their usual day, to leave it out and crews will collect it as soon as possible. The Recycling Centre at Tor Park Road in Paignton will also be closed.  

The Street Cleansing team will be working with a reduced staff until 10am, normal service will begin again at 5am on Tuesday 20 September.

Further details on service changes can be found on our service changes page. 

In advance of the funeral, a National Moment of Reflection will take place at 8pm on Sunday 18 September. The moment will be marked by a one-minute silence. Torbay residents, community groups, clubs and organisations are encouraged to take part in a way that feels right for them. Anyone planning to hold an event in their local community can find guidance to help them mark the occasion. 

As a reminder, members of the public that have symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as COVID-19, are advised not to attend crowded events and avoid contact with other people. Wearing a well-fitting face covering made with multiple layers or a surgical face will also help reduce the chance of passing on any infection to others.