Dear All,
As the Platinum Jubilee celebrations continue it is time for my latest update.
The House of Commons has been in recess this week, so I have been able to spend it working here in our bay, rather than having to travel up to London.
Last Saturday was spent with family, making a campaign visit to the By-Election in Honiton and catching up on e-mails.
Sunday saw one of the highlights of what was due to be a busy week of events as I jointed the team from the Unleashed Theatre Company for the Grand Opening of the Royal Lyceum Theatre (The former Central Cinema in Abbey Road). The team have done a fantastic job, with a massive cleaning effort having removed the aroma which will have been familiar to many a moviegoer.
The opening show was a superb mix of talents from the choir and the acting company, including an excerpt from the award-winning film. A day of celebration also saw a moment for reflection as 2 members of the Unleashed Team had passed away shortly before the event.
On Monday I stopped into the Coastwatch Station on Daddyhole Plain to deliver a prize for a forthcoming raffle, which also provided a chance to catch up on their latest fundraising appeal (Top Left). They need to find an alternative power supply and are asking for help towards the cost. More details on this below.
Tuesday was a day of catching up on emails and time spent with family, ahead of a busy few days of events and celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee.
The start of the Jubilee Celebrations for me came on Wednesday night when I joined Torbay Mencap for their Jubilee Celebration Concert. The musical performances were provided by the Torbay Police Choir and the Riviera Concert Brass Band. It was a great way to start the events of the four-day weekend, with a significant amount raised for a good cause.
Yesterday started with a morning clearing emails, then heading over to St Matthias Church for the Hog Roast on the Piazza (Top Right). It was great to see so many there and to get a chance to see the coronation and jubilee souvenirs being displayed in the church. One member of St Matthias’s congregation had a special link to the Queen’s Coronation having been a Chorister at it, yet this was not his first such experience as he had also been in the choir at Westminster Abbey as a young boy for the Coronation of King George VI. An amazing and nearly unique story.
Afterwards Cllr Hazel Foster and I headed up to St Marychurch to see the amazing work done by the local yarn bombers group. It was also great to join those celebrating in the precinct (Bottom Left). A bit more on the displays below.
Yesterday evening I headed up to Daddyhole Plain for the lighting of the Beacon at 9:45pm. It was great to see so many there, with the Beacon in Brixham visible in the distance as well.
Today saw four events for me, starting with opening the Jubilee Celebration event at Preston Conservative Club this morning. The day was aimed at raising money for the charities the club supports, with South West Blood Bikes in attendance (Bottom Right).
After this I headed up to Coronation Park in Babbacombe to join the team from All Saints, Babbacombe for their Afternoon Tea event to mark the Jubilee. Whilst there it was great to catch up with the local Scouts who will be heading to the World Jamboree in South Korea next year.
A large free music festival was organised in Torre Abbey Meadows today by Torbay Council. There were a range of acts and it was great to see lots of people there enjoying themselves. I popped down at 6pm as the Mayor of Torbay gave a special thank you from the stage to those who supported our community during the pandemic.
Finally this evening I joined the team at Livermead House for their Jubilee Dinner.
This week’s update is below and includes:
Torbay Road Bridge Update, Cost of Living Support, £363K Government Funding Boost For Torre Abbey, Make Plans For Airshow Travel, Harbour Clean Up, Missing the Old Pacer Trains?, Clink Devon, Zoo in 52, Coastwatch, Kev’s Column: Unleashed and finally……..The Birth of Basil.
Torbay Road Bridge Update,
After the delays earlier this year it is welcome news the bridge on Torbay Road has been open this week and will be throughout the Jubilee Weekend.
A footpath is now available for you to use across the new bridge that has been built over the railway. This footpath opened for use ahead of the Jubilee weekend, as Network Rail had promised it would.
One positive piece of news is they have reviewed their “construction methodology” and have now identified a way where it will be possible to keep the footpath open across the bridge for the duration of the remaining work (apart from closures at night between Midnight and 5am when works taking place), when the original plan was to close it after the Jubilee weekend. Do keep an eye out for signage as you approach the bridge if either walking, cycling or driving along Torbay Road during the early hours of the morning.
I am advised the bridge still needs to be closed at night so Network Rail can complete the remaining work safely (The completion of the bridge sides). Therefore, the road and footpath will be closed between midnight and 5.00am each night and diversions will be in place. Torbay Road and the footpath across the bridge will be opened each day for public use.
I am advised they expect all work on the bridge to be completed by August but I have arranged a meeting next Friday (10
th) for an update and to chase progress.
Cost of Living Support,
Rising goods and energy costs, inflation and cost of living pressures after the pandemic and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine are putting pressure on many households here in Torbay.
There is a range of help available from the Government, but often the information about what this includes can only be found by visiting different websites. Therefore a handy new website has been launched which includes links and basic details of the support which is available, from specific schemes to help with daily living costs to the eligibility criteria for key benefits (Many eligible for Pension Credit do not claim it).
You can find it by clicking
here.
£363K Government Funding Boost For Torre Abbey,
There was a major boost for Torre Abbey this week as it was awarded £363,748 from the Cultural Assets Fund (CAF); a £20 million government funding stream.
With additional funding provided by Torbay Council and Friends of Torre Abbey, a total pot of £404,165 will fund a project to conserve and repair Torre Abbey’s southeast wing, Courtyard 4, and the tower next to the Learning Suite.
The project will address water ingress and improve ventilation by completing parapet and windows repairs, repairing masonry and repointing, replacing cement render with lime, repairing internal plaster finishes, and replacing inadequate rainwater goods. Urgent landscaping works will lower the ground to original levels and replace with Cedex to improve drainage and prevent further water ingress.
The news comes on the back of Torre Abbey securing almost £500,000 from the Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND) earlier this year. This funding from the Government, will be used to conserve, repair, and make safe the Abbey’s 14th century Gatehouse and Southwest Wing. The MEND grant is being matched by Council investment totalling £471,715 and funding of £23,450 from the Friends of Torre Abbey.
These joint investments mean almost £1.4 million is being used to restore and protect Torbay’s most historic building. It is great to note this latest funding award for our bay and to talk with Heritage Minister Nigel Huddleston about it earlier this week, especially in light of other recent Government funding awards for our bay in this area, such as the £3m for the Paignton Picture House in March.
Make Plans For Airshow Travel,
If heading to the airshow this weekend or planning an important journey in Paignton, do plan ahead for the likely impact of traffic and people heading to the airshow.
More than 165,000 visitors are expected to watch many of the world’s most iconic aircraft including the RAF Red Arrows, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight with the Spitfire, Hurricane, and the magnificent Lancaster, as well as the Chinook and The Blades – which is made up of former Red Arrows pilots.
This means roads are expected to be extremely busy, with anyone travelling by car to the event to be aware of road closures that will be in place from 10am until 7pm on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 June. Affected roads will be clearly advertised, along with diversion routes.
Where possible those attending the event are encouraged to car share, walk, cycle, or use public transport. The open-top 122 service has restarted, following the re-opening of the Torbay Road Bridge which is a great way to get there if travelling from Torquay Harbourside or Babbacombe.
Victoria car park on Garfield Road is the official designated car park, with access limited to those who have pre-booked their space. Motorists are advised that no on the day payment facility will be available and should use alternative car parks. On-street parking suspensions will also be in place on Garfield Road, Torbay Road, and Queens Road.
The event village on Paignton Green will be open from 10.30am and will be packed with rides, carnival stalls, local and national traders, a wide variety of food and drink stalls, plus stands from visiting RAF crews.
£15.5m Boost For Our Bay,
It is great to see our bay is very busy this weekend, with the Airshow and Jubilee Bank Holiday, combined with some great weather so far, ensuring many from across the country have made their way here.
Whilst it does mean some traffic congestion and a few queues at popular shops and destinations, the economic impact is very welcome. The English Riviera BID Company, estimates the airshow weekend alone will generate more than £15.5million to our local economy.
This will be a welcome boost for many businesses and an ideal start to what will hopefully be a busy summer season for our bay.
Harbour Clean Up,
The clean-up operation at Torquay harbour continues this week following the fire affecting the princess yacht on Saturday 28 May 2022.
Teams from Tor Bay Harbour Authority, Devon and Cornwall Police, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, Coastguard teams and the Environment Agency worked hard over the weekend to ensure the salvage and clean-up operation got underway as quickly as possible. It is estimated that specialist teams had, by Monday, already removed three tonnes of marine diesel from the water with more being removed.
Structural surveys are being undertaken to assess the damage to Princess Pier, which was affected by the fire on the boat. The pier will remain closed for the foreseeable future and will re-open to the public once the salvage operation is completed.
I have been advised Torbay Council are constantly monitoring the condition of the water and are taking the necessary precautions in terms of advising bathers and beach users of any changes to the water. Members of the public are asked to take note of any signs, messages, and instructions from Tor Bay Harbour Authority.
An investigation is underway by the police to determine the cause of the fire.
Missing the Old Pacer Trains?,
Do you miss the chance to ride on one of the old pacer trains which used to shuttle passengers between Exmouth and Paignton?
I don’t, they were far from the best ride on the railway, but some clearly do as this week one of our former Riviera Line Pacer Trains arrived at the Plym Valley Railway, a heritage line on the edge of Plymouth.
Great Western Railway (GWR) donated Class 143 “Pacer” diesel multiple unit (DMU) No. 143618, which was withdrawn from regular services in December 2020, to the line which operates trains on just over a mile of track on a former branch line from Plymouth to Tavistock. The DMU will undergo examinations and conversion training for staff, and will then be available to be used in service. You can read more on the Plym Valley Railway website by clicking
here.
If you do happen to be missing the old pacers, it is hoped the unit will be ready for service for the railway’s upcoming Transport Weekend in July.
Clink Devon,
The Deputy Prime Minister was in Devon this week to visit the latest kitchen to be run by The Clink Charity at HMP Exeter.
The Clink has for many years offered prisoners a second chance via training for a role in the hospitality sector. The Clink provides prisoners with an opportunity to gain new skills and qualifications in catering and horticulture. They then support the graduates to help them secure accommodation upon release. This offers them a real chance to return to the community with the ability to turn their lives around which will cut crime and improve public safety. The excellent outcomes of this programme are underlined by the Justice Data Lab audit, prisoners are 49.6% less likely to reoffend by entering this programme, meaning less victims of crime. You can read more on the Charity’s website by clicking
here.
It is great to see this scheme come to Devon, with plenty of roles in the hospitality sector available for those who take up this opportunity for a second chance in life.
Zoo in 52,
The Queen’s long reign has seen many changes both across the nation and here in our bay.
One constant though has been the popularity of Paignton Zoo for both visitors and locals wanting to have a day out which is enjoyable and informative. Yet the Zoo itself has seen dramatic changes to how its animals are presented and has gone from being a place to see exotic and rare animals, to a place which acts like a modern “Noah’s Ark” in its work to preserve those threatened with extinction.
1952 saw the last show for the Paignton Zoo Circus and at the time it was the third biggest Zoo in the UK. You can read more about the Zoo in 52 on Devon Live by clicking
here.
Next year will see the Zoo mark its centenary, a milestone we all look forward to celebrating with them.
Coastwatch
The National Coastwatch Institute (NCI) Torbay, situated on Daddyhole Plain in Torquay, keeps a watch on water and coastal users within Torbay, helping to keep them safe.
As mentioned above I popped up on Monday with a prize for their forthcoming raffle and also had a chance for a quick chat with the team on duty.
If something of concern is spotted by the Watchkeepers, the NCI alerts the Coastguard and is able to assist them, the RNLI or other members of the Search and Rescue (SAR) organisation as required. The tower is open during daylight hours, 365 days of the year, and it’s one of the busiest stations in the UK. Having been involved in 47 incidents in 2021 and 20 already this year, its importance is undeniable. It is staffed by local volunteers wanting to do their bit to help, with the services provided at no cost to the public purse.
NCI Torbay now needs our help to be able to carry on providing this important public service. The station is in the process of moving its existing mains supply for electricity and water to an off-grid solution. This will cost around £30,000. The NCI national organisation will fund much of this, but NCI Torbay needs to contribute a sum in the region of £10,000.
A GoFundMe page has been set up at
https://gofund.me/e2e9796c. If you're able to help by making a donation, NCI Torbay would be very grateful.
Kev’s Column: Unleashed
Every fortnight I write a “Kev’s Column” for the Torbay Weekly and you can read the latest edition by following the link below:
https://www.kevinjfoster.com/news/kevs-column-unleashed
and finally……..The Birth of Basil.
Ending on a lighter note tens of thousands of visitors will be heading to our bay this weekend for the Jubilee Celebrations and Airshow, yet back in the 1970s some got a unique experience when staying at a local hotel.
The experience was so unique one guest, John Cleese, was inspired to create Basil Fawlty, who for nearly 5 decades has been our bay’s most infamous hotelier. In 1977 Fawlty Towers was released in book form, which saw John Cleese invited onto the BBC’s Read All About It to discuss what inspired Basil’s creation. The BBC Archives recently posted the discussion on YouTube and you can watch it by clicking
here.
That is all for this week and enjoy your Bank Holiday weekend.
Best Wishes,
Kevin
