Dave Thomas: We are uncovering the pavilion's true condition

Agatha Christie and Torquay Pavilion, undoubtedly two of the most iconic parts of our local history and both are equally worthy of celebrating. 

Last weekend we unveiled a new statue of Agatha Christie and her beloved dog, Peter, created by Brixham artist Elisabeth Hadley. 

It was a privilege to welcome Mathew Prichard, Agatha’s grandson to Torquay for the unveiling and to hear his thoughts on the bronze cast statue. 

The unveiling ceremony saw hundreds of people gather on our new look Torquay harbourside for this momentous occasion. 

Agatha fans from both near and far were wowed by this latest tribute and took turns to have their photograph taken next to her. 

Around the harbourside, families took part in a specially organised Agatha Christie inspired ‘Doggies in the Window’ treasure hunt, which provided the chance to win a limited-edition commemorative coin. 

The day was topped off with live music, and just around the corner the fountain on Cary Green working again after many years. All in all, a fantastic day, my sincere thanks to everyone that made it a huge success. 

I’ve spoken a lot about us moving forward with restoring the Pavilion. We have started to identify the true condition of the building, which will determine what work needs to be done to bring it back into use. 

It is likely that we won’t know the outcome of this initial piece of work until early 2026. In tandem with this work, we are exploring options for the most suitable end use of this special Grade II listed building. 

At the end of March, myself and other senior council officers, met with a member of the Agatha Christie family and potential funders, to consider the opportunity of using the Pavilion to be the home of an Agatha Christie Research and Visitor Centre. These are early stage and ongoing discussions, and if successful, could provide Torbay with the ultimate legacy to Agatha Christie. 

The new statue and the possibility of the Pavilion utilising the Agatha Christie Archive mark a new era of celebrating Agatha Christie to local, national and international audiences.

I’m sure you’ll agree this is incredibly exciting and could solve the mystery of how we could successfully bring one of our cherished local assets back into use. 

Not only are we committed to celebrating and protecting the spaces that make Torbay special, but we also have lots of people and groups in our communities that share our passion. 

Through the Torbay Local Heritage Grant Scheme, which was launched in 2023, we have supported 40 heritage projects that improve access and participation in Torbay’s heritage, and raise awareness of, and celebrate our UNESCO Global Geopark designation. 

Projects from across the bay have received a share of £250,000 thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and £12,500 from the council. 

Previous projects have included new murals and artist residencies, community garden development, creation of fossil and historic photograph collections, podcasts, handmade books and educational resources. 

We’ll be announcing more successful projects that will benefit from the latest round of funding in the next few weeks. 

What is wonderful about these projects is they encourage more and more people, of all ages to learn about the local area in new ways such as games, sports, trails, music, films and workshops. Well done to everyone that has been involved in this initiative, I look forward to seeing your projects come to life. 

Remember, on Easter Sunday and Monday we have two days of free activities and entertainment on Torquay’s harbourside, between 11am and 3pm on both days. Everyone is welcome.