Trendy new venue opening in Torbay

A brand-new bar and restaurant with an intriguing theme is set to open on Torquay’s harbour front.

The former Cinnabar premises at 18-19 Victoria Parade, Torquay, will reopen around Easter 2025 as The Yacht.

This will be the second venue operated by the East Street Pub Company on Torquay’s harbour front, following the successful launch of Viva at the end of 2023.

Unlike Viva—a food and drink venue with a games and activities niche—The Yacht will feature a theme inspired by the story of an old sailor from Torbay who brought back food and drink from his travels around the world.

The seafront venue will be spread across two floors and will house an open distillery in partnership with Coastal Distilling Co. Guests will have the opportunity to taste and purchase East Street Pub Co’s own rums, whiskeys, gins, and vodka.

The menu will be a combination of small plates and main courses, offering flavours from around the globe, including Caribbean rum and Spanish chorizo.

The downstairs area will offer a more relaxed bar experience, serving food all day, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as afternoon tea.

The upstairs will be more of a restaurant area with a centre bar and a cut-out floor so that upstairs diners can have a view of the lower level.

Steve Narvidge, East Street Pub Company Director, described The Yacht as a “chameleon place.”

The renovations involved stripping out the old structure of the building and doing unseen work to the floor and roof—a process that Steve admitted took longer than expected. The team is now focusing on visible and decorative improvements.

East Street Pub Co already operates four other venues in Torbay, all located in Paignton, including The Hyde Dendy, Street Golf, Harbour Inn, and Queen Victoria.

The family company consists of Steve, his wife, his two sons, and his daughter-in-law.

Having worked in the hospitality industry for years, the family is well versed in how to run a successful venue.

Explaining the company’s philosophy, Steve said: “We’ve always tried to reinvest in the business and never take anything for granted. We’re constantly analysing what we do to see if we need to look in a different direction to keep our venues up to date and moving forward.”

When asked about The Yacht’s theme, Steve shared: “It’s a story we came up with over a glass of wine. We thought that we could have exciting dishes and drinks on the menu and have good fun with it, so we created our own history.”

East Street Pub Co aims for The Yacht to cater to multiple occasions, hoping that visitors will transition from Saturday night sit-down dinner to downstairs drinks before heading to Viva for some late-night or early-morning games and dancing.

Steve also said that he and other venue owners are feeling positive about the ongoing regeneration of Torquay’s harbour front: “It feels like everyone is working together to improve the area and bring Torbay to where we want it to be. The roadworks are finished, and the new pavements are being installed—it’s really starting to look better.”

He also assured that The Yacht’s pricing will remain reasonable:

“We won’t be the cheapest pub in town, and we’re far from the most expensive. It’ll be a place with quality surroundings, quality service, and a great atmosphere. Plus, we’ve lined up an excellent chef.”