Jim Parker: Game-changing Torquay town centre plans set for go-ahead and pub landlady says cheers

It looks as if once-in-a-generation and game-changing plans to transform Torquay's ailing town centre will get the go-ahead from local planners.
Torbay Council’s planning committee were meeting on Monday to decide the fate of multi-million-pound proposals to knock down parts of the Union Square shopping centre and parts of the town’s historic market.
Up in their place could go nearly 100 new homes along with new businesses and a public square.
Heritage guardians have described the plans as ‘poor’ but officers are advising councillors to give the green light.
A total of 18 comments have been received by the council in response to the market plans, 13 are letters of objection from the Torbay Heritage Trust and the other five are from local people who support the plans.
Developers Willmott Dixon Construction want to knock down the south and west elevations of the Pannier Market and remove internal fixtures. New arched openings and doors would be built.
The market was built in 1852 and was altered in 1865 to incorporate shops. It has Grade Two listed status.
Supporters say the work will remove an eyesore while providing new homes and facilities, but the heritage trust says the developers have no serious interest in protecting and enhancing the historic site.
Planning officers have asked for more information about the work, but say the project is acceptable, subject to a number of stringent conditions. At the same meeting councillors will be advised to say yes to the partial demolition of the Union Square shopping centre.
So, the dawning of a new era could be just around the corner at long last — fingers crossed.
Now, not wanting to be greedy but what about the Castle Circus area of the town? I speak as I find here when I take my hat off to Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez for spending millions of pounds on trying to resolve issues that are well-known in the area and to those other partners who have done their best to tackle drugs, street drinking, anti-social behaviour and crime.
It is hoped that the Union Square redevelopment scheme and other longer-term regeneration projects in the Torquay Vision will increase footfall and improve the look and feel of the top half of the town.
And we should all take our hats off to the businesses and traders who have continued to battle through challenging times rather than give up and walk away. Businesses like David Rowe and jewellers Conroy Couch, who have been in Union Street for more years than he cares to remember.
And to new businesses that have only recently started trading in the area. Take the Rabbit Hole pub for instance.
Landlady Zoe Gay has just completed her first year at the Castle Circus venue. It was formerly the Wig and Pen and Jolly Judge and had its licence taken away about six years ago for under-age drinking, drugs and fighting. She has been running it with the help of partner Sam and was told she must have been ‘mad’ when she first moved in.
But Zoe says: “We have survived our first year trading and had a few meltdowns on our journey but it’s been worth it.
“We see street wardens and police patrolling at times. They help to a certain extent but they are not always about to witness things happening so we have to record this and put forward what we’ve found, which is very time consuming.”
But she adds: “We have great locals that support us and excellent reviews online which helps bring new people in.
“This last year has been fun and a lot of hard work but we have made it work and are proud of what we have achieve. We have a pool team, darts team, live music, karaoke, a great selection of beers, wine, ciders, spirits, snacks etc, and exciting plans for the kitchen coming soon. We are also dog friendly, with treats and water for them.
“We have good relationships with the other business owners and our staff are great and have hosted wakes, birthday parties, baby showers and even our first wedding reception.”

The newly-weds were Chris Balsom-Green and bride Emma, who said: “We have just moved to Ilminster but came back to the Rabbit Hole because its decor is so different and it is so welcoming. There is no place like it.”
Zoe says: “One customer said to me if we ban anymore people we won’t have any customers left. My response is we will have the right customers left. We have great regulars. Our pub had attracted a range of ages and works well.
“We understand it was a gamble with the position of the pub but we have worked hard to help clean up the area.. We don’t tolerate any undesirable people in the pub.”
Zoe is aware of the current regeneration plans and says: “We think anything to help improve the area is a positive thing for our business.”
She is not too sure if the Factory Row homeless hostel should remain as part of the new Torquay Vision. That elephant-in-the-room needs to be sorted.
The Torquay Neighbourhood Forum strongly supports the principle of the Union Square development which it says will keep the town centre ‘prosperous and sustainable’.
But one objector writes: “The proposed new buildings are laughably bad, ugly and far too large. Torquay has many terrible examples of modern architecture which sit uncomfortably with the gracious older buildings. This horrible huge new building in ugly inappropriate materials takes us back to a past we want to escape from.”
You will never escape from the past if you can’t accept a new future…
Huge congratulations to Zoe and the team, by the way…