'Sad and difficult time' as Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust confirms it is to cease trading 'imminently'

The Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust has confirmed it is to cease trading 'imminently' and is going into liquidation.

As a result, their Occombe Farm attraction, including the Farm Cafe and Farm Park & Play, will close 'imminently'.  

The Trust says that since its formation in 1999, TCCT has proudly cared for Torbay’s most treasured green spaces on behalf of the community, managing Torbay Council-owned land for the benefit of both people and wildlife.

It says: "Over the last 26 years we have worked hard to expand commercial and fundraising activities including obtaining grants and donations, offering membership, burials, events and the regeneration of Occombe Farm to help fund our work.

"However, the gap between our generated income and what it costs to care for these places has grown to the point where we can no longer continue."

For more than 25 years, guided by a dedicated team of conservationists, TCCT has cared for nearly 80 per cent of Torbay’s most important landscapes, including Berry Head National Nature Reserve, Occombe Farm, and Cockington Country Park, as well as woodlands and over 40 miles of coast paths and bridleways.

The Trust says TCCT has worked hard to provide vital access to nature for local people while protecting rare and endangered wildlife and their habitats.

Many of the sites managed form part of the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark, recognised for their unique natural heritage. TCCT has worked alongside national, regional, and local partners to ensure these landscapes receive the recognition and protection they deserve.

Barbara King, Chair of Trustees, said: "This is an incredibly sad and difficult time. For more than two decades, our team of staff and volunteers have poured their hearts into caring for the places that make Torbay so special. We have done everything possible to secure TCCT’s future, but despite our best efforts, the financial challenges have become too great.

"I want to thank every member, partner, supporter, and volunteer who has stood alongside us. While this chapter closes, the legacy of care, connection, and conservation that the Trust leaves behind will remain part of Torbay’s landscape for generations to come. We are now working on the formal liquidation process and the liquidators will be in touch with all relevant parties soon."