Jim Parker: How historic gem that is Conroy Couch can fit into Torquay-of-the-future

Couldn’t help but notice a Christmas and New Year post on the Torquay in Pictures Facebook page about Conroy Couch.
The town centre jewellers is run by David Rowe and latterly daughter Michelle, who mainly looks after the family’s other business, Regina Rowe, further down the high street and right opposite the Union Square shopping complex.
The post attracted literally hundreds of ‘likes, comments and shares’ about the jewellers, famous for its old clock and which has been a landmark part of Union Street for more than 160 years, stretching from the long-gone, halcyon days of a vibrant shopping area to the modern-day challenges of Castle Circus, the Leonard Stocks Hostel in Factory Row and the vulnerable people who frequent the top end of town.

Conroy Couch Pic Torquay in Pictures

A picture on the Facebook page included the words “Conroy Couch, December 2025. This beautiful jewellers is the oldest surviving shop in Torquay town centre, first opened in 1863 (David Rowe reckons 1864). It is also one of the very last on Union Street to have kept a pre-war shopfront.”
Some of the lovely comments included ‘very much an institution’; ‘that shop front should be listed’; ‘beautiful’; ‘I love these buildings - best time to view them is early morning or evening when shops are all closed. You can imagine how the town once looked’; ‘Love the fact they still have the old clock up’; ‘they don't design shops like this anymore but they should’; ‘what beautiful architecture and tradition’; and ‘a joy to see, long may that lovely shop remain in Torquay’.
There were some great snippets from the history of the shop as well.
Yvonne Kellow revealed how her dad was the clock maker for Conroy Couch for many years - he looked after their external clock, the Town Hall Clock and Old Maid’s Perch amongst others.
Kathy Hayes posted: “I used to live in the flat above the shop and we used to wind the clock up each week in my bedroom.”
One from Stuart Wilson: “My grandad used to wind up the clock for them - still got a cuckoo clock he brought there in 1938.”
More memories from Richard Tingey: “I lived opposite this shop for years with my family in the top floor flat now called Therm House at 117 Union Street when my family ran and took over Archway Furniture from Ivan Pope very very happy days, 1972 to 1978.”
And Joanne Sword: “My parents went here to purchase their engagement ring in 1957. I now wear it every day.”
And Liz Rodgers: “Bought my late ex-husband a lovely Citizen watch from them for an anniversary present in the early 1980s. Lovely shop, lovely people.”
Danuta Hayward remembers: “I worked in the office in Conroy Couch, late 60s early 70s and my future husband worked in the shop. They always sold quality items.”
Hazel Raybould: “Where my engagement ring came from in 1964 & also our wedding rings in 1967.”
And many, many more like that.
David Rowe himself posted: “Thank you all for such lovely comments and memories of your past visits to our beautiful store. We’re a little overwhelmed to read such wonderful stories of when and why people have visited us over the years. We certainly love our store frontage, especially at this time of the year with the stunning lights, and are so glad that you all do too.”
And he told me: “It knocked me and my daughter for six. We both thought, WOW! People do appreciate us. I don’t know where the post came from, there were something like 190 hits.”
He added: “Conroy Couch is a real destination. People also come here because we are good at what we do.
“My manager keeps asking me how do we manage to keep doing what we do?
“We have good trade during the year. We could do so much better if we had more people in the town centre. It is because of what we stock and people trust us.”
Conroy Couch first opened in 1864, I am sure David Rowe would have loved to have been there from the start, although he does have 55 years in after joining the business in 1971.
It is believed to be the oldest shop front in Torquay.
The Leonard Stocks homeless hostel was opened at least 20 years ago.
It heralded a change in the feel and look of the environment in the Castle Circus area.
David says: “It used to be a vibrant area with the pavements full of pedestrians. You could walk up Factory Row. There used to be a little cafe there which I used to use when I was younger.”
Regeneration could breathe new life into the top half of the town, with Torbay Council’s partnership with private developers Willmott Dixon and Milligan already progressing plans to demolish Union Square and replace it with new homes, a health hub and modernised indoor market as well as attractive green spaces. The development ‘vision’ for the town centre also includes a big regeneration project for the Temperance Street area.
David says it’s not before time that improving the high street was looked at.
He claims: “For the last 30 years the council has neglected the town centre. All they have bothered about is the seafront, which I can understand, but tourism and retail go together.
“You have the potential of the new hotel on the harbour which I think is great, with cafes and restaurants underneath, it will be a win, win. But at the same time they have to look after the town centre. Fleet Walk is being ignored, with lifts breaking down and the like.”
He still thinks a Business Improvement District initiative to bring more investment into the town would work, although he points out: “When we had a BID 15 years ago, most of the shops were small independents. Now there are a lot of empty shops as well as ‘company’ shops. None of this will work unless the council gets behind it. There has to be 100 per cent support and a stop to all this bickering.
“If they do not support the town centre you may as well pack up. It is the little things that make the biggest difference like the rubbish bin outside my shop which has been damaged for the past four months which is totally unacceptable.”
He still has concerns about the Union Square plans which will see his Regina Rowe shop facing a demolition site for a couple of years and retail unit numbers reduced to make way for new homes for key workers and some affordable housing.
“They should at least have small retail units on the ground floor,” says David, “And social housing is not going to bring wealth to the town centre.”
Has he ever thought of calling it a day?
“Curiously, no,” is the response, although he did consider it when his much-loved wife died suddenly just over six years ago.
That is when daughter Michelle stepped up to the plate. David was considering closing down the business. Accountant Michelle was having none of it, joined the business and is now an equal partner with her Dad, although she spends a lot of her time looking after Regina Rowe. “She always had an eye for jewellery and used to love going to trade fairs,” said David.
Regina Rowe has been open for almost two years.
“It has done okay, It is a long burn and like all the other businesses in town could do with more footfall,” says David.
Perhaps what he needs is a new housing development with lots of people in new homes and with lots of new jobs created right on his doorstep.
Hang on a minute...