David Thomas: A brighter Torbay and a community shaping what comes next

As this is my first column of the new year, I would like to start by wishing you all a very Happy New Year.

I hope you had the chance to enjoy the festive period and  spend some well earned time with family and friends. 

It was wonderful to see so many residents and visitors enjoying the Bay of Lights right across the English Riviera over the festive season. Thousands of people  embraced the chance to explore Torbay in a whole new light, creating a vibrant and uplifting atmosphere across our towns and bringing a real sense of celebration to the Bay. 

This year’s Bay of Lights was bigger and better than ever, with exciting new additions alongside the return of much loved favourites such as the Illumination  Trail, the Christmas Market, and the stunning Alive with Light projections at Torre Abbey. Together, these attractions helped showcase Torbay at its very best and  encouraged people to explore different parts of the area. 

One of the standout moments was the first official switch on event, delivered in  partnership with the English Riviera BID Company, Torquay Town Centre Partnership  and the Torquay Harbourside Independent Business Owners group. It was a truly  memorable evening, with many thousands of people gathering along Torquay seafront and harbourside to enjoy live music, entertainment and a spectacular fireworks display that brought the whole area to life. 

The return of a real ice rink to Torbay for the first time in decades was another huge success. More than 17,000 people took to the ice throughout the festive season, creating lasting memories for families, young people and visitors of all ages. 

I am also pleased to share that we saw an estimated 27% increase in footfall along  the Illumination Trail route during peak hours, from mid afternoon through to  midnight, when compared with last year. This shows just how popular the event has  become and the positive impact it is having on our town centres. 

The Bay of Lights is about more than just a single event. It is part of our wider  ambition to extend the tourism season and bring a festive feel to the Bay during the winter months. By combining creativity, community spirit and visitor appeal, we have  delivered an experience that boosts local pride while strengthening Torbay’s  reputation as a destination to enjoy all year round. 

I would like to thank everyone who joined us, as well as our event partners,  sponsors and supporters, including the many local volunteers and businesses  involved. Your generosity, commitment and support helped make this season truly  special and something we can all be proud of. 

We would love to hear what you enjoyed most and what could be improved for the  future. Please take a moment to complete the Bay of Lights survey on the  Illumination Trail Facebook page or via the website at www.illuminationtrail.co.uk.

Looking ahead, shaping the future of our Bay is one of the most important  responsibilities we share. Over the coming weeks, there are several opportunities for  residents to have their say through consultations and surveys that are currently  open. 

We are updating our Local Plan, which will guide development across Torbay for the  next 20 years. This consultation gives you the chance to influence the issues that  matter most to our community. Over the past week, council teams have been out  across the Bay meeting residents in Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. The conversations have been thoughtful, honest and full of ideas, and I would like to  thank everyone who has taken the time to get involved so far. 

The Local Plan consultation is open until midnight on Monday 26th January, so there  is still time to take part and make your views known. 

There is also another important opportunity I want to highlight. Torquay Pavilion has  been part of our story for more than one hundred years, and we are now planning  the next chapter. Earlier this month, we invited you to help shape its future by  sharing your ideas and opinions, and the response has been overwhelming, with  hundreds of people taking part within the first 24 hours. That level of engagement  shows just how much support there is for our plans to give the Pavilion a viable and  sustainable future, restoring it as a vibrant cultural destination for the whole Bay. 

The online survey is open until midnight on Sunday 25th January, and paper copies  are available at Torquay Library until Wednesday 21st January. You can find out  more about both of these consultations on our website at: www.torbay.gov.uk/consultation. 

That’s it for this week. There is a great deal happening across the council at the  moment, with lots of important work taking place behind the scenes. I look forward to updating you with more news and progress in next week’s column.