London lights set to sparkle in Torquay's World of Christmas

Work has started to transform Torquay town centre into the World of Christmas.

Torquay will see its high street decorated with its annual show of Christmas lighting.

Union Steet, followed by Fleet Street, will be filled with a totally new show of ‘warm / ice white twinkling spectacle'.

The Torquay Town Centre Partnership provide the funds, from its town market income, for the annual show to encouraging shoppers from far and wide to support the town centre.

Torbay Display, who have been lighting the town for almost 40 years, have been working behind the scenes since the beginning of the year towards this year’s show.

Stephen Holdup said: "We had to buy equipment last January to secure delivery of the new stock for this year’s display, as delivery deadlines worldwide could not be relied on.

"Also, I had the opportunity to purchase the whole display department from the closure of House of Fraser in Oxford Street, London, where there were some some particular specialist showpieces which will find its way into our very own Union Street, probably in the pedestrianised area adjacent to Primark.

"There was enough equipment to share around many of our other South Devon towns that we light up.

"It was back in the 1990s we last brought the Regent Street Christmas lights to Torquay for the front of Hoopers. A bit of London comes to Torquay."

Switch-on day is Saturday, November 19, which also co-insides with the opening of the Rotary Father Christmas charity Santa's Grotto, now celebrating 32 years at its traditional home in Fleet Walk.

This year’s theme is an 'Enchanted Forest', fully animated, and it opens at midday, then every Saturday and Sunday from 10am  to 5pm through to December 15, when it takes over every day through to Christmas Eve.

Booked tickets are available through eventbrite.co.uk

Mr Holdup said: "Again, we are looking forward to welcoming back the many thousands of visitors and friends that annually visit this large town centre attraction, location top of the escalators opposite TKMaxx.

"Due to the economic situation, Rotary have frozen all entry fees to that of last year to give that little extra help to families.

"Sunrise Rotary thanks Torbay Council for laying on all the facilities to help raise funds for another year, in turn, spent back in our Bay.

"The Town Partnership is pulling out all the stops this year to give the best atmosphere it can for visitors to our town and are currently working in partnership with Torbay Council to provide a little extra, all to be revealed soon.

"Torquay Town Centre Partnership also thanks the chamber of commerce for the use of the catenary wires."