Jim Parker: Brixham is changing, and it can’t afford to lose its charm

The family-run business, which has been trading in Paignton for the past 17 years, collected the keys on Monday September and welcomed their first customers for a ‘soft opening’ on Saturday October 3.

They said: “That gave us just five days to transform the premises and get the showroom ready. It was an enormous team effort, with long days, late finishes, furniture to move and beds to assemble. Everyone pulled together because we were determined to get the doors open and show Brixham what we have to offer.

“The welcome on Saturday made all that hard work worthwhile. We met so many friendly local people, and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who visited, wished us well and helped spread the word.”

Quick plug - the brothers say Half Price Bedz offers far more than beds and mattresses. Their range includes sofas, bunk beds, bedroom and lounge furniture, dining furniture, pillows and other home essentials as well as made-to-measure beds and mattresses for caravans etc.

Why did they choose to invest in Brixham?

The brothers said: “We see Brixham as a town worth investing in. It has a strong identity, a close-knit community and a town centre where independent businesses have an important role to play.

“With Ron retiring, this felt like an opportunity to give a well-known shop a new chapter while keeping it in use as a furniture showroom. We want to build on that history and become a business local people know they can rely on.

“Opening here is a commitment to the town’s future. We believe there is demand for an accessible, competitively priced furniture shop serving both local households and businesses. Our ambition is to establish ourselves in Brixham for the long term, earn customers’ trust and give people another reason to shop locally.

“We bring nearly 17 years of high street experience, but we also know that trust comes from delivering good service every day.”

Why doesn’t investment and confidence in the future come as no surprise when Brixham and business is concerned? Of course, like any other town it does have its own social and economic challenges, but it seems to be able to set itself apart from ‘big sisters’ Paignton and Torquay and all the challenges those two towns are having to tackle.

Not that Brixham minds that. It boasts a close-knit community with an identity all of its own. It has its own town council to give you another clue as to what it thinks of being part of the bigger Torbay family.

Its independent shops, no end of fish restaurants and being home to the biggest fishing port in the UK solidifies that community togetherness and makes Brixham special.

It has so far mainly escaped the world of ‘regeneration and redevelopment’ with some commenting that all those millions end up being spent across the Bay and those other unmentionable towns.

But regeneration has finally arrived in the fishing port. How will it be received? How will it help create that new future that has encouraged the Pitt brothers to invest? How will it allow Brixham to keep being special?

Residents have been giving their verdict on plans to revamp the ‘tired and outdated’ centre of Brixham.

The council says the ‘Brixham Central’ area is the main gateway to the town and is often the first impression people have when arriving. Working with its regeneration partners Willmott Dixon and Milligan, proposals have been drawn up to build a new multi-storey car park along with a garden area and new bus stops.

A multi-storey car park was built on the site in the 1960s but was demolished in 2005 after the structure was found to have corroded. I can remember when the car park came down. Various schemes have come and gone to sort the ‘Black Hole’ of the port.

Various options have been drawn with the new car park having different levels with varying numbers of parking spaces.

Another major regeneration projector for the town will have a bearing on what car park scheme and parking numbers will be chosen because plans for a new fish market extension at Oxen Cove will see spaces there lost.

Council leader Dave Thomas says it is too early to assess the views from the recent public consultation on the Brixham Central plans.

He says: “I know that a lot of people are in favour of it and I know there are some who are against it. Some do not want to see anything done there. When I have campaigned in Brixham the feedback from residents was that they wanted a multi-storey car park from the day the old one came down.”

Likewise the Oxen Cove development has those in favour and those against including, interestingly, Brixham Town Council.

The Brixham fishing industry has become a huge success story with fish landings making it the busiest port in the UK, protecting and creating jobs and generating millions of pounds for the local economy. It has simply out-grown its current space.

Council leader Thomas says: “I think we all know that the port is over-trading. History teaches us that when something is over-trading there are two suggestions - expand to provide the opportunity for the port to get bigger and do more or stay as it is and then they may say ‘let’s see if we can go somewhere else’

“In any business you have to move forward. Fifteen years ago there was investment in the fish quay because the business was over trading. It how grown even more. If we had not made that investment then we would not have anything like what we have now.”

Brixham Trawler Agents managing director Barry Young said that investment 15 years ago was absolutely crucial to where the Brixham fishing industry is today.

He said: “Without that extra room we simply wouldn’t be where we are today. The market was already under pressure, and the redevelopment gave us the space and facilities we needed to grow. It helped protect thousands of jobs and allowed the value of fish landed to increase significantly.

“We’ve gone from around £20–25 million a year in those earlier days to a record £77 million in 2025. That extra capacity was the foundation that let us invest, innovate, and attract more vessels and buyers.”

He praises teamwork for the fishing success story. “It’s the people, first and foremost. The fishermen who work extremely hard to land the fish no matter what challenges they are faced with, the buyers, and the team at BTA who work incredibly hard – often through the night – to grade, auction, and get the fish on its way,” he says

He adds: “We’ve also invested in technology; the cloud-based auction system was a real step forward and has helped us handle larger volumes and reach more buyers. Being rooted in the industry helps too – a lot of our shareholders are from the local fishing community. But at the end of the day it’s hard work, adaptability, and a focus on quality.”

He, more than most, will know what makes Brixham special “It’s a combination of things, but the fishing industry has always been the backbone. We’ve got a long heritage here – over 600 years – and a fleet and supply chain that know how to produce quality seafood and get it to market efficiently,” says Barry.

“There’s also a real entrepreneurial spirit in the town: independent shops, food and drink businesses, and people who back each other. Community spirit plays a big part.

“You see it in the way people support local charities, the rugby club, the Fishermen’s Mission, and each other when times are tough. Brixham has always had that “get on with it” attitude, and it shows how resilient the town is across different sectors.”

He understands those who have concerns about the Oxen Cove development saying: “I understand the concerns – parking, traffic, the look of the area, and the impact on neighbouring uses. These are real issues and they need to be properly addressed through the planning process.

“At the same time, the fishing industry is what makes Brixham distinctive. The expansion is designed to sit alongside the existing market and support the businesses that already operate here.

“Without the ability to grow sensibly we risk stagnation, which ultimately isn’t good for the wider town either. My message would be that we need to find a balanced way forward that protects the character of the harbour while allowing the industry that underpins so much of the local economy to continue to thrive.”

He emphasises the importance of the Oxen Cove scheme saying: “We’re operating at full capacity now. The market has grown strongly – sales more than doubled in five years to £77 million in 2025 – and without additional space we risk losing our competitive edge.

“The Oxen Cove development would give us roughly 2,900 square metres of new waterside space across purpose-built units. That means better processing capacity, room for existing businesses to expand or relocate, and space for new ones.

“It’s expected to support around 40 new fishing-related jobs and generate significant additional economic value each year. For the industry as a whole it means we can handle more fish more efficiently, keep more value in the local area, and stay competitive. It’s about securing the future.”

And what happens if it fails? Barry says: “Growth will be limited, we’ll find it harder to attract or retain vessels and businesses, and some of the economic opportunity – jobs and increased value from the catch – will be lost or go elsewhere.

“The market is already busy, and without extra space the pressure on existing infrastructure only increases. It wouldn’t be the end of the industry, but it would make it much harder to build on the success we’ve had and to keep Brixham as one of the leading ports in the country.”

It is hoped the Oxen Cove plan will go to planners for a decision in early December with a planning application for the Brixham Central project lined up to be submitted just after Christmas.

Welcome to the world of regeneration, Brixham. A world where businesses like Half Price Beds at one end of the business sector, and the fishing industry at the other, will need all the support they can get to make Brixham fit for the 21st century without losing any of its charm or individuality.