Pistolpete2

Nicely put!

Wiki refers to a big influx of Poles and Czechs in particular but it's not clear why though further to your observation, the hotels must take many. Maybe there is also an opportunity for them in getting a lock on fixer-uppers for developer clients, which they are extremely good at, in most cases. It also seems that many B&B owners use management teams to run the whole show for them when they are actually just there (in Tenerife?? or a tax haven ) to take internet bookings. It seems the B&B trade is terribly sporadic and guests just come in for the one night before moving on. The West Country is still very popular with Germans, I believe, many of whom also live there.

RJB123

I was born in Torbay and spent the first 19 years of my life there. It was on my list of possible places to move back to when I finally return to the UK in June after over 30 years working away. It was a great place to grow up in and still appears to have a lot going for it. As well as the beautiful coastline Devon is full of lovely villages and Dartmoor remains one of my favourite areas of the UK. The one big downside is the massive influx of tourists and the traffic congestion that causes.

aries

Traffic congestion is not as bad as it was before flights and holidays abroad became cheaper, however the road between Torquay and Newton Abbot remains congested and slow in the summer. Extensive road works to lessen this are underway, though this should have been done decades ago.

You are right about the beautiful coastline, various German tourists I spoke with last year, said this is one of the major reasons they come to Britain for holidays. Germany has little coastline to boast about.

Beccarose

All terrific replies and so helpful! Thank you.

Aries, or anyone else that might know, do you know of any vacation cottages or vacation rentals (with prices that are actually affordable) in the general area? It does not have to be Torquay itself, but relatively close would be terrific. We came across one a ways north of Manchester that would be perfect for us, if only it was not way up there. I'm having a hard time finding anything and keep coming across high priced 5 star places and that's not what we need. We need something suitable for our children and us to allow us to get a feel for the area.

aries

I'm not familiar with any holiday flats, though have Googled "holiday cottages torbay" to see what's around. There is a big choice, but it depends on how long you wish to stay and what you are willing to pay. The Goodrington side of Paignton (about 3 miles from Torquay) would be a good choice for children, but Paignton itself is pretty run down. I can advise you on general locations, but that's about all.

This site might help http://www.torbayholidaycottages.co.uk

Pistolpete2

This place, which has an apartment looks very good - so good will check it out for ourselves as we need to be near Goodrington:

http://www.collertonlodge.co.uk/

Note that there is also a Travelodge in Paignton which takes four in a room (two adults two kids) which can be a big money-saver if you can plan ahead and get the best rates:

http://www.travelodge.co.uk/hotels/5...Seafront-hotel

Pistolpete2

This looks good if you could consider Hoylake as a base for further exploration of the area:

http://pendragonhouseuk.com/

Has family rooms and weekly rates too.

Note that Hoylake is a golfer's mecca and is the venue from the British Open Golf Championship in 2014 - in July.

Pistolpete2

Unfortunately, Torquay/Torbay area will be amongst the worst affected by these benefit cuts:

http://ig.ft.com/austerity-audit/#overview

aries

If there is a push for people to find work, is that a bad thing? I've heard that many welfare recipients go to seaside resorts around the country to idle their lives away from less attractive industrial areas. However, if Eastern Europeans come into the country and find work, why can't our home-grown working age look for work, and move to other areas if necessary? I constantly see notices in windows saying staff wanted, so work does exist locally.

Pistolpete2

Indeed, there are in fact plenty of jobs out there but many do not meet the expectations of the jobseekers because they got training or even a degree in a subject/area that it turns out does not actually favour them for job opportunities. Plus for others the education system has let them down so they simply don't have the skills, even basic skills, to make them employable and of course the longer that this goes on, the more likely that other issues will creep into their overall demeanour and make them even less employable.

Many employers complain that their growth opportunities are being stinted/curtailed by the sheer lack of decent recruits, particularly in the highly skilled/technical areas where they need innovators - the key area of opportunity for the UK in general.

So those potential employers in the Torquay area need to early on set up some sort of partnership with the various educators to ensure there is a good stream of eligible job candidates for the foreseeable future. I see South Devon College (Paignton) is getting capital funds to extend its campus and create a new technical training area. Hopefully this turns out more than just a multitude of hairdressers.

aries

The South Devon College has a good variety of courses, so hopefully students are learning some worthwhile skills.
http://southdevon.ac.uk/courses

The old South Devon Technical College in Torquay, along with the adjacent Boys Grammar School were demolished some years ago, and the two sites now form a housing development. More interestingly, I played my first table tennis at the college, and where I play now would be in the college's old car park. Life has turned a full circle, where did all that time go?!!

Pistolpete2

Have got my eye on the new one as it has a course or two that nowhere else has while at the same time is highly commended and popular with the student base and obviously has the attention of the funding agencies.

What is more, there is good transport direct to the main campus from all over the area, even if a bit of a hike from Chudleigh or Plymouth:

http://southdevon.ac.uk/contact-and-...blic-transport

Exeter College is also getting plenty of funding for facilities but mainly because Exeter City Council got loads of dosh when it sold the airport and the college will manage sports facilities for the use of the college and the public at large.

My great uncle once owned the Redcliffe Hotel in Paignton and that seems to be still standing so not everything has changed or been ploughed in.

BristolUK

That would be down to The Dreaded Batter Pudding Hurler.

aries

A pity the Goons are not still around, their radio programmes made imaginations go into overdrive

ldollard

Also apparently its the man capri wearing capital of the UK.. no shame...