Torbay harbourside opens in time for light trail

Councillor Chris Lewis said the council was looking forward to welcoming people

The new look harbourside is set to open to pedestrians and vehicles on Friday evening in time for the opening night of the Bay of Lights Illumination Trail.

Torbay Council said its first Town Deal-funded project showcased an "enhanced area" alongside the harbourside, with the Grade II-listed Mallock Clock Tower visible from close up "for the first time in decades".

New seating, lighting and bike parking has been installed as part of a community-led redesign, with hopes it will encourage more people to spend time in the area.

The Strand, which has been closed for more than six weeks to allow the scheme to be developed, will open at 17:00 GMT.

Junction reconfiguration works at Fleet Street and Torwood Street/Victoria Parade have taken place and roads have been resurfaced with new road markings to reflect the new highway layout.

Buses have been permanently relocated to Cary Parade with new areas with shelters and seating for bus passengers, with diverted bus routes returning to normal scheduling from Saturday 30 November.

The council said some work would continue into mid-December but they would not affect the Illumination Trail, live music nights or traffic flow.

'More projects'

Councillor Chris Lewis, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth at Torbay Council, said it was "looking forward to welcoming everyone" to see the redesigns.

He said: "I'd like to thank businesses in the area and the public for their patience, understanding and support as we delivered this project for Torbay.

"We know at times it has been challenging but we hope everyone enjoys the new look harbourside.

"This is the first of the Town Deal projects that we have delivered.

"We have more projects under way as we look to create a town centre that is well-connected, vibrant and provides a range of benefits for residents, businesses and visitors."

The council said it would formally open the harbourside in Easter 2025 to coincide with the installation of a specially-commissioned Agatha Christie tribute.