# Torquay - any decent pubs/places to eat? What to do?



## brix (Feb 7, 2009)

I'm going next Saturday.  Money's been a bit tight recently but I'm desperate to get out of London for a break and my aunt runs a b&b down there and has kindly offered to put us up, which is fantastic, so we're getting a few days away on the cheap.  

But my Mum just said that Torquay can be a bit like Croydon, on a Saturday night.  

There must be some decent pubs though, where we can have a quiet pint?  Any suggestions gratefully received as well as suggestions about places to eat.

And what should we do?  I'm interested in architecture and am assuming that, being a seaside town there must be some good examples of deco architecture?  And what else would people recommend doing?

Thanking knowledgeable urbanites in advance


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## _pH_ (Feb 7, 2009)

Don't have a wee on the street, they make you mop it up  they don't make you do that in croydon

There is a nice pub there i've been in but i can't remember it's name. sorry for being so crap 

Go to Brixham, nice there!


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## Geri (Feb 7, 2009)

I've never been to Croydon on a Satruday night, but I went to Torquay for the weekend once with some girly mates, and it was a bit mental!  That was in the height of summer though, I imagine it's a bit like Newquay and will be nice out of season.

We are thinking of going there for a holiday soon, there are some nice coastal walks nearby and I'd really like to visit that cave with all the bats in (even though I am scared of them!)


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## brix (Feb 7, 2009)

_pH_ said:


> Don't have a wee on the street, they make you mop it up  they don't make you do that in croydon
> 
> There is a nice pub there i've been in but i can't remember it's name. sorry for being so crap
> 
> Go to Brixham, nice there!



From Brixton to Brixham.  Sounds like the title of a fly-on-the-wall documentary


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## Pip (Feb 7, 2009)

There's a really good fish restaurant on a side street, near that massive building on the harbour (sorry). I think it's called 34 or 29 or something.


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## _pH_ (Feb 7, 2009)

Geri said:


> I'd really like to visit that cave with all the bats in (even though I am scared of them!)



wassat then?  Kents Cavern? it's very  in there (literally) but I don't remember there being bats?


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## Pip (Feb 7, 2009)

If you've got kids - or even if you haven't actually - get a boat ride from someone on the harbour that takes you to that other part (sorry, I'm really crap). It's about £7 and really worth it.


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## Geri (Feb 7, 2009)

_pH_ said:


> wassat then?  Kents Cavern? it's very  in there (literally) but I don't remember there being bats?



No, I think they are in a cave at Berry Head near Brixham.


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## _pH_ (Feb 7, 2009)

Geri said:


> No, I think they are in a cave at Berry Head near Brixham.



Oh i didn't know that! I'll have a look for that next time i'm down there. I like Berry Head, great for walks and a nice cafe too.


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## _pH_ (Feb 7, 2009)

Pip said:


> If you've got kids - or even if you haven't actually - get a boat ride from someone on the harbour that takes you to that other part (sorry, I'm really crap). It's about £7 and really worth it.



THAT is a good idea! I dunno if it runs at this time of year, but you can do a round trip e.g. Brixham to Dartmouth on the boat (with a bar  Captain's Coffee - nom!), Dartmouth to Paignton on the steamy choo-choo (with a bar ) then back to Brixham on another boat.

Would make a great urban day out 

I've seen dolphins from the Brixham -Torquay ferry


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## _pH_ (Feb 7, 2009)

Living Coasts is worth a visit (on Torquay harbour). Seals! Penguins!! Free-flying sea birds that poop on you!!!


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## brix (Feb 7, 2009)

Geri said:


> I've never been to Croydon on a Satruday night, but I went to Torquay for the weekend once with some girly mates, and it was a bit mental!  That was in the height of summer though, I imagine it's a bit like Newquay and will be nice out of season.



I hope Saturday nights are toned down a bit out of season.  But it is going to be Valentines Day as well, so I'm worried there may be the hazard of couples pawing each other or, later in the evening, having drunken domestics 



Pip said:


> There's a really good fish restaurant on a side street, near that massive building on the harbour (sorry). I think it's called 34 or 29 or something.



Thanks, will look out for that.



Pip said:


> If you've got kids - or even if you haven't actually - get a boat ride from someone on the harbour that takes you to that other part (sorry, I'm really crap). It's about £7 and really worth it.



Wheee, boats, I love boats.  Don't care if it's cold.  Sounds excellent.



Geri said:


> No, I think they are in a cave at Berry Head near Brixham.



Bats, I love bats too.  Bats and boats.  Anything beginning with B basically.  And with a boardname like mine I surely have to go to Brixham, innit?


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## brix (Feb 7, 2009)

_pH_ said:


> THAT is a good idea! I dunno if it runs at this time of year, but you can do a round trip e.g. Brixham to Dartmouth on the *boat *(with a *bar*  *Captain's Coffee* - nom!), Dartmouth to Paignton on the steamy choo-choo (with a bar ) then back to Brixham on another boat.
> 
> Would make a great urban day out
> 
> I've seen *dolphins* from the Brixham -Torquay ferry



boat, bars on boats, captain's coffee, dolphins.  

These are all things of which I approve very much.


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## boskysquelch (Feb 7, 2009)

If you get a chance to go and look at the cricket ground next to the chuff_chuff station and walk over to the main pitchy bit...you know where those people do all their hitting leathery spheres with willow craft...the grassy bit where people in white scientist type long house coats seem to look at most... I did that! 

or the trees planted around, or aerially sculptured crowns of the Older Mothers...encircling the HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE mega structure water ringmain 60 feet below ground...I did that!

or if you see gloriously huge graceful trees still living so near to salt water flood plains around ...I did that too!


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## boskysquelch (Feb 7, 2009)

oh and if you get into the Coutryside and see Electrickkery wire still up on their poles... I did a LOT of that too.


and if you go to any of the nature reserves there about...me!


and then there's the Forestry Commission stuff.

The English Nature sites.

the miles and miles and miles and miles and miles and miles of hedge laying.....the blackthorn will be starting to think about looking sooooooooooooooooooooo beautiful soon. MINE!!!!!! 

*I loved the last bit BE$TEST...but enjoied all the well wishes I received for the formers.


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## boskysquelch (Feb 7, 2009)

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand soz.

don't know any pubs or foody places ...don't drink & always brought my own food from Cornwall, which I either helped in growing, catching or killing...at the time.

/Quakeryhippyshizzle


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## brix (Feb 8, 2009)

Erm, thanks Bosky 

Has anyone had any thoughts on my architecture query?  There must be lots of art deco in a seaside town, surely? 

And still looking for food/drink/outings suggestions.


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## brix (Feb 12, 2009)

brix said:


> Erm, thanks Bosky
> 
> Has anyone had any thoughts on my architecture query?  There must be lots of art deco in a seaside town, surely?
> 
> And still looking for food/drink/outings suggestions.




Bump.

We go on Saturday.  2 more sleeps


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## Geri (Feb 12, 2009)

Wjy do you think there must be lots of art deco in a seaside town?


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## Meltingpot (Feb 12, 2009)

Cockington Forge is worth a look, also Babbacombe Model Village. But if you like splendid coastal views and houses with seven-figure price tags, take a walk along Ilsham Marine Drive on the road east out of Torquay. It leads to a road called Ilsham Road which has a row of shops at the bottom including a decent teashop (where I was followed out by the proprietress after I left my wallet behind - nice of her), and further along a local attraction called Kent's Cavern which is an underground cave system (can't get the wiki to work).

Brixham is nice too, good fish and chips although at the place I had mine I was told the fish came from Grimsby even though Brixham is a fishing village.


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## _pH_ (Feb 12, 2009)

Meltingpot said:


> Cockington Forge is worth a look, also Babbacombe Model Village. But if you like splendid coastal views and houses with seven-figure price tags, take a walk along Ilsham Marine Drive on the road east out of Torquay. It leads to a road called Ilsham Road which has a row of shops including a decent teashop (where I was followed out by the proprietress after I left my wallet behind - nice of her), and a local attraction called Kent's Cavern which is an underground cave system (can't get the wiki to work).
> 
> Brixham is nice too, good fish and chips although at the place I had mine I was told the fish came from Grimsby even though Brixham is a fishing village.



Cockington Forge - yes. and Occombe Farm, it's nice there. pigs! cows!! birdies!!! chickens!!!!

but Babbacombel Model Village??!


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## Meltingpot (Feb 12, 2009)

OK, maybe Babbacombe's not for everyone  I think I was about 12 when I saw it.


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## brix (Feb 12, 2009)

Geri said:


> Wjy do you think there must be lots of art deco in a seaside town?



There just always tends to be some.  Dunno why.


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## brix (Feb 12, 2009)

Meltingpot said:


> Cockington Forge is worth a look, also Babbacombe Model Village. But if you like splendid coastal views and houses with seven-figure price tags, take a walk along Ilsham Marine Drive on the road east out of Torquay. It leads to a road called Ilsham Road which has a row of shops at the bottom including a decent *teashop* (where I was followed out by the proprietress after I left my wallet behind - nice of her), and further along a local attraction called Kent's Cavern which is an underground cave system (can't get the wiki to work).
> 
> Brixham is nice too, good fish and chips although at the place I had mine I was told the fish came from Grimsby even though Brixham is a fishing village.



Ooh *'teashop' *- possibly the *best* compound word ever!


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## brix (Feb 13, 2009)

One more sleep, wheeeee......

Come on - there *must* be some Urban Torquay pub recommendations, surely?


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## _pH_ (Feb 13, 2009)

_pH_ said:


> There is a nice pub there i've been in but i can't remember it's name. sorry for being so crap





brix said:


> One more sleep, wheeeee......
> 
> Come on - there *must* be some Urban Torquay pub recommendations, surely?



foundit! http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/32/32942/Hole_in_the_Wall/Torquay


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## brix (Feb 13, 2009)

_pH_ said:


> foundit! http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/32/32942/Hole_in_the_Wall/Torquay



You star!!!  Thank you, that's ace


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## Idaho (Feb 13, 2009)

brix said:


> There just always tends to be some.  Dunno why.



Perhaps because the art deco period coincided with the boom in the seaside day trip cheap ticket, creating a demand for new seaside buildings in said era.


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## brix (Feb 13, 2009)

Idaho said:


> Perhaps because the art deco period coincided with the boom in the seaside day trip cheap ticket, creating a demand for new seaside buildings in said era.



There you go Geri, that's why.

I knew there had to be a reason for it...


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## brix (Feb 17, 2009)

Back from Torquay having had a very nice time.  Lots of things were closed for the season and we couldn't get a boat ride anywhere for love nor money  but the weather was fine and we even had to go out and buy sunglasses!

pH - the Hole in the Wall was just what we wanted.  A great little pub tucked away from the scary bars in the town.  We went in a few times and it was great.  Thanks for the tip!

We went to Brixham which was lovely, even with quite a few places closed.  At least I got to look at some boats which made me happy!







And obviously I enjoyed the awning on Brix Books:






One of the things I loved the most on our little South Western tripette were the fantastic 70's style stained glass windows in a chapel at Buckfast Abbey:






And I think the sign on this cake shop in Totnes speaks for itself.  It's official - eating cakes is good for you!


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## brix (Feb 17, 2009)

Oh, and I found the most brilliant concrete church.  Feast your eyes on Central Church, Torquay:







Not everyone's cup of tea I know, but I think it's quite lovely 

(not my pic - stolen from t'interweb)


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## Idaho (Feb 18, 2009)

Yeah - that's opposite the casino.


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