WOW – the world’s first Urban Global Geopark has been established in Torquay!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RATmkF9zXy4&feature=sub

This is the link that will give you a sneak preview into UNESCO’s first Urban Global Geopark and you can see it in all its glory when you come to Torquay, heart of the English Riviera.  The more you get to know, the more fascinating the history of our island becomes.  See firsthand that the English Riviera is more than just a pretty face!!

Aside from the normal and welcome chatter with our guests and “quacker” with the resident family of ducks (determined to claim the swimming pool as their annual summer home), we seem to have developed a new breed of customer. How or where this particular guest appeared from is anybody’s guess as it was a hedgehog! One minute nothing and the next, curled up in the Bar, was this sweet little prickly thing that had made itself quite at home. And, it was sober to boot! No sooner had it been gently escorted back to an appropriate place in the garden when at the front entrance appears a collie dog. Collared, coiffed and very respectable it was too, wagging its tail. It seemed to be satisfied with the Grand welcome as once petted and admired, it turned and trotted off. So I guess there is some truth in the saying that if you are around long enough, sooner or later everyone will beat a path to your door. The more the merrier we say!

Right now there is good entertainment available in the hotel. Every Friday and second Saturday you can chill out in the Compass Bar and Lounge to the sounds of Howard Jones – an excellent singer who will have you up and dancing before you know it! Complementing Howard on alternate Saturdays is Talitha another singer guaranteed to get the feet going. (Even the manager has been spotted on the dance floor!). On Wednesdays and Sunday lunchtimes, Paul Vincent, a pianist who has accompanied the likes of Morecambe and Wise and Norman Wisdom amongst others during an illustrious career, will tinkle the ivories and of course, Sunday evenings, Tuesdays and Thursdays feature our resident pianist Neil Reid.

The atmosphere is great, the staff hospitable and there is always something to watch so it’s no surprise that the word of a friendly welcome is travelling fast – even in the animal kingdom!

I write as the General Manager of The Grand, having been in place for a mere sneeze so far.  In a short space of time I have discovered that I have a great team of people, am in charge of a delightful hotel that loves my style of friendly hospitality and I work in a fabulous location.  So, having been basking in a stream of  satisfied customer comments for some time, imagine how I felt when 34 copies of the Sunday Times were delivered by my porters to my beautiful 4 star hotel bedrooms on Sunday, August 2nd! 

By midmorning I was beseiged by a number of irate guests, choking on the one sided, poorly written article in the colour magazine supplement, by a man whose name sounds like a poor man’s pizza.  Peppered with cheap shots, this piece of journalistic trash refers to my lovely hotel as a “large ugly building presumptuously called The Grand”, which he merely viewed from a distance – persumably too lazy to visit and enjoyed charming hospitality and arguably one of the best views in the UK.  I wonder, does he know ugly from beauty? 

I was saddened that his pathetic drivel denigrated Laurence Murrell who is one of Torquay’s most enduring and hardworking hoteliers.  I know that negativity and sensationalism sells newspapers but sadly, jaundiced claptrap, from someone who can quite obviously influence an audience, can have a huge impact on how a resorts like those English Riviera are perceived.  It does continue to provide great holidays that cater for all tourists who are sensible enough to visit glorious Devon – especially when the country needs the support of its own.  The more visitors, the faster one is able to work to get better!  So pizza man, next time constructive assistance please not demolition!

Date: 27 Jun – 23 Aug ‘09

Don’t miss your chance to see this stunning installation at Torre Abbey in 2009. Free to enter, this exhibition runs from 27th June to 23rd August 2009 and will be the centrepiece of a year of contemporary art in the ancient setting of Torre Abbey. Built in 1196 by the ‘White Canons’ the Abbey is Torquay’s oldest building and its recent restoration will provide an unusual backdrop for Gormley’s thought-provoking installation.

Perhaps most famous for his giant sculpture, Angel of the North, Gormley’s Turner-prize-winning Field series is a startling and arresting sight: thousands of unglazed, fired, small clay figures, standing closely together, all staring towards the viewer. The Field for the British Isles’ comprising 40,000 clay figures will fill much of the Abbey’s huge Spanish Barn. 

The Spanish Barn, venue for Field, is a mediaeval Tithe Barn originally built to store taxes paid to the Abbey in the form of grain, hay and other farm produce. The barn’s unexpected name, and its place in the history books, was firmly established at the time of the Spanish Armada, when 397 prisoners were captured and held in the barn for a fortnight.

The exhibition will be open daily from 27th June to 23rd August 2009 in the Spanish Barn.  Entry to the exhibition is free of charge – donations are invited.  The Torre Abbey Contemporary Open exhibition will run concurrently in the Abbey (normal Abbey admissions prices apply).

Keeper of Art, Amelia Marriette: “The exhibiting of Antony Gormley’s Field for the British Isles is the start of a new era for Torre Abbey as a major centre for contemporary arts in the region. I guarantee that Field will create a very strong impression on all that come to see it and experience it’s silent message. Gormley is one of Britain’s best known living artists and we know that visitors will travel far and wide to see his work. With Blank Canvas running alongside we can also make this event a fantastic opportunity for artists in the South West to showcase their work. It really is the beginning of something much bigger for Torre Abbey and for Torbay.”
Click here to download leaflet PDF 

Plan your visit
The Spanish Barn at Torre Abbey is 5 minutes walk from Torquay Train station.  It is also 5 minutes walk from the Seafront which has regular bus services from Torquay, Paignton and Brixham.  Bus routes are any of the 12 routes, X46 and 32. There are several pay and display car parks that can be used to reach the Spanish Barn atTorre Abbey:
- Main car park at the Riviera Centre follow signs through car park
- Torre Valley, Walnut Road
- Abbey Park, Belgrave Road
- Shedden Hill
Coaches can off-load in the Torre Abbey entrance area (through main gates).  Parking is then at the Lymington Road Coach Station.
Please note that there are no public toilets at the Spanish Barn.  Nearest public facilities are at Abbey Meadows and at the Torquay Seafront (by Torre Abbey Sands).

“WHY WAIT TILL CHRISTMAS TO GET DRESSED UP!”

Due to the overwhelming success of Torquay’s famous “Holy Ball”, the Grand Hotel is pleased to announce the launch of Torquay’s first annual Summer Ball.

The beautiful and elegant Grand Hotel is the perfect location to spend a warm summer evening, drinking Champaign, watching the sun set over Torbay and then dancing the night away.

So why wait until Christmas to dress up! This exclusive evening will take place on Saturday 14th June and will feature live entertainment. The dress code is evening dress for the ladies and black tie for the gentlemen.

Tickets are only £17 per person and this includes champagne & canapés. Why not start the evening off with an even bigger bang and enjoy a sumptuous 3-course meal for an additional £22 per person. We also have a number of Accommodation packages available.

Tickets are on sale now and are selling fast – book early to avoid disappointment.

Contact us today for further details on Telephone 01803 296677 or by E-mail conference@grandtorquay.co.uk.”

It may be Valentine’s Day but spare a thought for 25 ladies who are going to be feeling more blue than pink with the blushes of romance. Where are all the single men?

For those not enjoying coupledom at this noted time of year, a Singles event with a difference – speed dating over dinner – has been organised this Saturday (Feb 16th) at Torquay hotel, The Grand. A positive response was received in droves but from women. In typical new century style it seems to be the women who are making the first move and the men have gone all shy!

Given the amount of people dating on line, has it now become virtually impossible to find true love in real life? Unless some single males in Torquay find the courage to come out of hiding then sea is going to be all that is in the air. This doesn’t bode well for a leap year!

Everyone is in the same position – Single, so men why not to prove women that you’re just as brave as them and you never know you just might find the one you’ve been looking for.

It’s all the fun of the fair at Torquay Carnival time. A fantastic ambience, parade with great floats, plenty going on – why not just come on down and join in the fun!

Torquay has been a favourite holiday resort for generations, superbly situated in beautiful Torbay, at the heart of the English Riviera in the county of Devon. The gentle climate, stunning views, delightful parks and gardens make Torquay a place where all the family can relax and be entertained. Explore the 22 miles of coastline with its many beaches and coves, switch off the stress and enjoy soaking up Torquay’s unique atmosphere.

The transformation of Torquay from a fishing village to the most glamorous of the west country’s resorts began in the early 18th century. The Royal Navy used Torquay for an anchorage during the Napoleonic wars; it was home to the wives of officers from the warships anchored in the bay. In the early 1800s Sir Laurence Palk had town plans drawn up, incorporating ideas inspired by Italian architecture. Some of the original Regency buildings can still be seen, at Hesketh Crescent and Lisburne Crescent.

In 1848 the South Devon Railway came to the area, enabling many more people to visit Torquay. Some came for health reasons, one of those was Elizabeth Barrett Browning, who spent three years in the town. By the mid nineteenth century Torquay was becoming established as a fashionable resort, separate beaches were designated for ladies and gentleman’s bathing, and it was not until 1899 that mixed bathing was permitted.

In the early days many people came to see Kent’s Cavern, Torquay’s Historic Archeological Site. Both humans and animals used the cave, around half a million years ago. Today you can take a tour of discovery of this fascinating Ancient Monument.

Torr Abbey, Situated in open parkland on Torquay sea front was founded in 1196. Visitors to Torr Abbey can trace its history by touring the historic rooms, enjoy the Art Galleries and visit the ‘Spanish Barn’ of Armada fame. In the Agatha Christie Memorial Room you can discover the history behind the famous crime writer, who was born and lived for many years in Torquay.

Nearby is Riviera Centre, a great place to spend the day if it rains. This is Torquay’s indoor beach with a flume ride, wave machine and fun pool, a soft play area, a fully equipped gym, a sauna, restaurants and bars.

Torquay has a superb marina and is a great place to enjoy watersports, sailing, jet-skiing and windsurfing. Walk along the coastal path, or search for a souvenir of your holiday from Torquay’s interesting variety of shops.

You will find a variety of superb Hotels and a wide choice of places to eat, from pavement cafes and pubs, to high class restaurants offering delicious evening meals, and Torquay’s theatres offer great evening entertainment all year round.

“A Most Romantic Situation”

Torquay may owe its very existence as the resort we know today to the French war at the end of the 18th Century. It was at this time that it gained a reputation among the families of naval officers stationed in the bay for its pleasant climate and sheltered situation. An early visitor in 1794 is recorded as saying “Instead of the poor uncomfortable village we had expected, how great it was our surprise at seeing a pretty range of neat new buildings, fitted up for summer visitors, who may certainly here enjoy carriage rides, bathing, retirement and a most romantic situation.”

Its reputation spread rapidly and attracted those unwilling or unable to make the long journey to the south of France. In the 19th century its inhabitants were reported to be of the “highest class” living a fine lifestyle with many servants and tradespeople around to the meet their every whim. Many grand villas and terraces were built during the time and it is these fine buildings that form a large proportion of our present day hotels such as the Bishop’s Court built in 1844 and now grade II listed, the Livermead House, one of the first seafront buildings and the Osborne Hotel, part of a fine terrace overlooking the sea.

Torquay’s history of course stretched much further back than the 1800s. The famous picture-postcard village of Cockington has a recorded history stretching back nearly a thousand years. Soon after the Norman Conquest a family who became known as the de Cockingtons were given the manor. From that time (about 1070) until 1930, Cockington had only three owners – the de Cockingtons (who lived there for 281 years); the Carys (1375 – 1654); the Mallocks (279 years). Cockington was the venue for the Devon County Agricultural Show of 1882 an event which runs to this day but now takes place at a vast showground near Exeter.

Torre Abbey, once the home of a local land-owning family called the Carys (from Castle Cary), also has a long history as it started life as a medieval monastery.

With its unrivalled Bay, English Riviera has been famed for its watersports for many a year and in 1948 the watersports events of the Olympic Games were held here. The Olympic flame was brought from London and burned for the duration at Torre Abbey Gardens. Before then perhaps the largest gathering of boats was the 113 ships of war anchored in the bay in 1905. J Class yachts were a stunning site recalled in the Bay and the Prince of Wales raced his to win the main regatta events in both 1893 and 1894. Torquay’s harbour, although not as commercial as Brixham was busy with coal imports and wool from Australia which then made its way to the huge spinning mills of the North.

In the Bay today you will see a remnant of the past as three ex-Royal Navy motor launches, converted after the war, now run the Torquay to Brixham ferry route. All are named Western Lady.

Cockington is a Domesday Book traditional country estate, complete with manor house, church, formal gardens, village, water-wheel, woodlands, meadows and pasture. It is famous for its well-kept thatched cottages and pleasant environment, right on the edge of Torquay and only minutes away from the busy sea-front. It is also now becoming well-known as the home of quality craftsmanship with the rebirth of Cockington Court, the old manor house, as a Craft Centre. Here resident craftspeople produce high-quality craftwork from their studios. The Trust owns the freehold to the world-famous Cockington Village, including its thatched Forge and the Lutyens-designed Drum Inn.

From Scadson Woods, or from the seafront at Livermead, or even from the Ring Road, you can walk into Cockington and explore its 10 km/6 m long network of country footpaths and horse-riding routes.

It’s a landscape full of surprises and views over Torbay, with wildlife and history to match. The Visitor Centre and Cockington Court have details of all the different activities to choose fromsuch as guided walks and gardening courses. Much of the Cockington parkland is easily accessible in a wheelchair.