Well, may I ask what you were expecting to see in Torquay? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeasts swinging majestically?
As a Torquay lad born and bred it's hard to see the town fall so far from grace , I remember the decline really began during the mid to late 90s . From the town to the football club the rot runs deep , left to live elsewhere over a decade ago .
Ben, just go to Paignton, I was on the bus to Brixham and a bloke got on and off in Paignton from 2 different stops, he was calling someone and shouted “I cannot remember being arrested I was too drunk!” And then another day in Paignton there was lots of disheveled buildings and it was a mess, the state of Paignton nowadays.
I remember a news report about a japanese couple who landed at Heathrow decades ago and asked an airport employee how to get to Torquay?...........long story short: they ended up on a plane to Turkey!
It's Torquay Ben, what you were expecting to see? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically... 😉
When you pay for a view, you expect something more interesting than that. The sea is right there between the land and the sky, if you look hard enough.
I lived in Torquay and I remember a tour boat guide who use to point to a wood in Babbacombe when he was just past Hopes nose and tell all the tourists it was Fawlty Towers...There use to actually be a Fawlty Towers B&B on Newton rd...just in name...
I've been all over the UK coast, including Torquay, and there are far worse places than there. Grimsby, Dover, Great Yarmouth instantly spring to mind 😅
You missed 90% of Torquay!! And the best parts. You didn't go Meadfoot.. Babacombe downs or St marychurch not a true capture. Torquay is the best seaside town it's got the best people low crime. It's not boring has a good mix of every kind of person.. why would you live in a place where all the people are dull & boring.. Some great characters in Torquay.. I know I've been a Taxi driver in the bay for 18 years.. not 1 problem. Great place.. ❤
One of my earliest memories, from decades ago, is from Torquay. I was on holiday there and from photos I was 3 at most 4. The memory is of a friendly homeless 'bag lady' that used to be sitting in a doorway near to where my family were staying. All I remember is she had a metal shopping trolley with all her possessions in it, red lipstick and I think some type of rug or blanket for a skirt. The memory is just her smiling and waving, as I think I used to wave to her when I walked past her. I remember NOTHING else about the week or 2 weeks I was there. Not the beach, the rides I went on, the amusements etc etc, just the bag lady. It just shows what kids notice and makes an impact on them. As for those phones being from the 70s haha no, probably 90s -1980s and earlier there was no push button dial phones, they were all dial ups, where you had to put your finger into each number hole on a plastic disc of the phone number and move it clockwise to the end, then release, then do the next number until you had finished the full tel number. That was the same with public pay phones as well.
I live in Torquay, grew up here and it’s a beautiful place let down by the Council and the Government with a lack of funding. There’s incredibly rich Houses around Ilsham and much poorer around Hele. Covid hit the High Street hard as we heavily rely on Tourism unfortunately and add in the mix of 13+ Year olds being neglected, Anti-Social behaviour around the Town gets worse and worse.
I lived near Hele village and I remember the main road used to have many shops , and the royal standard of course , literally had its arse ripped out of it when the willows opened , your spot on with Torbay council they have helped destroy the town considering they squandered every penny to improve the town ,sad to see my old home town in this sorry state tho there are nice parts of course but the town centre is a rotting mess but everywhere around the country is rotting too .
You do realise you’ve named the Brixham chapter ‘Brixton’ 😂 also you didn’t mention the fact that the pier and funfair wasn’t in Torquay but was actually in Paignton. It’s a real shame to see how much Torquay has gone downhill (which it has thanks to a horrifically corrupt council and zero investment). The town centre is crumbling but there are some real gems around the theatre and harbour area. Investment is needed and the council need to sort their shit out to get businesses back into the town centre. So many empty shops now sadly. I used to love living in Torquay but would never move back to that side of Torbay.
That Rapping bartender is awesome! I have a friend who lives in Paignton, and he loves Torquay. For years it was called the British Riviera, but outside of the posh looking waterfront with the yachts, it just looks like every other seaside towns. Not as cold down there as it is in the Northeast.
I live not far away and our nights out were in Torquay in the 90s, it was a good night out. I've been twice recently and had a walk around the town centre and it's not that bad at all really
As a local I can say honestly the decline is shocking ! Streets were clean ,good shops,flowers everywhere ,pride .very sad too see our once thriving pretty town being reduced too a slum
I wonder what becomes of these seaside towns in winter time and how they survive with less tourists paying into the community, could be worth a winter review of your local spots in the near future. Great video sir, all the best
Just like any beach town out of season. you have locals and visitors, the locals hunker down and make due, till next tourist season. its not like everyone dies each winter, to be reborn in summer lol. its just not as busy / profitable on off seasons
@@j2c695 haha thanks buddy, I didn’t everyone died it was more of a suggestion to Ben for more content to revisit in winter as they’re local places to him, but still very funny thanks for the reply 🤣
I’ve been to Malaga a few times in December but went there for rock climbing, so I’ve seen touristy places in off season, just wondered if the vibes of the locals are still good 👍
i've been all over the british coastline and it never occurred to me that torquay could be considered bad. seems really nice to me, and a great place to retire. near to dartmoor, far from london's filth and crime. seems idyllic. there are far worse seaside towns like dover, folkstone, hastings, bognor regis, blackpool and skegness
@@sylaq haha sorry, dont let me dissuade you. it's based on a friend of mine who has lived there for ages and says it's gone downhill. i used to visit the town as a kid in the 70s and loved it but my last visit was depressingly unable to recapture the magic of decades ago so dont listen to me necessarily. i was more thinking that torquay defo isnt the worst seaside town in britain. torquay is nice
where next in the UK shall I film? This was a last minute trip so I couldn't really research where to go. I will do another trip in December or January and go to many places around the UK. In the meantime I am returning to a country next week where I thought I would NEVER return to, stay tuned to see!
my girl is turkish and we met out there but she told me she spent a few months in torquay as a teenager and it was the prettiest, friendliest place she has ever been. I'm still not convinced Torquay is nicer than Izmir...
It would be nice to see a list of attractive English seaside resorts. Living out of the country I've lost track of how all the resorts are faring. So far the whole scenario seems rather grim for anyone wanting to have a seaside holiday on the English coast. 😪
Live in scotland but when i was younger i used to go to torquay every year to Beverly park, it was a great holiday and also had family down there. So many good memories, like elsewhere its went downhill, even like my own hometown i live by the seaside and it too os a shadow of what it used to be
I think pretty much all the seaside towns in the UK have been in decline since the start of package holidays to places where sunshine is guaranteed. I can think of many worse seaside towns than Torquay. Places such as Great Yarmouth or Skegness for instance have arguably gone into a worse decline than any of the Torbay towns. Closer to your area, Minehead, Burnham on Sea and Weston super Mare aren't anything to write home about either.
My family live in Brixham - Its across the bay (Torbay) They avoid Torquay best they can, like most other locals. There is a large homelessness problem, drugs are pretty common, along with consumption of cheap alcohol. Paignton is an okay, more typical UK seaside (I see you went there where the fair and pier was, but called it Torquay) and Brixham is a pretty but not much to do fishing town, but the main star areas in my opinion are nearby near Greenway, places such as Galmpton Creek. Beautiful countryside and quiet seafronts. No arcades or anything really, but so pretty.
Great stuff about turkey man! 👍👍 Torquay looked still more occupied than the centre of Bridgend. Oh and when you mentioned Brixham, I heard „,Brixton“- now that would have been a rough area- although not a _seaside_ town.
We used to have family holidays to Torquay when i was a child about 30 years ago and no word of a lie it was stunning, Extremely clean and my favorite place. A place you would want to live. Makes me so sad inside seeing it this way now.
sign of the times, all our holidays when i was a kid were Torquay, Paignton & Brixham cos they were classed as the English Riviera & they were quite classy.. I've good memories of the place.
Great video! We were watching your last Cornwall video and my girlfriend and I said it would be funny to message you to visit Torquay….. and here we are, I was born and bred in Torquay, comical and funny to watch from a true local
I been in Torquay in the middle seventies,I remember we took a tour by boat to a small island, and it used to be a lot of tourists,especially from Europe
I took my American wife 2 years ago to Torquay, she was shocked at the homeless outside the bus station right on the quay. She couldn’t believe it. We live in birmingham so homelessness as been a problem forever !! But you just don’t expect it down in Devon. Personally I love torquay. But the hills are the worst 😂
I know this is meant to be a humorous take on things and a good example of self depreciating U.K humour. However, I worked for abroad for 15 years and travelled for 20 and have come back to South Devon and is still one of the loveliest places. The sea front in Torquay with the harbour and the general setting were gorgeous in the sunshine when I visited last week. There are sub-tropical plants and nice restaurants abound. Beaches packed and many people in the water at 18c. A bit of a gloomy summer this year but still 3 or 4 beach days a week and had great weather in May and June, last year 3 months of dry sunny and very warm weather. I did however notice the higher end of high street is in fact looking worse for wear and where I used to go to college in Torre is resembling a bit of a mini Detroit. However, generally lovely area with much going for it. Just wanted to say.
“Well, may I ask what you expected to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically?
Great series made loved it! Been to mid england many times but never to far south, next time i go over i'm definately gonna visit Cornwall! Good luck on your next trip👍
Lived there from 1996-2002 (on/off for 3.5yrs) ... nearly killed me 😮 Went back to Wolverhampton, which is rough as hell, but has work & an economy that doesn't shut down for 6mths
Around 1980 I popped into a branch of a well know (English) travel agent to ask if they had any brochures for the Torbay area. In fact I'd alreay been there but just needed info on cheap hotels. The assistant said "Oh yes!" and she then went into a long sales pitch about them being the biggest travel agents and so on. Then she said "What county is Torbay in?" I tried to explain, saying Torquay, Paignton, Brixham but she still didn't have a clue!
That phone box…from the 70s!?! Showing your age there, mate 🤣 That’s a 90s phone box. You have no concept of pushing your 2p in when the pips went. I really don’t think Torquay was as bad as you were trying to make it out to be. I’ve lived in seaside towns. There’s no money there and they’re not brilliant but not that bad at all.
Torquay is a great place to visit and stay. There are issues but they are not too noticeable to visitors in the summer. There is always good and bad areas in every large town.
Torquay Based on the English Riviera, Torquay is a traditional, yet thriving seaside town that was named the trending UK holiday destination in 2021. The town is most famous for its beaches, which provide some of the best sea swimming, paddling and kayaking in England. The horseshoe-shaped Bay is perfect for watersports - from global sailing competitions to splashing about in the sea, and you will find the water warm, safe and shallow. But that’s not all Torquay has to offer! You can also expect iconic palm trees, a busy harbour, an international marina, sandy beaches and a wonderful array of continental-style cafes, restaurants and cocktail bars: so the scene is set for the perfect Devon seaside holiday destination..
I was born in TQ, grew up and joined the army in 97. I saw real step changes in the decline every time I went back on leave. The 90s were the last vestiges of the good TQ. The nightlife was legendary, with vibrant pubs and clubs and the town centre wasn't mostly boarded up, with industry abandoning the sinking ship. But this isn't unique to TQ. The advent of the cheap package holiday, with guaranteed sun was the nail in the coffin for all of the UK Victorian seaside resorts, which were fed by the rail network for those who lived further in land. If the seaside resorts are to survive, they need to reinvent themselves and offer something new. Rest in peace, TQ. Being a child in the 80s and a teenager in the 90s was epic. I hope you rise from the ashes ❤
I'm glad you made it out of Torquay alive. I was born there but live in Newton Abbot thankfully. Torquay town centre has really declined to the point where you feel unsafe. At least the regeneration of the sea front looks great. Paignton and Brixham town centres are also dire. If you want the complete opposite go to Dartmouth and Salcombe.
Dartmouth and Salcombe are places rammed with tourists taking up pavements all year round. No peace and quiet anywhere, rammed. Overpriced, no community but a nice view. I'm not sure the view is as spectacular as Torbay at night looking at all the lights. They are also difficult to acces by transport. That doesn't stop them being rammed and overpriced though. Ghastly.
Torquay looks quite a bit like the rougher parts of Santa Monica or Venice (Los Angeles). All that's missing are homeless tent camps and an addict taking a dump on the kerb in plain view of everyone passing by.
Thanks for this video Ben. Brings back memories when my parents took my brother and I to Pontins in Torquay in the early 1960’s, we also took a trip to Brixham and Paignton..
4:24 as a Bus spotter I cannot just think how you cannot notice the retro bus! Luckily I’ve managed to see it several times. Good video! Really enjoyed it! I am watching it in Torquay 😂.
Great collaboration guy's. I had a friend who's father was a top man in wessex water back in the day and lived in an amazing house somewhere behind the harbour on a high costal road. Fish and chips in Brixham is the best I've ever had in the uk.👍 also remember getting so drunk in one of those pubs and almost got press ganged onto one of those fishing boats, lucky escape for all concerned I think.
I lived in Torquay from 1997-2010 and I can confirm that it declined very rapidly to the point that I will never go there again. During the time I endured living and working there, I would never venture out unless I was armed and I certainly wouldn't be out after dark.
I don't know about rap music but Davidoff sounded authentic. Good luck to him. Parking fee is exorbitant. Who makes the judgement of where the worst place is? Paddle boarding in Cornwall is great fun but crowded roads are tough to deal with. I am so glad that Turkey man had good news. Enjoy your trip Ben.
not gonna lie, seeing you walkin down factory row (the super dodgy side street just up from the Castle) genuinely had me worried lmao i lived in TQ for 25 years and movin away was the best decision of my life, TQ's a dead end in basically every respect
Went through a town in Switzerland last week called "aha"... Almost turned back to take a Pic of the sign but didn't think it had enough aaaaahh's in it 🤣🤣
Your clip brings back fond memories of the several biz trips I have done to Torbay. I used to work for a company that has an office on the outskirts of Paignton, and have stayed in Torquay and enjoyed her pubs (Hole in the Wall being my favorite) and restaurants (Ephesus and Number 7 in particular). I’ve also been to Brixham and enjoyed her great seafood. I can see that this area has seen more prosperous times, but I found it to be a decent place with friendly people. I still remember the marvelous Anna at the Imperial Hotel who retrieved the toothbrush charger I left there and shipped it all the way to Malaysia (where I was living at the time)…and greeted us with a radiant smile when we returned a year later!
I stayed up the hill from Kent's Cavern. I found it really nice there. Good beaches and big houses. I went when it was sunny and it looked much nicer than in the video. Ofc there are a few dives but on the whole I liked it. Every seaside town seems to have it's Castle pubs and scruffy carparks. Easily avoided. It's not a bad place imo
Moved to Paignton from Plymouth Its definitely a improvement in life and culture 😅 brixham has a decent pirate weekend the only thing I miss is budos drakes chippy lol
I have lived in Torbay since 1989. and have seen it gradually decline over the years. I think it must be one of the worst bays in the UK. Torquay frankly is a disgusting dump now, but Paignton is even worse. The weather is generally awful too
Bald and Bankrupt does the 'secret' Russian Space Shuttle including a 10 hour walk over barren land in pitch-black darkness and breaking into a 'top-secret' building...and Ben does... Torquay ! Rock on !
Im so glad you filmed this i thought i was imagining it, the filthy streets are appalling and disgusting, though from the UK i travel a lot outside only to see this country turning into a dump site
Well, may I ask what you were expecting to see in Torquay? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeasts swinging majestically?
He might have got all of that if he'd found the right drug dealer
@@no_soy_rubio best comment ever 🤣🤣🤣
Most of the buildings in Torquay nowadays look like they've been repaired by O'Riley's men
top class comment!@@no_soy_rubio
@@no_soy_rubio yeah that's why the phone boxes are still Operational!🤣😂👍
Truly enjoying your UK tour. Love the humour, food looks okay, great spirits in people!
thanks Mike! was a good laugh and good people here in UK I gotta say
As a Torquay lad born and bred it's hard to see the town fall so far from grace , I remember the decline really began during the mid to late 90s . From the town to the football club the rot runs deep , left to live elsewhere over a decade ago .
Same in many places unfortunately in England
Agreed Renie. The council have a lot to answer for.
I used to stay in Torquay early nineties stayed in fleet walk drank in the cider press snobs ritzys chaplains on a Sunday what partying that was
Ben, just go to Paignton, I was on the bus to Brixham and a bloke got on and off in Paignton from 2 different stops, he was calling someone and shouted “I cannot remember being arrested I was too drunk!” And then another day in Paignton there was lots of disheveled buildings and it was a mess, the state of Paignton nowadays.
Have lovely memories of holidays in Torquay in the 60s. It was the flagdship of "The Cornish Riviera". So sad that it has descended to this.
I remember a news report about a japanese couple who landed at Heathrow decades ago and asked an airport employee how to get to
Torquay?...........long story short: they ended up on a plane to Turkey!
Funny that , once told someone I'd been on holiday to Torquay, and they said Turkey ?
🤣🤣
🤣👏
hahahah sounds like bs
It's Torquay Ben, what you were expecting to see? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically... 😉
A waterfall would of been nice or a majestic rainbow 🌈
Love the reference 😂
When you pay for a view, you expect something more interesting than that.
The sea is right there between the land and the sky, if you look hard enough.
Perfect comment! As a Portuguese, when I read Torquay I immediately remembered Fawlty Towers.
🤣🤣
Did you know that Fawlty Towers, a comedy from the 1970's staring John Cleese and Connie Booth, was set in Torquay?
The character and hotel was based a real person and hotel - the gleneagles. Not sure if it’s still in business but i stayed there 30 years ago….
@@michaeljose8122it's now retirement apartments
@@user-oc8no5jc2r Thanks for the info, i did enjoy my stay at the place even more so given the history@!
I lived in Torquay and I remember a tour boat guide who use to point to a wood in Babbacombe when he was just past Hopes nose and tell all the tourists it was Fawlty Towers...There use to actually be a Fawlty Towers B&B on Newton rd...just in name...
I really like the concept of visiting the rough side of towns. Please do this with other European Countries!
Its the newest thing RUclipsrs do now.
I've been all over the UK coast, including Torquay, and there are far worse places than there. Grimsby, Dover, Great Yarmouth instantly spring to mind 😅
BLIMEY
Brighton ...to much hype
Never been to grimsby..have to agree with dover ,great yarmonth has seen better days
@@peterbushby9009 ha yeah I live down the road from Brighton...prefer it in the winter when it's not absolutely mobbed
Great Yarmouth most definitely 😂😂
You missed 90% of Torquay!! And the best parts. You didn't go Meadfoot.. Babacombe downs or St marychurch not a true capture. Torquay is the best seaside town it's got the best people low crime. It's not boring has a good mix of every kind of person.. why would you live in a place where all the people are dull & boring.. Some great characters in Torquay.. I know I've been a Taxi driver in the bay for 18 years.. not 1 problem. Great place.. ❤
He only lives half an hour Away so he says so he must know that there are much better places around Torquay
.
One of my earliest memories, from decades ago, is from Torquay. I was on holiday there and from photos I was 3 at most 4. The memory is of a friendly homeless 'bag lady' that used to be sitting in a doorway near to where my family were staying. All I remember is she had a metal shopping trolley with all her possessions in it, red lipstick and I think some type of rug or blanket for a skirt. The memory is just her smiling and waving, as I think I used to wave to her when I walked past her. I remember NOTHING else about the week or 2 weeks I was there. Not the beach, the rides I went on, the amusements etc etc, just the bag lady. It just shows what kids notice and makes an impact on them. As for those phones being from the 70s haha no, probably 90s -1980s and earlier there was no push button dial phones, they were all dial ups, where you had to put your finger into each number hole on a plastic disc of the phone number and move it clockwise to the end, then release, then do the next number until you had finished the full tel number. That was the same with public pay phones as well.
Yeah you could take the end of your finger off on them old dialphones in the old phonboxes if you weren't careful!😂👍
I live in Torquay, grew up here and it’s a beautiful place let down by the Council and the Government with a lack of funding. There’s incredibly rich Houses around Ilsham and much poorer around Hele. Covid hit the High Street hard as we heavily rely on Tourism unfortunately and add in the mix of 13+ Year olds being neglected, Anti-Social behaviour around the Town gets worse and worse.
I lived near Hele village and I remember the main road used to have many shops , and the royal standard of course , literally had its arse ripped out of it when the willows opened , your spot on with Torbay council they have helped destroy the town considering they squandered every penny to improve the town ,sad to see my old home town in this sorry state tho there are nice parts of course but the town centre is a rotting mess but everywhere around the country is rotting too .
You do realise you’ve named the Brixham chapter ‘Brixton’ 😂 also you didn’t mention the fact that the pier and funfair wasn’t in Torquay but was actually in Paignton.
It’s a real shame to see how much Torquay has gone downhill (which it has thanks to a horrifically corrupt council and zero investment). The town centre is crumbling but there are some real gems around the theatre and harbour area. Investment is needed and the council need to sort their shit out to get businesses back into the town centre. So many empty shops now sadly. I used to love living in Torquay but would never move back to that side of Torbay.
He is obviously ignorant and not well researched
That Rapping bartender is awesome! I have a friend who lives in Paignton, and he loves Torquay. For years it was called the British Riviera, but outside of the posh looking waterfront with the yachts, it just looks like every other seaside towns. Not as cold down there as it is in the Northeast.
"We've got to try and attract a better class of person, and turn away some of the riff-raff."
- Basil Fawlty
Hasn't been the same since Basil left and the GlenEagles closed down.
so much for Basel saying it was the French Riveria!
came here to make the same sort of comment
@@MrLoretano77 OK, but don't mention the war 😀
@@alanwhite6730 hahaha give a yank credit for knowing that was the inspiration for Fawlty Towers
Didn't Basil say it was the English riviera ?
I live not far away and our nights out were in Torquay in the 90s, it was a good night out.
I've been twice recently and had a walk around the town centre and it's not that bad at all really
What is the future of the UK? Will it bounce back from this seemingly low point? I certainly hope so.
it will get worse: 15 minute cities, social credit score, digital ID, etc.
🤣
No....beginning of the end I reckon
As a local I can say honestly the decline is shocking ! Streets were clean ,good shops,flowers everywhere ,pride .very sad too see our once thriving pretty town being reduced too a slum
I wonder what becomes of these seaside towns in winter time and how they survive with less tourists paying into the community, could be worth a winter review of your local spots in the near future. Great video sir, all the best
good shout! cheers mate!
Just like any beach town out of season. you have locals and visitors, the locals hunker down and make due, till next tourist season. its not like everyone dies each winter, to be reborn in summer lol. its just not as busy / profitable on off seasons
@@j2c695 haha thanks buddy, I didn’t everyone died it was more of a suggestion to Ben for more content to revisit in winter as they’re local places to him, but still very funny thanks for the reply 🤣
Ever been to Kotor, Montenegro deep in January winter? It's shi
I’ve been to Malaga a few times in December but went there for rock climbing, so I’ve seen touristy places in off season, just wondered if the vibes of the locals are still good 👍
i've been all over the british coastline and it never occurred to me that torquay could be considered bad. seems really nice to me, and a great place to retire. near to dartmoor, far from london's filth and crime. seems idyllic. there are far worse seaside towns like dover, folkstone, hastings, bognor regis, blackpool and skegness
Just out of curiosity, why do you consider Hastings as bad? I was thinking of moving there, or near St. Leornards.
@@sylaq haha sorry, dont let me dissuade you. it's based on a friend of mine who has lived there for ages and says it's gone downhill. i used to visit the town as a kid in the 70s and loved it but my last visit was depressingly unable to recapture the magic of decades ago so dont listen to me necessarily. i was more thinking that torquay defo isnt the worst seaside town in britain. torquay is nice
You shouold turn this into a "Pints at the worst bars in England" tour
where next in the UK shall I film? This was a last minute trip so I couldn't really research where to go. I will do another trip in December or January and go to many places around the UK. In the meantime I am returning to a country next week where I thought I would NEVER return to, stay tuned to see!
Surely not Afghanistan 🤐
Bald's neighborhood
Great Yarmouth
Canterbury's nice.
Come back to Wales! 😉
Your a great guy Ben. I never miss a one. I especially like you and Bald together, as it’s a great balance.❤😊
Thanks Elizabeth 👏🏼
my girl is turkish and we met out there but she told me she spent a few months in torquay as a teenager and it was the prettiest, friendliest place she has ever been. I'm still not convinced Torquay is nicer than Izmir...
It would be nice to see a list of attractive English seaside resorts. Living out of the country I've lost track of how all the resorts are faring. So far the whole scenario seems rather grim for anyone wanting to have a seaside holiday on the English coast. 😪
just a list? you can google that LOL. but as for ben taking an actual look, you'll just have to finance him on his Paetreon! cheers
The best beach is probably Bournemouth.
Live in scotland but when i was younger i used to go to torquay every year to Beverly park, it was a great holiday and also had family down there. So many good memories, like elsewhere its went downhill, even like my own hometown i live by the seaside and it too os a shadow of what it used to be
I think pretty much all the seaside towns in the UK have been in decline since the start of package holidays to places where sunshine is guaranteed. I can think of many worse seaside towns than Torquay. Places such as Great Yarmouth or Skegness for instance have arguably gone into a worse decline than any of the Torbay towns. Closer to your area, Minehead, Burnham on Sea and Weston super Mare aren't anything to write home about either.
The Turkey Man returns!!!
Glad to hear his nephew is doing well
❤️
Fish always tastes better in coastal towns.
It's the combination of the freshness of the fish, the smell of the sea air, and nostalgia.
My family live in Brixham - Its across the bay (Torbay)
They avoid Torquay best they can, like most other locals. There is a large homelessness problem, drugs are pretty common, along with consumption of cheap alcohol.
Paignton is an okay, more typical UK seaside (I see you went there where the fair and pier was, but called it Torquay) and Brixham is a pretty but not much to do fishing town, but the main star areas in my opinion are nearby near Greenway, places such as Galmpton Creek. Beautiful countryside and quiet seafronts. No arcades or anything really, but so pretty.
I'm all about the cheap alcohol lol
Nothing wrong with cheap alcohol in the End Times.
Great stuff about turkey man! 👍👍
Torquay looked still more occupied than the centre of Bridgend.
Oh and when you mentioned Brixham, I heard „,Brixton“- now that would have been a rough area- although not a _seaside_ town.
We used to have family holidays to Torquay when i was a child about 30 years ago and no word of a lie it was stunning, Extremely clean and my favorite place. A place you would want to live. Makes me so sad inside seeing it this way now.
sign of the times, all our holidays when i was a kid were Torquay, Paignton & Brixham cos they were classed as the English Riviera & they were quite classy.. I've good memories of the place.
Great video! We were watching your last Cornwall video and my girlfriend and I said it would be funny to message you to visit Torquay….. and here we are, I was born and bred in Torquay, comical and funny to watch from a true local
Haha! Love it! Was some place. Thanks for watching guys
I been in Torquay in the middle seventies,I remember we took a tour by boat to a small island, and it used to be a lot of tourists,especially from Europe
I took my American wife 2 years ago to Torquay, she was shocked at the homeless outside the bus station right on the quay. She couldn’t believe it. We live in birmingham so homelessness as been a problem forever !! But you just don’t expect it down in Devon. Personally I love torquay. But the hills are the worst 😂
It's in Cornwall too. Seems more common in the towns/ cities
i actually love Torquay as i lived near there. It's paradise compared to High Wycombe where i am now
I was born in the early 60s. Torquay was a lovely seaside village with nice beaches back then. Sand gets moved over time...
I know this is meant to be a humorous take on things and a good example of self depreciating U.K humour. However, I worked for abroad for 15 years and travelled for 20 and have come back to South Devon and is still one of the loveliest places. The sea front in Torquay with the harbour and the general setting were gorgeous in the sunshine when I visited last week. There are sub-tropical plants and nice restaurants abound. Beaches packed and many people in the water at 18c. A bit of a gloomy summer this year but still 3 or 4 beach days a week and had great weather in May and June, last year 3 months of dry sunny and very warm weather. I did however notice the higher end of high street is in fact looking worse for wear and where I used to go to college in Torre is resembling a bit of a mini Detroit. However, generally lovely area with much going for it. Just wanted to say.
“Well, may I ask what you expected to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically?
Great series made loved it! Been to mid england many times but never to far south, next time i go over i'm definately gonna visit Cornwall! Good luck on your next trip👍
Appreciate it mate!
Lived there from 1996-2002 (on/off for 3.5yrs) ... nearly killed me 😮 Went back to Wolverhampton, which is rough as hell, but has work & an economy that doesn't shut down for 6mths
I moved from wolvo too Torbay 36 years ago .yes the decline is absolutely shocking .
@@Sunshine123x I lasted 3.5yrs over 6yr period - back round the rear of New Cross now
Morecambe Tourist Board should use footage of Torquay
"At least you're not there"
I’ll request it
70’s? You had dial phones, wait for the pips, push the coins into a slot and hurt the tips of your fingers. It was 2p for a short call also.
How is Torquay bad it's beautiful
Around 1980 I popped into a branch of a well know (English) travel agent to ask if they had any brochures for the Torbay area. In fact I'd alreay been there but just needed info on cheap hotels. The assistant said "Oh yes!" and she then went into a long sales pitch about them being the biggest travel agents and so on. Then she said "What county is Torbay in?" I tried to explain, saying Torquay, Paignton, Brixham but she still didn't have a clue!
😂👍
Definitely seen worse. Torquay is nice but rough around the edges. Love the Pirate man in Brixham
👏🏼😎
10 worst seaside towns:
Skegness, Lincolnshire
Clacton-on-Sea, Essex
Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset
Bangor, County Down
Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire
Bognor Regis, West Sussex
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Colwyn Bay, Conwy
Southend-on-Sea, Essex
Morecambe, Lancashire
- Which Magazine 2023. Torquay?
That phone box…from the 70s!?! Showing your age there, mate 🤣 That’s a 90s phone box. You have no concept of pushing your 2p in when the pips went.
I really don’t think Torquay was as bad as you were trying to make it out to be. I’ve lived in seaside towns. There’s no money there and they’re not brilliant but not that bad at all.
Turkey man ❤🙌🏽 such a kind man! Be funny if you did a whole tour with him
hero
Torquay is a great place to visit and stay. There are issues but they are not too noticeable to visitors in the summer. There is always good and bad areas in every large town.
Love the content Ben. I keep hoping to see bald in one of these new videos! I hope he's doing well!
he is in Somalia
I hope he hasn't been kidnapped by Al Shaabab 😂
@@BackpackerBenthanks for the update. Looks like an amazing place
Torquay
Based on the English Riviera, Torquay is a traditional, yet thriving seaside town that was named the trending UK holiday destination in 2021. The town is most famous for its beaches, which provide some of the best sea swimming, paddling and kayaking in England. The horseshoe-shaped Bay is perfect for watersports - from global sailing competitions to splashing about in the sea, and you will find the water warm, safe and shallow.
But that’s not all Torquay has to offer! You can also expect iconic palm trees, a busy harbour, an international marina, sandy beaches and a wonderful array of continental-style cafes, restaurants and cocktail bars: so the scene is set for the perfect Devon seaside holiday destination..
The home of Fawlty Towers can be nothing but a gem sir!
Funnily enough, the seaside town of Torquay in Australia, is considered to be one of the nicest and most expensive places in the entire country 😂😂
Haven't been there for close to 20years but loved visiting there as a kid.
Same! Top memories
Paignton and Goodrington sands also.
4:47 the crouching gopnics of torquay :))))))
Check out the lakes district in Cumbria. It’s beautiful there. Enjoying the UK series Ben. Cheers to the Turkey man.
Definitely the Lake District for some of the best scenery in the UK
Now I know why Torquay rings a bell to me. Fawlty Towers played there.
I was down there in March. Such a shame how these beach towns have become. Time for a refurb!
@BackpackerBen Awesome - I've been eagerly awaiting the next installment! Cheers from Australia mate! :)
I think he is going Australia soon!
@@aronjohns4662 That'd be AWESOME to catch up - I'm in Brisbane
Seen much worse. Go to Jaywick Sands if you really want to see a dump.
thats 3 of us name checking the place. got to be a video! 😂😂😂
Loved these UK videos Ben, good to hear from loads of local legends like Davidoff, Wendell and Turkey Man.
The pirate really spoke like a true pirate!
Haha 😆 legend
Because they arrrrr what they arrrrr.
I was born in TQ, grew up and joined the army in 97. I saw real step changes in the decline every time I went back on leave. The 90s were the last vestiges of the good TQ. The nightlife was legendary, with vibrant pubs and clubs and the town centre wasn't mostly boarded up, with industry abandoning the sinking ship. But this isn't unique to TQ. The advent of the cheap package holiday, with guaranteed sun was the nail in the coffin for all of the UK Victorian seaside resorts, which were fed by the rail network for those who lived further in land. If the seaside resorts are to survive, they need to reinvent themselves and offer something new. Rest in peace, TQ. Being a child in the 80s and a teenager in the 90s was epic. I hope you rise from the ashes ❤
I'm glad you made it out of Torquay alive. I was born there but live in Newton Abbot thankfully. Torquay town centre has really declined to the point where you feel unsafe. At least the regeneration of the sea front looks great. Paignton and Brixham town centres are also dire. If you want the complete opposite go to Dartmouth and Salcombe.
Dartmouth and Salcombe are places rammed with tourists taking up pavements all year round. No peace and quiet anywhere, rammed. Overpriced, no community but a nice view. I'm not sure the view is as spectacular as Torbay at night looking at all the lights. They are also difficult to acces by transport. That doesn't stop them being rammed and overpriced though. Ghastly.
Is that the place Simon Pegg and his cronies go on the piss and discover blue robot things. The Worlds End. Newton Abbot.
Think ide like to visit Torquay from Ireland 🇮🇪
£25 for fish and chips? Are u mad?? Never seen a price like that
Torquay looks quite a bit like the rougher parts of Santa Monica or Venice (Los Angeles). All that's missing are homeless tent camps and an addict taking a dump on the kerb in plain view of everyone passing by.
Migrant hotels. 3 or4 of them.
Wikipedia says it's Agatha Christie's birthplace
Yeah seen her statue there 👌🏼
Kinda painted as a terrible place but I'm seeing a nice seaside town. Everywhere has dirty backstreets
Torquay is lovely man when your from halifax
Thanks for this video Ben. Brings back memories when my parents took my brother and I to Pontins in Torquay in the early 1960’s, we also took a trip to Brixham and Paignton..
Hahaa same! Was my childhood thsi
Omg your from Plymouth ...show the rest of the world the ruff parts of Plymouth 😂😂
I began filming this week and was constantly raining. Was a disaster and a failure so i unfortunately left it
4:24 as a Bus spotter I cannot just think how you cannot notice the retro bus! Luckily I’ve managed to see it several times.
Good video! Really enjoyed it! I am watching it in Torquay 😂.
Been waiting on some UK travel vids for a while! Cheers for the recent uploads 🙏
Hope you enjoyed it! Many thanks
Great collaboration guy's. I had a friend who's father was a top man in wessex water back in the day and lived in an amazing house somewhere behind the harbour on a high costal road.
Fish and chips in Brixham is the best I've ever had in the uk.👍 also remember getting so drunk in one of those pubs and almost got press ganged onto one of those fishing boats, lucky escape for all concerned I think.
I lived in Torquay from 1997-2010 and I can confirm that it declined very rapidly to the point that I will never go there again. During the time I endured living and working there, I would never venture out unless I was armed and I certainly wouldn't be out after dark.
I get ya
can't think of Torquay without thinking of Basil Fawlty.
I don't know about rap music but Davidoff sounded authentic. Good luck to him. Parking fee is exorbitant. Who makes the judgement of where the worst place is? Paddle boarding in Cornwall is great fun but crowded roads are tough to deal with. I am so glad that Turkey man had good news. Enjoy your trip Ben.
not gonna lie, seeing you walkin down factory row (the super dodgy side street just up from the Castle) genuinely had me worried lmao
i lived in TQ for 25 years and movin away was the best decision of my life, TQ's a dead end in basically every respect
Exeter is £18 for 8 hours I work there thankfully only 2 days.
Hey Canadians,good video Ben.😊
Thank you !
Loving the UK series Ben.. Keep it up buddy.. Aaahaa
Ahahhhhhaaaa cheers mate!
Went through a town in Switzerland last week called "aha"... Almost turned back to take a Pic of the sign but didn't think it had enough aaaaahh's in it 🤣🤣
My dream place !!
@@rob2k27 did it have a statue of morten hacket? 😂😂😂
@@StrawPerson-xq9ko haha, I didn't see one, may well of missed out there
Your clip brings back fond memories of the several biz trips I have done to Torbay. I used to work for a company that has an office on the outskirts of Paignton, and have stayed in Torquay and enjoyed her pubs (Hole in the Wall being my favorite) and restaurants (Ephesus and Number 7 in particular). I’ve also been to Brixham and enjoyed her great seafood.
I can see that this area has seen more prosperous times, but I found it to be a decent place with friendly people. I still remember the marvelous Anna at the Imperial Hotel who retrieved the toothbrush charger I left there and shipped it all the way to Malaysia (where I was living at the time)…and greeted us with a radiant smile when we returned a year later!
Torquay is a mixture of down and outs and the rich. It's all about which place in Torquay is referred to....?
The pubs are never rough during the day
new subscriber here from Kenya Africa 😊... watched your with Khaby. Harry's friend in Nepal and followed you here
Welcome bro!
mate the phone boothes are not from the 70s.. they were from the 90s. Maybe even early 2000s
Another great video, Ben. I really enjoy seeing the sights. Keep on truckin' Richard in Reno
Suggestions for shithole towns, Chorley (my home town), and Skelmersdale, Lancashire.
My hometown is twinned with skelmersdale so it must be bad… :)
Phoenix Nights. Chorley FM "coming in your ears" Shabba!!
I stayed up the hill from Kent's Cavern. I found it really nice there.
Good beaches and big houses.
I went when it was sunny and it looked much nicer than in the video.
Ofc there are a few dives but on the whole I liked it.
Every seaside town seems to have it's Castle pubs and scruffy carparks.
Easily avoided.
It's not a bad place imo
I’ve been to skid row in L.A ……this place looks fabulous 😊
Moved to Paignton from Plymouth Its definitely a improvement in life and culture 😅 brixham has a decent pirate weekend the only thing I miss is budos drakes chippy lol
Strayed from Torquay and ended in Paignton, the massive sign ‘Paignton pier’ gave it away 😂
Looooool was waiting for this. Was 7 min drive so I’m defo saying it’s Torquay lol
The phone "from the 70s" is rather from the early 2000s judging from the phonecard reader.
I have lived in Torbay since 1989. and have seen it gradually decline over the years. I think it must be one of the worst bays in the UK. Torquay frankly is a disgusting dump now, but Paignton is even worse. The weather is generally awful too
Bald and Bankrupt does the 'secret' Russian Space Shuttle including a 10 hour walk over barren land in pitch-black darkness and breaking into a 'top-secret' building...and Ben does... Torquay ! Rock on !
The home of the greatest hotel ever, Fawlty Towers.
Im so glad you filmed this i thought i was imagining it, the filthy streets are appalling and disgusting, though from the UK i travel a lot outside only to see this country turning into a dump site