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Newsletter Support our mission and join our community now you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism has secured Brixham AFC an incredible promotion to the Southern League The club formed just 13 years ago with the merger of Brixham United and Brixham Villa plying their early trade in the lower echelons of the South Devon League backed by a dedicated group of volunteers helping to run the club the Fishermen rose to the Western League after winning the Peninsula League East just two years ago After a solid first season at this new level Brixham have been a revelation over the past nine months One non-league pundit even touted the Fishermen as relegation fodder….don’t give up the day job mate After a steady but unspectacular start to the campaign Brixham enjoyed a brilliant autumn to top the division opening the door for Portishead Town to eventually run away with the title finishing third and comfortably in the play-off positions Barnstaple Town were despatched in the semi-final setting up the showpiece promotion match at Clevedon The home side entered the game as favourites and Clevedon grabbed the lead with a near-post flick from Sam Beresford Brixham also needed some sharp goalkeeping from Marko Radovanovic to stay just a goal behind who levelled with a headed finish midway through the second period Both teams surged forward in search of the winner and Moxon was the man to deliver looping a header beyond the desperate Clevedon defence to seal a remarkable victory " + $(".testo_articolo").html().replace(//g please subscribe and support local journalism Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles To continue reading this article for FREE,please kindly register and/or log in Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites You can 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like us to send you the author’s response The English Riviera is bracing for a weekend of buccaneering antics as the annual Brixham Pirate Festival prepares to return this May Bank Holiday the festival will once again transform the historic port town of Brixham into a bustling hub of pirate-themed entertainment With a strong maritime heritage and a picturesque harbourside setting Brixham is a natural home for the celebration which has become a staple in the regional events calendar the three-day festival draws crowds of all ages with a packed programme that includes live music Attendees are urged to get into the spirit by dressing in pirate attire — with organisers warning that visitors may stand out more if they turn up in regular clothes a full-sized replica of Sir Francis Drake’s 16th-century galleon remains a central attraction throughout the event the ship serves as a floating museum and will host hands-on activities over the weekend Maritime enthusiasts will also be able to board the restored sailing trawler Vigilance Built in Brixham in 1926 and known for its iconic red sails the vessel is considered a local treasure and an enduring symbol of the town’s shipbuilding past Carolyn Custerson, chief executive of the English Riviera BID Company said: “We are delighted to be a sponsor of the Brixham Pirate Festival as it is one of the English Riviera’s most iconic and well-loved events and local businesses in a vibrant celebration of our unique maritime heritage this is the perfect opportunity to escape your everyday and enjoy the spirit of Brixham We can’t wait to welcome everyone back for another unforgettable weekend in 2025.” Visitors planning to stay for the entire weekend can choose from a variety of accommodation options, from the seafront Berry Head Hotel to cosy self-catering cottages and apartments offering views across the bay the 2025 Brixham Pirate Festival looks set to deliver another memorable experience for all who attend For further information, visit the English Riviera tourism website Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right If you’ve yet to make plans for the Early May Bank Holiday, Brixham Pirate Festival could be just the ticket for a swashbuckling weekend the free festival transforms the historic South Devon harbour into a theatrical celebration of all things piratical and plenty of rum-soaked revelry - all set against the town’s picturesque waterfront This year’s programme includes pirate skirmishes beside the replica Golden Hind with treasure hunts and hands-on activities to keep little buccaneers busy There’s even a grand parade through the town - and yes Festivalgoers are advised to make use of Park & Ride options from Churston due to limited parking in the town centre The main stage is located beneath the Old Fish Market and event maps and timings are available on-site Looking for more last-minute bank holiday ideas? Check out our round-up of fun things to do in and around Exeter this weekend Controlled burning is one method of managing gorse on Dartmoor This fire was unplanned and is under investigation (Image: Herbythyme/Wikimedia Commons) (Image: ENT auditorium © Ralph Whitehead) Brixham edge past Barnstaple to reach semi-finals The latest news as it happens across Barnstaple Torrington & surrounding North Devon areas important updates and local opinions from Barnstaple Find leisure and lifestyle news from Barnstaple All the latest uplifting news from Barnstaple Torrington & surrounding North Devon areas from our local reporters property sales & property of the week in Barnstaple The amazing rivalry between Barnstaple RFC and Brixham RFC delivered one final act of drama at Pottington Road After an epic race for promotion to the National League pyramid Barum just pipped the Fishermen to promotion with just one point separating the two clubs in their league encounters It was written in the stars that they would meet again in the Papa Johns Community Cup and with a place in the semi-final up for grabs the first leg in South Devon served up a sensational match Brixham holding off their North Devon visitors to secure an enthralling 47-38 victory The Fishermen took that nine-point advantage into the return leg in a sunny North Devon and Brixham struck the first blow to extend their overall advantage to three points via a Mitch Pinkus penalty Barnstaple responded with a heap of pressure on their visitors and Brixham succumbed with an infringement that resulted in a yellow card for Jason Capaldi and Barum now had their tails up and crossed the line in a more orthodox manner with a score from James Fraser to lead 12-3 on the day as these Devon rivals once again showed how this rivalry has developed into the stuff of legend Connor Doneathy dotting down to make it 12-10 and the visitors had a seven-point cushion to protect in the second 40 minutes the first twist after the break fell in favour of Barnstaple Ryan Lee scoring the try and Jordan Petherbridge slotted the conversion 19-10 in favour of the hosts and all level in the aggregate score A penalty restored Brixham’s narrow advantage but Barum then took the overall lead for the first time since the early stages of the first leg in South Devon Brandon Moore notching the try with 20 minutes left to play and the Fishermen now had to recover a two-point deficit working through the phases for Andre Simonetti to dive over and everyone inside Pottington Road took a deep breath Barnstaple threw everything at their visitors with Brixham talisman Matt Crosscombe picking up a red card the Fishermen just held on for the overall victory Another brilliant encounter and a credit to Devon rugby While Barnstaple can still take huge satisfaction from their league triumph Brixham move on to a semi-final showdown at home to Oundle RFC from Peterborough at Astley Park on Saturday Torrington Mayfair brought plenty of splendid costumes – and sunshine – to the 2025 instalment of the traditional event The site for Landkey’s new Mazzard Hall which has bene on the village wish list for more than two decades Young revellers and the iconic Ilfracombe May giants arrive at the seafront for Ilfracombe's Jack-in-the-Green 2025 Bubbles the Pixie entertained the crowds with a bubble blowing extravaganza The rediscovered bell in ‘the cupula’ at Barnstaple Guildhall – thought to date from the early 18th century Brixham AFC proved too strong for Barnstaple on a balmy night in South Devon booking a place in the Jewson Western League Play-Off Final at Clevedon Town on Saturday The Fishermen have been outstanding all season finishing third in the table and with a League Cup Final to enjoy against champions Portishead Town on May 11 Brixham will travel to Clevedon this weekend taking on the side that finished second for a right to play Southern League football next season Barnstaple won 3-2 at Wall Park over the Easter weekend but the North Devon visitors were struck by two goals in the space of three minutes midway through the first half and Brixham completed an impressive 3-0 victory with a curling free-kick from Kieran Parkin There was a tantalising prospect of a South Devon derby in the final as Buckland Athletic made the long trip to Clevedon but the Bucks conceded twice in the opening 11 minutes to give themselves a mountain to climb A penalty from Ryan Bush early in the second half gave Buckland hope but Clevedon notched a third to book their place in the showpiece event The highlight of the Bank Holiday weekend is one of the port’s biggest events - the Brixham Pirate Festival The highlight of the Bank Holiday weekend is one of the port’s biggest events - the Brixham Pirate Festival The town is awash with seaside shenanigans and pirate-themed fun for all the family and runs from Saturday May 3 to Monday May 5 Billed as ‘the annual gathering of the world's most infamous pirates and lowly scallywags’ over the past decade the event has grown into a hugely popular celebration of all things skull and crossbones A full weekend of live music and entertainment is lined up over the weekend The festival has grown into one of the largest and most popular events in the South Devon calendar It is estimated that over 30,000 people descend upon the port during the festival weekend and costume-clad buccaneers of all ages travel from far and wide to join in the fun creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere.  The weekend includes live re-enactments with the Golden Hind becoming a stage for thrilling pirate skirmishes There will be Shanty performances and live music from talented bands and musicians one of the biggest bands in the world with over 30 performers are just one act performing at Brixham Theatre on Sunday evening at 7.30pm Children’s activities include pirate storytelling to interactive games Market Stalls will offer pirate-themed merchandise And then there is the Grand Pirate Parade with hundreds of pirates marching through the town in a spectacular parade of costumes and camaraderie said: “We are delighted to be a sponsor of the Brixham Pirate Festival as it is one of the English Riviera’s most iconic and well-loved events For the full timings and programme go to https://www.brixhampiratesfestival.com/ The rugby rivalry between Brixham and Barnstaple has become the stuff of legend over the past nine months and now the respective football teams want some of the action Barnstaple Town will make the journey south to face Brixham AFC in the semi-final play-off for the Jewson Western League and both sides enter the game in good form The Fishermen finished their regular season with a 2-1 victory at Brislington while Barum demolished Oldlan Abbotnians 6-1 with goals from Gabby Rogers The prize for the winner is a final against either Clevedon Town or Buckland Athletic but a win for Buckland would mean either Brixham or Barum hosting the showpiece event Former Torquay United captain Asa Hall has masterminded an incredible escape from relegation for Tiverton Town who were staring at the drop down to Division One South in the Southern League The Yellows found their form at the right time and a thrilling 3-2 win over Marlow on Saturday confirmed Tivvy would climb out of the bottom four Plymouth Parkway finished a comfortable mid-table Exmouth Town recovered enough to book a place in the play-offs and a chance to join Parkway and Tivvy in the Premier Division Bideford AFC have enjoyed an excellent end to their campaign and secured a top ten finish Willand Rovers and Tavistock also pulled away from trouble Sidmouth Town won the Peninsula League East and Newquay were triumphant in the West Division Congratulations to the youngsters of Brixham RFC who have retained the Reg Brewer Cup after a 12-12 draw with Torquay Athletic U21s at the Rec Leading by 11 points from the first leg at Astley Park Brixham fell behind to an unconverted try but responded with two scores of their own to lead 12-5 at the break Torquay rallied in the second half but a 12-12 tie was enough for the Fishermen to take the coveted trophy Congratulations to both teams for serving up a super game of rugby in dreadful conditions There was more good news for youth rugby in Brixham with an U15 squad reaching the Trophy final of a tournament in France Brixham Sirens delivered a dominant display to overpower Plymouth Albion 45-10 at a slightly warmer Astley Park on Easter Sunday we are commemorating two events that loom large in the paranormal calendar of our region the anniversary of the Battle of Bovey Heath which is said to be re enacted on this day should you happen to be in the right place at the right time Cromwell marched his army into the town before confronting the enemy the next day which I’ve been running throughout last year to see if we can pick up any traces of activity from the past The battle itself took place during the day and was over by teatime so it was not a convenient time for a ghost hunt especially as it coincides with the second event that I’m interested in having spent the last years of his life managing it and directing productions there This has inspired me to relaunch the Brixham Ghost Walk to commemorate his passing and see if anything happens on such a noteworthy day as we perambulate the town.. which used to be run by Dastardly Dave in his undertaker’s outfit firstly by Loopy Liz and then by the Black Widow She would walk with the group in complete silence and whenever everyone stopped to listen to a story she would sidle up to the males present and make eyes at them Dave said she had buried several husbands over the years and was now in search of her next victim/suitor.. It has been suggested that I might care to step into the vacated shoes and try my hand at resurrecting Dave’s walk and after my success last year with my Dartmoor walks I feel now is the time to take the reins and add it to my repertoire Dave concentrated on the known haunted history of the town whilst I can add in my experiences from the many investigations I’ve carried out over the years with my group which used to meet weekly just outside of Brixham at Churston Court Now we meet monthly at Chelston Manor in Torquay Using the anniversary of the death of one of the most famous resident spectres of the town seems the ideal time for a launch Although he died in London on 9th January 1975 he had spent the two previous years managing the venue He had all but retired from film and TV work his most famous role being that of Detective Sergeant Stone in the ever-popular 60s/70s TV series will also remember him as the human face of the string puppets and one of the many storytellers on Jackanory Above: The memorial plaque on Bovey Heath John Slater had fallen in love with the place saying he had spent some of the happiest times of his life there So is it any wonder that he chooses still to frequent the stage in spirit form I’ve been asked to help out with charity events at Brixham Theatre was sitting in the auditorium with a group when someone from spirit walked on to the stage carrying a cane and straw boater Sarah knew nothing about the history of the theatre’s ghosts prior to that night she spotted a photograph on the wall of a character wearing the same outfit Sarah had seen the ghost of John Slater on his beloved stage.. which is another location TIP has investigated and is of particular interest as it possibly has a connection to a vigil we held at the old Royal British Legion Club on Bakers Hill Brixham Museum is housed in what was once the town police station and comes complete with an old detention cell This was where the bobbies would come to relax in between shifts It even had its own full-size snooker table was moved to the Conservative Club next door when the station was closed down We were invited to investigate the British Legion Club when odd orb-like objects were constantly being seen on a CCTV monitor located in the basement area which housed a full-size snooker table that was allegedly haunted.. but the story behind the snooker table was most intriguing and now and again a voice would be heard saying “Get out of my way!” including during one of our vigils the other having just reached the top of the stairs It would appear there was a snooker fan attached to the table we were left wondering if it could be a policeman who had possibly used the table back in the days when it resided at the police station The management of the Legion didn’t know where theirs had come from whilst the Conservative Club didn’t know where theirs had gone and when all the fixtures and fittings were moved out we will head up towards the Smugglers Haunt Hotel which has a sad story attached to it that attracted the attention of the Most Haunted team when they were planning their Terror in Torbay live investigations weekend back in 2005 which we were asked to investigate by the then landlady whose brother was a fisherman and who had been lost at sea Her young son was seeing his ghost appearing to him in the bathroom The place had almost been condemned back then as it is built into the rock face above and deemed unsafe for habitation Across from the statue of William of Orange and his connection to a spooky little investigation we once carried out in Totnes Museum.. Just around the corner is the Coffin House with its touching origin story and resident old lady ghost that we once investigated as part of a live Halloween broadcast back in the days when my friend Maia and I were regular guests on the John Govier Late Night Radio Show on Radio Devon.. during an investigation at Dartmouth Castle he spotted a likeness of the person he’d drawn at The Globe amongst portraits of contemporaries of Drake who would have frequented the pub back in their day.. We will finish the walk with tales of the infamous Black House and a couple of other properties nearby that we believe have a haunted connection to the tragic tale of the squire’s son who hung himself in the garden of his home when he came across his true love being married to another.. we may have time to visit a pub for some refreshment and for more tales of our old haunt at the nearby Churston Court which we found to be very active during our many evenings there.. If my brief summary of my intended Brixham Ghost Walk has whetted your appetite then why not meet me outside the museum tonight at 6.30pm...tickets cost £10 each...and kick off the start of a spooky New Year Brixham and Barnstaple produce another classic congratulations and thank-you to everyone at the rugby clubs of Brixham and Barnstaple for delivering a season that will live long in the memory After an epic scrap for the league title and promotion to the National League Two which included a 17-17 draw in September and a 17-18 win for Brixham just before Christmas Barnstaple were the side to eventually edge clear for the top spot Not content with serving up a sensational title race the two clubs have now resumed hostilities in the quarter-final of the Papa Johns Community Cup and the first leg at Astley Park was a genuine classic In front of a raucous rugby crowd determined to squeeze every last minute of drama from their game before the summer break Barnstaple made the first impression with a slick move finished off by Connor Swan and converted by Jake Murphy The Fishermen responded to the early setback with a tidy 50-22 kick but Barum cleared their lines intercepting a loose pass to score under the posts A nasty knew injury for Nathan Reeves merely darkened the home mood before the Astley Park crowd finally had something to cheer Back came Barum through Brandon Moore to lead 5-19 a colossal margin given the closeness of these two sides in previous encounters Brixham responded again with an attacking lineout and Andre Simonetti completed a slick phase of play to reduce the arrears A breathless first period then saw Connor Doneathy score under the posts and the successful conversion made it 19-19 at half-time The Fishermen resumed with all cylinders on fire Tommie Drennan bagging his second try after a spell of sustained pressure Brixham continued their attacking momentum and suddenly had a decent cushion with a try from Matt Crosscombe Bertie Stretch touching down for an unconverted try to make it 33-24 to the hosts and the deficit was soon reduced to just two points Jonny Carter crossing the whitewash and Murphy adding the conversion A brilliant game swung back in favour of Brixham Things got even better for the Fishermen when Kai Kidd notched another try in the corner one final twist that could prove crucial heading into the second leg at Pottington Road next weekend as a late penalty try reduced the scores to 47-38 Brixham hold a nine-point advantage for a place in the last four but a long way to go in this incredible rivalry Nick Powe the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Devon Brixham is set to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe with a special public event honouring the town’s wartime heroes and heroines The Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Devon will unveil a series of heritage information boards at Churchill Gardens The event will begin at 10:15am and forms the centrepiece of more than 40 free public activities taking place across the town to commemorate VE Day. Other activities include a parade, concert, dinner, dancing, theatre show, church service and museum exhibition. Brixham Future community interested company  is a not-for-profit  group that seeks to deliver small-scale, quick-win, low-cost projects and events that benefit the community. The boards, created by Brixham Future with support from the Brixham Lottery and a Torbay Heritage Grant, highlight the stories of local individuals who contributed to the war effort, including those who received national honours. The display also pays tribute to the 125 Brixham residents who lost their lives during the conflict. The project includes eight large information panels, featuring donated photographs and historical context surrounding the Second World War and Brixham’s role within it. A spokesperson for Brixham Future said: “On the 80th anniversary of VE Day this year, we mark the occasion with a lasting memorial that informs future generations of the scale and sacrifice of our forebearers.  “There is a saying that those who do not remember their history are doomed to repeat it. “We wanted to mark this historic occasion by creating information boards that highlight major stages of the conflict and the involvement of local people.  “We have included some donated photographs of our local heroes and heroines to put on these public display boards. We are grateful to all the local people who have helped with this project.” For further information about the initiative, contact John Brennan on 01803 852270 or you can email John.Brennan@brixhamfuture.co.uk Listed local Brixham heroes and heroines — 1) Skipper Lt Leonard Lake RNR of Bolton Street, Brixham, was in command of HM Trawler Polly Johnson BM 322. He was awarded the DSC for his actions. 2) Skipper Alfred Manning Lovis of Northfields South, Brixham, in command of HM Drifter Paxton, was awarded the DSC for services under fire. 3) Leading Stoker Frank Putt of Middle Street, Brixham, made 10 trips to the beach at Dunkirk and was awarded the DSM. 4) Squadron Leader John Worrall of Gallard Road, Brixham, who attacked superior enemy aircraft numbers in July 1940. He was awarded the DFC for his great courage and skill. 5) Sergeant Minns with members of Brixham Auxiliaries, including the Hannaford family. 6) Henry Maddick Smardon of Bolton Street, Brixham, was awarded the MBE in 1945 for his public service work. 7) John Robertson Owen received the OBE in 1946 for services as a member of the Torbay ARP committee and work with the vital D-Day preparations. 8) Brixham born, Captain Churchill made 16 Atlantic crossings in his ship the Bridgepool. Mentioned in Dispatches for his conduct. 9) Skipper Lt Harry Lang RNR was awarded the DSC for successful action against enemy submarines in December 1939 while skipper of HM Trawler, Loch Tulla. He returned to Brixham after the war and became the harbourmaster. 10) Skipper Lt Richard William Alward Hicks RNR was awarded the DSC for the rescue of 60 survivors from a convoy attack in March 1943. 11) Chief Petty Officer George Samuel Mills was awarded the DSM for his use courage and outstanding skill on the guns on HMS Garth in 1944 when the ship was torpedoed. 12) Lt Stafford Hook RN of Kings Barton, Summer Lane, Brixham served on the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle. He was shot down over Rhodes in 1940 and interned by the Italians and later by the Germans, only returning to Brixham in 1945. 13) Flying Officer Roger Rennels Drew of Fore Street, Brixham, was posted to Malta in March 1941. He destroyed three Italian flying boats and other aircraft near Tripoli. He was awarded the DFC. 14) Lt Brian Constable Price Rowe of Berry Head Road, Brixham. He served in Tunisia, and on 25 April 1943, he was sent forward to destroy German guns. His position was attacked by dive bombers and Tiger tanks, inflicting heavy casualties. After a bitter contest, his actions allowed the Allies to advance. He was awarded an MC for gallant conduct. 15) Captain John Price Rowe of Berry Head, Brixham, led a commando unit taking part in enemy-occupied territory. During the North African offensive in 1942, he joined the Joint Services Planning Staff and received the MBE for his services in June 1944. 16) A local doctor, Dr Dowell, was reported as missing whilst serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) but became a prisoner of the Japanese after the fall of Malaya in 1942. 17) WO John Alfred Cronin Lovis took part in 38 raids over Germany and Italy. He was posthumously awarded the DFC devotion to duty after a raid of 764 aircraft on Berlin on 23 November 1943. 18) Squadron Leader Roger Rennels Drew of Fore Street, Brixham, led 13 Squadron on 33 raids from an Italian base, mainly against enemy communications and supply lines. He was awarded a Bar to his DFC for his determination during an attack on Cecina near Pisa. The spokesperson for Brixham Future said: “There were many more local heroes and heroines, with small and great acts associated with their names in both the military and civilian fields.  “We cannot list everyone who served, or received awards, or performed gallant selfless acts without public recognition. We express our gratitude to everyone who contributed to the above.” " + $(".testo_articolo").html().replace(//g, ' To continue reading this article, please subscribe and support local journalism! Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles. To continue reading this article for FREE,please kindly register and/or log in. Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites. You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news! John Tompkins festival director. Image: Kemp Digital Photography Symptoms can all affect our daily lives, but treatment is available! Photography and videography: Superb, www.wearesuperb.com ARC Inside one of ARC's 1.5m reef cubes. Images: James Harris Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles. Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A classic sailing trawler has returned to Brixham for the first time since a million pound refit Colin Mawbey, who was also chairman of trustees, sailed the Vigilance BM76 to Plymouth for major repairs in 2022 and hoped to be at the helm when it returned to Brixham He was unable to fulfil his wish as he died last year but his family were able to arrange for his ashes to be on board when the 76ft sailing boat made the trip on Tuesday chairman of the charity which owns and operates the trawler said: “Colin was one of our most experienced skippers and was my predecessor as chair of the trustees “He sadly passed away after a long and distinguished link with Vigilance He was very fond of the heritage trawler which he called ‘The Leaky Wench’ given the boat’s tendency to take on water “We were very pleased to honour’s Colin’s significant contribution by having his ashes on board for the return trip “It will be a fitting way for us to remember Colin and pay tribute to all that he contributed to Vigilance.” there was a short ceremony on board Vigilance a crew member and Church of England priest paid tribute to Mr Mawbey before handing his ashes to the family Vigilance has undergone extensive repairs in the Stirling and Son Ltd shipyard in Plymouth thanks to grants from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and National Lottery Heritage Fund “Their support is so much more than just financial,” said Mr Murray “She now enters the final phase of her repair when a small army of skilled volunteers will complete the restoration of the interior.” Vigilance is expected to return to service in 2026, her centenary year, when she will become Brixham’s main tourist attraction taking people for trips along the coast of the English Riviera. Vigilance, which is part of the UK Historic Fleet, was the last in a long line of beam trawlers or smacks built at Upham’s shipyard in the Devon fishing town in 1926. Brixham sailing trawlers were built as disposable boats with an expected life of 12 to 15 years. The main mast is 82ft tall and with a full set of sails open, the vessel will reach speeds of 12 knots (14mph). Devon rugby season down to the final games Brixham RFC have one more weekend of hoping Barnstaple slip up in the tantalising race for the Regional 1 Tribute SW League title While Barnstaple swept aside Launceston in their penultimate challenge of the league season the Fishermen were given an almighty scare before securing an epic 54-53 victory at Royal Wootton Bassett An incredible game opened with a converted try from Connor Doneathy before RWB quickly levelled Doneathy restored the Brixham lead and Andre Simonetti extended the advantage to 19-7 quickly cancelled out by the prolific Matt Crosscombe RWB refused to roll over and reduced the arrears to 24-26 at the half-time break only for a penalty try to get the Fishermen back in the ascendancy but yellow cards were disrupting the Brixham flow Title hopes were slowly disappearing before Jason Capaldi grabbed a momentum-shifting score and Jamie Hext gave Brixham a slender one-point advantage heading into the closing minutes as RWB again dotted down for a six-point lead but a converted try from Crosscombe just sealed the win for Brixham who now must wait until the final day drama on April 5 The title belongs to Barnstaple if they beat St Austell at home but victory for the Fishermen at home to Launceston will send the crown to South Devon There is also just one game to go in the Counties 3 Devon SW Division and Brixham Crusaders also trail leaders Ivybridge 2nds by one point ahead of the final day The Crusaders racked up 111 points in a painfully one-sided win over Totnes and will need another win at Paignton 2nds Paignton are one game from a possible promotion out of the Western West SW Division and they finished their home campaign with an enthralling 33-31 win over Plymstock Oaks Torquay Athletic wrapped up their league title a while ago but still had enough motivation to deliver a 53-7 victory at Tamar Saracens Ryan Hanauer notching an impressive four tries for the Tics Brixham emerged victorious from a tight and tense South Devon showdown with Buckland Athletic in the Jewson Western League The Fishermen have already confirmed their play-off position at the end of the season so the pressure was definitely on Buckland to deliver a result that cements their place in the top five The visitors conjured a couple of early chances but Brixham were the side to break the deadlock Fin Newell forcing the ball over the line after a goalmouth scramble The Fishermen also struck the bar in a frenetic first period Ryan Bush forced a decent save from home custodian Marco Radovanovic before the hour and that set the platform for Newell to notch a crucial second Buckland responded with admirable determination Teigan Rosenquest slotting a tidy near-post finish to set up a tense finale The Bucks laid siege on the Birxham goal for 20 minutes Bush spurning the best chance for an equaliser as the hosts held on for local bragging rights there are three chasing clubs within two points which makes the Easter weekend absolutely pivotal The Bucks host mid-table Wellington on Good Friday and then travel to struggling Ilfracombe on Bank Holiday Monday who have won the South West Peninsula League East Division title sealing the crown with a 5- victory over Newton Abbot Spurs A rough end to the season continued for Stoke Gabriel & Torbay Police as they went down to a 3-1 defeat at Elburton Villa The equation is simple for Brixham RFC over the closing weeks of the season: keep securing bonus-point victories and the Fishermen will win a historic promotion from the Regional 1 Tribute SW Division Brixham travelled to mid-table Matson with a one-point lead over Barnstaple in second and Barum did their job with a 29-10 triumph at Sidmouth The pressure was on for Brixham and they soon delivered the first try scored by Jamie Hext and converted by Mitch Pinkus but that was not the full picture of a tight opening half-hour with Matson heaping on the pressure with a succession of close-range scrums Brixham had to defend in numbers and they were finally breached to make it 7-7 a Pinkus penalty gave the Fishermen a three-point advantage followed by a converted try from Louie Drennan to provide some breathing space two more needed for the crucial bonus point and Nathan Reeves crossed to extend the lead to 22-7 Matson made the task easier with successive yellow cards and Drennan exploited the gaps to seal the four tries required to maintain their slender advantage over Barnstaple A superb score from Jason Capaldi added gloss to the victory Matson crumbling under the pressure with a red card Another Brixham penalty and a consolation try from Matson made the final score 39-12 Barnstaple host Royal Wootton Bassett and Brixham host Sidmouth It won’t get any easier but the Fishermen are standing up to the pressure In the Counties 1 Tribute Western West Division Paignton travelled to Kingsbridge and the two teams shared a superb spectacle of rugby that ended in a thrilling 36-36 draw Dewald Stoop and a penalty try were the scorers for Paignton but the Cherries will feel it was an opportunity missed after leading 22-12 at the half-time break The result leaves Paignton third in the table and the Cherries have a game in hand on Barnstaple 2nds but leaders Pirates Amateurs appear to be too far ahead to catch Congratulations to Jonny Brown from Torquay Athletic as he wrapped up 200 appearances for Tics in another dominant 74-10 victory at Plymouth Argaum The Tics are miles clear in the table and Brown who has scored 87 tries since joining from Brixham in 2010 will lead out the team at home to Devonport Services on Saturday The Rotary Club of Brixham held a fundraising fashion show to raise funds for local charities  with the support of the Rotary Sunrise Club and the generosity of Torquay department store Hoopers Rotary Brixham President Susan Laurie said: “The evening was very exciting enhanced by Trudi Knapman who proved to be a very entertaining host introducing the models describing their clothes along with the history of some of the brand names Other prizes were also contributed by local traders of Brixham and Torquay and friends of Rotary." the girls from Brixham and Sunrise Rotary along with all that attended the show in making the evening such a success and raising a substantial amount for local charities.  Brixham Rotary were also active raising funds for the earthquake relief in Myanmar and Thailand using funds raised to pay towards Shelterbox sending emergency accommodation out there More details of the Rotary Club of Brixham and its charitable donations and events are available on the Club website www.brixhamrotary.org and their Facebook page Brixham is set to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe and honour the memory of those who lost their lives with over 40 free public events will see the town transform into a hub of activity from Wednesday the nation came together to celebrate the end of the Second World War in Europe communities across the country mourned those we had lost and expressed gratitude to those who fought for our freedom an opportunity to look toward to the future with hope Throughout the week, Brixham residents and visitors alike will gather to remember the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces and the merchant navy as well as the local heroes and heroines who either gave their lives or returned home bearing the physical and emotional scars of war The commemoration will also honour the vital contributions of the men and women who worked on the home front and farms — such as members of the Women’s Land Army and Women’s Timber Corps Special recognition will also be given to the ARP wardens local defence volunteers and others who bravely carried out their duties during those difficult a not-for-profit organisation that addresses local issues is collaborating with the town’s local voluntary sector to deliver over 40 free public events This follows their successful coordination of a similar number of events in June 2024 which honoured the 80th anniversary of D-Day with activities including exhibitions The community will come together for a parade A spokesperson for Brixham Future CIC said: “We are committed to delivering these quick win and low-cost events that enhance our town highlighting our cultural heritage for both residents and visitors to enjoy.  “The basic idea is that by enhancing Brixham’s culture offer from its rich history The events and activities will not only commemorate the enormous sacrifices made at home and abroad The current timetable of events is as follows: 9.00am — unveiling of plaque to ‘P’ Men at Breakwater 10.00am – Local Heroes & Heroines Unveiling Ceremony 10.45am – Victory Parade to Brixham War Memorial 11.00am – Wreath Laying Service at War Memorial 12.00am – Victory Parade marches to Fore Street 1.00pm - 4:00am– Victory Street Party in Fore Street 10:30am — 1940s Walk assembles at Coaching Inn Further event details will be released in March organisers are encouraging local residents to contribute to the occasion by planning their own celebrations or decorating homes and businesses with bunting to contribute to the occasion Torbay Council has announced a £750,000 investment to enhance Brixham harbourside Brixham residents and visitors will benefit from £750,000 of public realm improvements to the harbourside this spring Torbay Council and Brixham Town Council have been working on ideas that will make Brixham harbour an even more attractive and vibrant place The emerging ideas were shared publicly for the first time today (Tuesday are encouraged to view the proposals and share any other ideas they may have until Friday You can view the proposals online at https://yoursay.torbay.gov.uk/brixham-public-realm.  You can also attend one of the face-to-face events happening on Saturday 8 and Wednesday 19 February, 10am until 2pm, located at The Scale, Brixham Town Hall, TQ5 8TA. The improvements are being funded using £750,000 of government grant funding that Torbay Council secured through the Levelling Up Partnership. SWISCo will start work on the improvements this spring. Improvement and installation work will be carried out in phases, ensuring it does not impact on spring and early summer events. Cllr Chris Lewis, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth at Torbay Council, said: “Our bay-wide regeneration and improvement programme really starts to gather momentum in 2025. This year will be the year that Brixham residents get to be immersed in our exciting transformation story. “Brixham is already a vibrant and welcoming place, and we hope the £750,000 of public realm improvements will further enhance the area for residents and visitors. “We’ve been working closely with Brixham Town Council to develop the proposals, which we are excited to share with you. We hope the community takes the time to look at the ideas and perhaps even suggest some ideas for the future.” Cllr Michael Roseveare, Mayor of Brixham, said: “We’re excited to see Torbay Council’s regeneration and improvement programme reach Brixham this year. The investment in the town’s public realm marks a significant step forward in enhancing the town, making it a more attractive and welcoming space for both residents and visitors alike. “It's been good to see the collaboration between Brixham Town Council and Torbay Council. We strongly encourage residents and businesses to take a closer look at the proposals over the next three weeks and share their thoughts.” Torbay Council, working with its regeneration partners Willmott Dixon and Milligan, is working on proposals to develop plans for two major sites within Brixham. The Brixham Port Infrastructure Project will look to provide 2,550sqm of new space for the fishing industry. The expansion of the port would create around 40 new fishing-related jobs. £9.791 million of government funding has been secured for the project. Detailed proposals will be made public later in the spring, with opportunities being available for the community to comment on the proposals as part of the statutory planning process. The council has also provided an update for the Brixham Town Centre car park. The original multi-storey car park, built in the early 1960s, suffered severe deterioration due to marine weathering, leading to significant steel corrosion. Despite multiple structural repairs, deterioration persisted, resulting in its demolition in 2005. In recent years, various redevelopment proposals have been considered, including housing. Financially viable options are now being explored, with plans to present them to the community later this year. Caroline Voaden, MP for South Devon, said: "I’m really pleased to see the levelling up funding from the previous government finally coming through and being spent. It will be hugely positive to see the improvements to the public realm for residents and tourists. "I’m pleased also to see the additional mooring space for kayaks and paddleboards. I hope this will be the first step in public realm improvements. Further upgrades to the town centre car parking area are a must, however, to take these improvements to the next level, and this is something I regularly raise with Torbay Council." Each project coming forward has been developed in line with community-led plans, including the Local Plan, Brixham, Town Centre Master Plan, Brixham Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan Policy Document, and Torbay’s Heritage Strategy. George Maddick would not set foot in Brixham again until 1946 Image Matt Austin English Riviera BID Company the Royal Navy operated several key rescue tug bases across the United Kingdom to support naval operations and safeguard maritime routes Two significant establishments were located at Harwich in Essex and Campbeltown on the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland a major Royal Navy shore establishment commissioned on 13 September 1939 Located at Parkeston Quay (now Harwich International Port) HMS Badger served as the headquarters for the Flag Officer in Charge (FOIC) and was responsible for overseeing naval operations in the area The base supported a variety of vessels making it the largest base for small craft in the United Kingdom during the war Facilities at HMS Badger included oil storage tanks The base played a crucial role in operations such as the Dunkirk evacuation and the defence of the east coast against enemy attacks HMS Badger was decommissioned on 21 October 1946 but its operations room remained active as an emergency port control centre for the Harwich area Campbeltown on the Mull of Kintyre served as the headquarters for HMS Minona the Royal Navy’s Deep Sea Rescue Tug Service base Established during the war, HMS Minona was responsible for coordinating the rescue and towing of damaged ships from Atlantic convoys into safe harbours across the UK Campbeltown’s strategic location made it ideal for supporting operations in the Atlantic and recreation facilities for the crews of rescue tugs a training school for anti-submarine detection systems further emphasising its importance in naval operations While both Harwich and Campbeltown were pivotal to the Royal Navy’s rescue tug operations they were located on opposite coasts of the United Kingdom: Harwich: Situated on the east coast in Essex Campbeltown: Located on the west coast in Argyll and Bute These bases were not in close proximity but were strategically positioned to cover different operational areas—Harwich focusing on the North Sea and English Channel and Campbeltown on the Atlantic approaches My father was a naval reservist and joined the war He signed his T124T contract on 19 February 1940 He then went to Campbeltown – HMS Minona; there was not much time for training and they relied on their experience at home on their fishing boats to get them started The ship's records show he was leaving the Caroline Moller for shore leave on 12 August 1942 and then going back to the ship on 28 August 1942 where he served until the ship was torpedoed off Cromer on 7 October 1942 There were quite a few Brixham men on that ship at that time; out of the 35 men on board that day They didn’t return home to cheering crowds They weren’t even recognised properly by the Admiralty But when a ship went down in flames or limped toward land with a broken spine it wasn’t destroyers or battleships that came to its rescue Crewed by men called Tattie Lads—a name born in the cold oil-stained guts of war—they were the last hope in a hopeless sea Among them was Petty Officer George Maddick of Brixham This is his story—and that of the Caroline Moller he knew how to rig a sail and splice a line blindfolded He joined the Royal Naval Reserve before war ever broke out. So, when the war came in 1939, he was already ready. On 19 February 1940, he signed the T124T agreement—volunteering for duty aboard vessels supporting the Navy but staffed by merchant seamen. He was sent to Harwick in Essex. That agreement would send George into a war that would keep him away from home for nearly seven years. He would not set foot in Brixham again until 1946. They weren’t sailors in the traditional sense. They weren’t soldiers either. The men of the Rescue Tug Service were something in between—and something braver altogether. Drawn mostly from the Merchant Navy, fishermen, and civilian seafarers, these men became known as the Tattie Lads. It was a nickname at first, a bit of black humour—they were often cold, dirty, and patched together like old jackets. But it stuck. And it grew into a badge of honour. The Admiralty gave them little recognition. Officially, they belonged to no one. They even adopted the motto Filius Nullius, “sons of no one.” But if you were clinging to a life raft in burning oil, you didn’t care about paperwork. You wanted a Tattie Lad to haul you out. George was posted to a Saint-class tug, originally launched as St Mabyn in 1919. Renamed Caroline Moller, she was a sturdy 444-tonne rescue tug, fitted with a 12-pounder gun and a reinforced hull. She wasn’t built for speed but for endurance. She served wherever the fighting was thickest. Hauling broken destroyers. Dragging crippled freighters home. George became her backbone—calm, steady, and utterly reliable. He wasn’t the oldest aboard, but his authority was natural. He didn’t bark orders—he led by example. His shipmates trusted him. When the alarms sounded, they looked to him. And that trust would be tested to its breaking point. It’s claimed fishermen in South Devon have been left feeling ‘betrayed’ by a Brexit they thought was going to help them. 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Credit: PAA parasite outbreak in Brixham that impacted thousands of households cost South West Water nearly £40m Bournemouth Water and SES Water – said it was facing costs of around £36 million for the supply contamination incident in Brixham This is up from around £20 million in costs in the first half of its year when it revealed more than £16 million was paid out for the Brixham issue after compensating affected customers together with a further £4 million for its overhaul programme the group said on Monday 31 March that its underlying earnings would be “broadly flat” compared with the first half and that it was on track with its own expectations for the full year financial year The outbreak in May 2024 left some people in hospital and hundreds of others ill after contamination of the water supply by cryptosporidium a parasite which causes sickness and diarrhoea Around 17,000 households and businesses in the Brixham area were issued with a “boil water” notice as scores of reported cases emerged. The notice, instructing them not to use tap water for drinking without boiling and cooling it first, remained in place for eight weeks for some households. In a Commons committee session in February, Pennon chief executive Susan Davy apologised to customers over pollution incidents, including the “devastating” Devon case, while also revealing her salary has risen this year. Ms Davy has faced criticism after it was revealed that her pay package jumped 58% to £860,000.  She also told the MPs in the committee session that her base salary is rising from £494,000 to £511,000 this year. South West Water customers will see their bills increase by 23% over the coming five years, helping the company pay for improvements to its infrastructure and reduce pollution incidents. The costs of the parasitic water outbreak saw Pennon report widened bottom line pre-tax losses of £38.8 million in the six months to September, against losses of £34 million a year earlier. The company spent about £4 million on restructuring the business in the first half alone, having also bought Sutton and East Surrey (SES) Water for £350 million. It is looking to cut costs across SES, which was also loss-making in the first half. Brixham RFC need to keep winning in pursuit of title The pressure is on and absolutely zero room for mistakes but Brixham are just four games away from sealing the Regional 1 Tribute SW title. The Fishermen welcomed Lydney to Astley Park on Saturday and, after being awarded the Austell Tribute Devon Team of the Month for January, they set about extending their winning streak to an impressive 15 games. The last time Brixham tasted league defeat was a 26-22 reverse at St Austell in September. In a tight first period, Brixham took a slender 7-5 lead into the break, thanks to a score from Joel Ashworth, and the game remained in the balance up the final 20 minutes. The power of Brixham’s pack set the platform for their second score and it was a try that summed up all that is brilliant about regional rugby. The Fishermen relentlessly pounded the visiting defence, recycling for phase after phase of attacks. Lydney, to their immense credit, held firm for almost three minutes before the ball was spun wide for the lurking Matt Crosscombe to score in the corner. Lydney fought back with a try of their own to make the scores 12-12 but that’s when Brixham found an extra gear. Jordan Watson was the man to exploit a gap in the tiring Lydney defence and surge over the line for 17-12. Victory and the bonus point was secured by Ashworth finishing off another slick move in difficult conditions and there was still time for Jason Capaldi to execute a monumental tackle in preventing Lydney a late consolation. The Fishermen are one point above Barnstaple in the table and next travel to Matson. Tries from Joel Armitage (2), Carl Turner, Craig Withers, Tony Brierley and a penalty try was enough for Torquay to make it 18 straight victories in the Counties 2 Tribute Devon Division. Paignton were leading St Ives 19-3 on Saturday when the referee abandoned the game. It was a decision that prompted a mixed reaction, as it appeared the game had become increasingly fractious. Some felt the referee made the right call, others were of the opinion that dishing out a few cards could have possibly calmed the situation. Paignton are third in the Counties 1 Tribute Western West Division, six points behind leaders Pirates Amateurs and two behind Barnstaple 2nds. most club anglers look forward to this time of year when clubs hold their presentation evenings and anglers collect a nice piece of silverware to show their angling prowess The latest club to hold such a night was Honiton SAC which I attended more in hope than expectation the best fish caught from Brixham Breakwater The newest trophy to be presented is for the best all round angler won with the best five specimens from both boat and shore the winner for the second year was James Trevett things certainly seem to be hotting up with Mike Spiller reporting reasonable catches if not spectacular ones from around the south coast with the first of the season’s Mackerel making an appearance from Chesil Beach Plaice and Dabs are also being caught from the same area Ricky Keeling fished in the South Hams and found several Plaice with the biggest weighing 2lbs 3oz Boat fishing continues to be slow in the continued Easterly winds with the South coast producing a few Pollack and Bass Bass can now be kept for the pot again with a two fish limit per angler and in length more than 42cm I managed to get out from Watchet aboard Tom Wright’s boat Lorna Doone The first three marks fished only produced small Dogfish but a move out into deep water over the bottom of the tide was inspirational Scott Harris of Dawlish landed his first Smoothhound of the year and in the space of about 20 minutes Bull Huss and a specimen Small eyed ray of 11bs 12oz except for a couple of Thornback Rays at the stern of the boat Newbarn Angling centre continues to produce fish with Caleb Smith once again beating his dad this time with a decent Mirror Carp somewhere in the region of 20lbs In their continued efforts to improve the fishery management have stocked one of the smaller pools with fifty small C1 Carp which are a mixture of mirror and ghost carp These should grow on very quickly and give good sport over the summer Our fish of the month competition for March kindly sponsored by Newbarn Angling Centre and Sidewinder Lures did not have many entries and, as such, goes to Ricky Keeling for his Plaice. A prize pack will be on its way to him shortly. Entries are now being taken for our April competition, please email them to johnsherlockfish@gmail.com Steve Jones and Morag Slesser sail Provident on a centenary voyage from Scotland’s west coast to her roots on the South Coast Eight days after leaving Oban on the west coast of Scotland we arrived at the Fowey estuary on the Cornish coast The guests and crew on board were oblivious to the magnitude of the occasion for us Steve’s dash ashore to Polruan’s Lugger Inn to procure ice for the celebratory gin and tonics was simply ‘part of the service’ they had come to expect from a Provident voyage where food and drink rank easily as highly as sailing and adventure Polruan marked the end of a two-year journey; the place where during a damp and freezing January in 2022 we had first hauled our newly purchased boat out of the water; where the magnitude of the task before us became clear supporters and local workers we began our mission to keep Provident sailing The close-knit crew sailing Provident from Oban to Brixham had not approached the boat with enthusiasm Was it going to be the beginning of an epic adventure The journey from Oban to Brixham had passed in the haze of sailing sleeping and eating that comes with a long voyage A sleep in the middle of the day after a four-hour watch is one of the joys of passage sailing four had sailed on Provident before; some drawn by the romance of taking her back to her home port on a centenary voyage and some for the sheer joy of sailing a 100-year-old Under engine (something that only got added to Provident in the 1940s) the boat is transformed into a sailing wonder – with each added sail she sets into a groove ready for whatever nature has in store Provident in all her glory sailing down the Sound of Mull Before launching into a big journey we like to take time to get to know our guests Everyone soon settles into being on board and begins to learn the ropes By the time we were on watch systems in the Irish Sea we had made stops at the island of Easdale and had negotiated the challenge of entering a fog-bound Rathlin Island ‘Watch the tides around the pub,’ said the owner of Family’s Pride another historic ship moored in the harbour ‘they can suck you in’ We were close enough to the Isle of Man to get a weather update and headed for a day’s rest in Arklow Southern Ireland to wait for the predicted westerly to appear The harbour master’s welcome was casual and friendly and the yacht club showers were a delight The crew enjoy a meal below decks in Provident’s comfortable saloon The winds picked up enough for us to set sail and we cruised happily on a straight course towards the southwest of England the main challenge became the fast moving shipping converging on the traffic separation schemes in the St George’s Channel and round Land’s End It’s amazing how quickly a boat traveling at 20 knots can catch up with you An ongoing watch on AIS became essential as we spotted lights in the distance and nervously considering our options if we went unnoticed The trip along the south coast to the river Fowey passed in spring sunshine The excitement built as we approached Brixham and despite there being next to no wind we put up the sails one last time unwilling to end the journey and unsure about the kind of welcome that awaited us In the end we slipped quietly on to Brixham’s town pier the town woke to the sight of one of its favourite ships lying peacefully on her old berth Owning Provident is a privilege and a responsibility We know we are simply custodians; really she is owned by the town of Brixham and all those who have sailed and nurtured her over her 100 years of service A subscription to Yachting Monthly magazine costs around 40% less than the cover price so you can save money compared to buying single issues Print and digital editions are available through Magazines Direct – where you can also find the latest deals YM is packed with information to help you get the most from your time on the water Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The June 2025 issue of Yachting Monthly is out now A planning application has been submitted for the construction of up to 20 new homes with associated infrastructure on land off Pilgrim Close in Brixham.The proposed development comprises a mix of 2 in line with current local policy requirements All matters except access are reserved.The application was made by The Northern Trust a national industrial/commercial property investment and development company The application was received last month and was validated September 12.The site extends to approximately 0.55ha of land on the eastern edge of Brixham It lies directly south of Wall Park Road and directly adjacent to Brixham AFC sports facilities A single point of vehicular access is planned from Pilgrim Close to the east.Although the immediate urban settlement falls within the South Devon National Landscape Area the developers say that “the existing site itself has a very limited relationship with its prevailing landscape character.”The proposed development is not just for 20 dwellings but a singular vehicular and pedestrian access point as well as 0.047ha of public open space and areas of ecological mitigation.The developers say: “The proposed development will be complementary to the locality and provide new homes with associated open space that can positively contribute to the existing green infrastructure networks within the locality.”They continue: “The site is in a sustainable location local facilities and employment opportunities.” Torbay is a borough in Devon, spanning the towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, located around an east-facing natural harbour on the English Channel. For the latest stories sign up to our newsletter here. The final countdown for a thrilling rugby season It has been a year of celebration for Brixham Rugby Club and the biggest party of all is potentially just four matches away. The 2024/25 season marks 150 years of rugby in Brixham and the Fishermen currently sit one point above Barnstaple in the Regional 1 Tribute SW Division, tantalisingly close to a first ever promotion to Level 4 of the English game, National League 2. However, as Head Coach Adam Thomas describes, there is much work to be done and it could not be closer between Brixham and Barnstaple. “After 160 minutes of rugby between us, we’ve beaten them by one point,” said Thomas. “We drew at home and won by a single point at their place, which shows how tight it is between the top sides. “I wouldn’t call it exciting for me, probably more like stressful, but it couldn’t be tighter and no room for error. We’ve got to do our best, work our hardest and make sure there are no errors. “We need four wins, we know that, and ideally four bonus points wins to make sure nobody can catch us because we know Barnstaple are on our heels. I can’t see Barnstaple making any mistakes, so we have to focus on us.” After a weekend break from action, Brixham travel to mid-table Matson on Saturday, followed by Sidmouth (H), Royal Wootton Bassett (A) and then a tough final day on April 5, when fourth-placed Launceston visit Astley Park. “Gone are the days when you would have easy games, the league is so competitive and the guys making the least amount of errors are the ones at the top of the table,” added Thomas. “It’s not necessarily about having the best players with the best ability, it’s having a unit who will stick to a game plan and execute it really well because the small margins can cost you. “It’s also really important to get your bonus points, whether it’s a losing bonus point or scoring four tries. In the past few years, the league has been extremely competitive and that’s not showing any signs of changing. “As a coach and the players, it’s important we stay grounded and don’t focus too much on the prospect of promotion. “We keep it in the back of our minds but the real focus is on each game. You do look ahead as a coach, of course, thinking about what results might go your way but it’s important we don’t change anything. “What we’ve been doing has been working consistently and we don’t want to make any rash decisions to change things. “There is just one place for promotion, so a big finish ahead. As far as I know, no club in Torbay has reached the National Two level. “Brixham has been around for 150 years, so it would be an incredible achievement but we know there is a seriously hard end to the season ahead of us. The players are fully committed to seeing this through.”   A fund-raising appeal has been launched to help keep community music alive in Brixham TheMusicFactory CIC is organising this fundraiser The GoFundMe campaign has been organized by The Music Factory CIC to help support MusicAtTheEdge in Brixham MusicAtTheEdge has been a cornerstone of the local community since 2007 and organizing a beloved summer music festival The funds raised will help cover essential startup costs ensuring the continuation of these vital opportunities for local musicians of all ages and abilities The goal is to secure the future of the project and continue offering creative and community-driven musical experiences in Brixham MusicAtTheEdge has been a vital part of the port's community for the past 18 years providing free-to-access weekly music workshops exciting live events and our much-loved music festival The Music Factory CIC saysd: "We are working hard to save MusicAtTheEdge and secure its future Your donation will help cover essential startup costs purchase much-needed music equipment and fund room hire so we can continue delivering these crucial opportunities to local musicians of all ages and abilities "Music is more than just a hobby—it’s a lifeline we risk losing this space that has brought so many people together The Birdcage pub in Brixham has been given a £50,000 makeover The investment from Punch Pubs & Co gives the pub a fresh look and enhanced features as it celebrates its first anniversary under the passionate leadership of Management Partner Stevie Turvey and an upgraded entertainment and sports offering Operations Manager James Farmer is thrilled with the changes: “Thanks to Stevie and her incredible team at The Birdcage the pub is now a vibrant hub at the heart of the community creating an inclusive atmosphere that truly reflects the spirit of Brixham I couldn’t be prouder of their hard work and determination which led Punch to invest further into this thriving pub business.” Stevie has a wealth of experience in pubs and restaurants she returned to her true passion: hospitality and creating memorable experiences for guests.She said:  “I’m incredibly lucky to have such wonderful locals who support me and the team and truly want the Birdcage to be the go-to place in town and we’ve always aimed to create an inclusive I’m proud of the rapport we’ve built with our guests and it’s so rewarding to hear their positive feedback about the investment we always kept our guests at the forefront of our minds Despite the many noticeable changes to the pub one thing remains unchanged: our passion for creating and being a part of our guests’ experiences.” One of Stevie’s key aspirations was to restore the traditional feel of the pub while offering an extensive range of drinks for all occasions alongside an exciting entertainment lineup Stevie said: “Our guests know that as soon as they walk through the door From the younger guests who come in for a hug to the older ones I’ve built friendships with over the years You can always count on a friendly chat with a team member and it’s those warm conversations that mean the most.” Stevie has plans to further enrich the community and solidify The Birdcage as the heart of Brixham With the investment breathing new life into the pub and the focus remains on inspiring those moments for all who enter Having cleaned up Brixham’s cryptosporidium outbreak this summer South West Water have pledged over a million pounds to help clean up its economic impact on the region’s tourist sector.In a significant step to support the recovery of the tourism industry across Devon the utilities company has pledged a £1.2 million Destination Marketing Recovery Fund to be managed over the next three years by the English Riviera BID Company.This fund is dedicated to restoring booking levels and addressing the lasting effects of the cryptosporidium outbreak that occurred in Brixham this May.While the contamination of Brixham’s water supply saw dozens of residents fall ill and unable to drink their tap water for months the crisis cast an economic shadow over the region’s tourism sector that would outlast the outbreak itself.The widespread negative media attention at local and international levels left lasting consequences for tourism and hospitality businesses across Devon resulting in a wave of cancellations extending into the summer season and beyond.According to an independent impact survey commissioned by the English Riviera BID Company the financial and reputational losses from the outbreak have been profound.In response as the area’s lead Destination Marketing Organisation collaborated with Brixham Chamber of Commerce and Torbay Council to address the economic and reputational challenges facing the English Riviera and Devon brands these partners sought support from South West Water to facilitate the recovery process and to mitigate reputational and brand damage.Chris Hart Chairman of the English Riviera BID Company expressed gratitude for South West Water’s commitment to building-back Devon’s thriving tourism industry.“The Cryptosporidiosis outbreak had an unprecedented impact affecting not only short-term tourism to Devon but also our reputation as being one of the UK’s leading holiday destinations Our goal with this Recovery Fund is to restore visitor confidence and bring booking levels back to pre-outbreak levels This partnership marks a critical step in our recovery and we are grateful for South West Water’s commitment to helping the tourism industry recover from this crisis.’’The Destination Marketing Recovery Fund will enable a series of comprehensive marketing initiatives aimed at restoring Devon’s appeal to prospective visitors This includes national advertising campaigns with television commercials set to begin airing in early Spring 2025.The English Riviera BID Company is currently in the process of contracting a professional marketing agency to spearhead these efforts ensuring a targeted approach that addresses both the scale of the economic setback and the positive potential of reinstating the English Riviera Brixham and Devon as leading UK travel destinations The marketing campaigns will encompass multi-channel promotions with a strong emphasis on rebuilding trust in the destination’s brands and ensuring a swift recovery in visitor numbers.Vince Flower expressed his appreciation for South West Water’s response to the Cryptosporidium outbreak and their commitment to revitalising Devon’s tourism industry.“The outbreak undeniably impacted Devon’s tourism causing significant disruption to local residents and businesses while also challenging Devon’s reputation as one of the UK’s premier holiday destinations coupled with the need to respond positively highlights the strength and importance of collaborative partnerships.“We look forward to working closely with our partners at the English Riviera BID Company we aim to leverage this Recovery Fund to restore visitor confidence We are grateful for South West Water’s commitment to supporting the tourism industry’s recovery from this crisis.”Matthew Crabtree Chair of Brixham Chamber of Commerce thanked South West Water for their help in providing this recovery fund to help Brixham mitigate the negative response of the crisis  “Brixham Chamber was delighted to hear that South West Water have agreed to help fund a recovery marketing campaign designed to mitigate the negative exposure suffered by Brixham and Devon.  Achieving this outcome is the result of a huge amount of work and testament to the collaborative approach taken by the organisations involved.  Thank you to all those who worked on this especially the team at the English Riviera Bid Company.” MP for South Devon said: "I'm really pleased to see that South West Water have agreed to help fund a recovery marketing campaign following the Cryptosporidium outbreak in South Devon earlier this year Congratulations to Brixham Chamber of Commerce Brixham Town Council and Torbay Council for working together to secure this funding "While the effects of the Crypto outbreak are still being felt by many in the community from tourist facing businesses to residents who still have health problems I hope this campaign will go some way to restore the local tourist economy which is so important "What's next is for SWW to do more to rebuild trust with consumers in South Devon." Brixham Theatre from New Street (Image: Google Street View) Plans to change the wording of a sign over the door of Brixham’s town centre theatre have caused a furore The town council is asking for permission to take down the illuminated ‘Brixham Theatre’ sign over the doors of the building at Bolton Cross and replace it with a simple non-illuminated one that says ‘Town Hall’ instead The building doubles as a council chamber and a theatre The council says the change will make it clear which part of the building is an office and which is a theatre and Torbay Council’s planning committee will decide on the matter in the coming weeks The proposed stainless steel sign with an ‘anthracite grey powder-coated finish’ is not finding much support from locals All 45 comments on the application on the Torbay Council website are against the change Objectors say the exisitng illuminated sign is part of the identity of the theatre Above: Brixham Theatre from Market Street (Image: Google Street View) says it only wants to change the signs that face New Road where the entrance is predominantly used for the town hall are welcome to put their own signs around the corner facing Market Street if they want to on the section of the building primarily occupied by the theatre A statement from the town council goes on: “The council believes this is a balanced and fair approach taking into consideration the terms and conditions of the trustees’ lease with the town council.  The proposal respects both the needs of the Town Hall and the theatre while maintaining clarity for residents and visitors.” One commenter said: “The council wants to remove all signage indicating that there is a theatre in the building would be tantamount to a death sentence for the theatre “People won’t go to see shows if they don’t know where the theatre is.” And another wrote on the Torbay Council planning portal: “The theatre is just making a comeback after Covid PLEASE don’t take this away from Brixham!” Two generators are on their way to help with humanitarian aid in Ukraine thanks to the Rotarians of Brixham Generators are Ukraine bound thanks to Brixham Rotary The Russian invasion of Ukraine has resulted in many humanitarian needs and attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have seen a huge demand for generators for hospitals,  schools and other centres supporting a nation at war Brixham Rotary President Susan Laurie said: “The Rotary Club of Brixham managed to raise funds for Ukraine and have already sent food and clothing via a Rotary Club in the region “When we heard of Ukrainian Action’s Devon team’s impending convoy delivering vehicles and aid we immediately contacted them to see if we could help as they had mentioned the need for generators.” She added: “Our club contacted Neil Millward a Ukrainian Action volunteer in Stoke Gabriel and offered to pay for two generators to be transported to Ukraine on their next delivery of aid These two items are now on their way to Ukraine in the 50th vehicle that Ukraine Action have sent “Our club and the kind people of Brixham who have donated to help the Ukrainian people hope that our small contribution will help the besieged population.” said: “ I would like to thank Brixham Rotary for their contribution to our efforts to help the people of Ukraine.  “Our organisation in Devon has already raised over £130,000 and has funded or accepted 35 vehicles that we have delivered to Ukraine.  “Unfortunately Ukraine’s need for our efforts continues and donations via our JustGiving page www.justgiving.com/page/uateamdevon are always welcome and will be used for medical supplies  “The generosity of the people of Devon is overwhelming and the donation of these generators is an example of this.” More details of the Rotary Club of Brixham and its charitable donations and events are available on the Club website www.brixhamrotary.org and their Facebook page will intrigue audiences next week with Agatha Crispie a murder mystery spoof loosely inspired by Torbay’s beloved Agatha Christie follows an aspiring but ultimately unsuccessful and unpublished writer determined to pen murder mysteries despite her family’s vigorous disapproval Crispie is joined by her ineffectual husband and frequently inebriated maid—plus a host of detectives Project X describes itself as a friendly and enthusiastic group of performers and backstage crew.  The company raises funds to support Brixham Theatre from musicals and plays to historical dramas and lectures A spokesperson for the company said: “Project X also seeks to be inclusive and educate and develop its members We offer all members the opportunity to try out different roles within the group helped by guidance from more experienced folk.” Some of Project X’s recent successes include hiring a trained stage manager and welcoming two new actors who are already performing on stage with confidence Tickets for evening performances are available at www.ticketsource.co.uk/brixham-theatre.  Image: Mr Eugene Birchall / Creative Commons There is still time for residents to have their say on the future of conservation in Brixham Torbay Council has launched a consultation on the Brixham Town Conservation Area as part of the wider Torbay Heritage Strategy Brixham is the first area the council will be consulting with thanks to a major new partnership with the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s ‘Heritage Places’ scheme The Council recently entered into a new 10-year partnership with the Heritage Fund to support heritage within the Bay and to deliver the aims of the Torbay Heritage Strategy which includes the updating of its existing conservation area appraisals specifically those related to the Brixham Town Culture & Events and Corporate Services said: “As a council we are committed to protecting and celebrating our local heritage and this work will also complement a range of other projects currently taking place in the Bay such as the Public Realm works in Torquay and Paignton and investment in Brixham Harbour as well as the Torbay Heritage Strategy 2021-2026.” The consultation period runs until January 16 with comments to be made online via the Torbay Council website comments can be made via email to conservation@torbay.gov.uk Christmas lights on a little Brixham fishing boat have caused a festive fall-out The Four Reasons took its place alongside the quay at Brixham as part of the port’s Christmas lights’ display Owner Tristan Northway—also known as ‘Mr Fish’ – said it was his way of helping to brighten up the area for the festive season which says the boat was moored in a part of the harbour reserved for repairs Having already been allowed more than £500 of free mooring time or Mr Fish would have to pay to keep it there—some £1,300 to see it through the festive season Now he has stripped the Four Reasons of its lights and moved it away from the quay “I’ve been bringing a decorated boat in there for the last six years “This year it seems to have ruffled a few feathers.” The saga began when the boat was moved into the repair space close to the quay in time for the town’s Christmas lights switch-on whose ‘Mr Fish’ account has more than 73,000 social media followers said the boat was moored in a place that is never used he added: “They said if it wasn’t removed by a certain date The council has never charged me for it before I can promote the town as well as my business The council said the boat and its tender were moored in an area reserved for vessels requiring small repairs or servicing and using it needs authorisation from the harbour office and an agreement to pay charges Harbour staff said the Four Reasons had been moored there for some time without authorisation and Mr Fish was told the berth was reserved for repairs and maintenance He was allowed to stay free of charge for a fortnight but was then asked to pay or move was he asked to remove the lights from the boat “All of this is in line with the harbour operating procedures and enforced by byelaws,” said a spokesman Nine people have been detained in relation to their 'immigration status' after a boat was brought into Brixham after getting into difficulties at sea The Torbay Weekly understands that of the nine detained The boat was towed in by Torbay RNLI in the early hours of this morning having got into difficulty off the coast.  The small yacht was towed into the harbour by the RNLI and was met with a large police presence two coastguard vehicles and the border force A police presence remains at the scene.  A police spokesperson said: "Police were called by HM Coastguard at 5.40am on Tuesday 17 September to attend the RNLI lifeboat station on Berry Head Road following reports that a boat was being towed in after it reported being in difficulty "Officers attended and remain at the scene "Nine people have been detained in relation to their immigration status." Hopefully you may have seen that we are asking about how best to spend £750,000 of government grant funding in Brixham.  The funds have come from the Levelling Up Partnership and we are working with Brixham Town Council and stakeholders to develop ideas that will make Brixham town centre and harbourside an even more attractive and vibrant place and we are keen to hear from the people who live All of the proposals have been thought about holistically to reflect and enhance the heritage nature of Brixham This engagement is open until February 21 so there is still time to take part if you haven’t already Our plans also include installing around 250 metres of LED festoon lighting suspended from existing lamp columns and new black columns.  We are also asking about exploring options for a 3D LED Light Installation to be projected onto the harbour wall lights would be fully controllable and only used on special occasions.There is an opportunity to replace the existing traditional benches with similar new ones and consideration may also be given to relocating some of the seating to offer even better views of the harbour.  We are also looking at adding seasonal feature planting in the form of hanging baskets or mobile planters to add more colour The proposals would review the current arrangements and put in place markedwalkways for the main pedestrian throughfares New automated barriers would control and restrict vehicle movements and warning markers would make pedestrians and tourists aware of traffic moving in the area.  Further proposals include installing 30 metres of a new floating pontoon We see this as being able to provide safe launching landing and mooring facilities for paddleboards and kayaks separating recreational and business use on the water.  Other proposals include looking at all the direction signs They also include cleaning and repainting the Quay Market structure There are many more ideas and you can find these on our Consultations webpage on our website (www.torbay.gov.uk).  We ran our first in person engagement event last weekend I really urge you to come along to the Scala Hall on Friday February 21 between 10 am and 2 pm You can let us know your thoughts about these ideas SWISCo are due to start work on delivering the improvements this spring They will make sure improvement and installation work will be carried out in phases ensuring it does not impact on spring and early summer events we are also working with our Regeneration Partners - Willmott Dixon and Milligan about developing two major sites within Brixham The first is the Brixham Port Infrastructure Project which is looking at providing 2,550sqm of new space for the fishing industry The expansion of the port would create around 40 new fishing related jobs and will be funded by £9.791 million of government funding which has already been secured The second will be to improve Brixham Town Centre car park The original multi-storey car park was constructed in the early 1960s It suffered deterioration because of marine weathering leading to significant corrosion of the steel frame Despite several phases of structural repair We are currently looking at the financially viable options for the site and along with this and the Fishing Port detailed proposals will be shared with you later in the spring be opportunities for all to comment on the proposals as part of the statutory planning process PORTISHEAD Town will be chasing a league and cup double when they play Brixham AFC in the final of the Jewson Western League's Les Phillips Cup at Tiverton on Sunday, May 11 (3.00). Portishead, who have won titles in two successive years, ended their season in the Premier Division with a 2-2 away draw with Nailsea & Tickenham on Easter Monday. The new Premier Division champions finished with a total of 91 points, winning 29 of their 38 games, drawing four and losing only five. The side had set the pace at the top of the table for much of this season. Portishead enjoyed a very similar record to last season when they lost only five matches and drew six in winning the first division championsip - by eight points from runners-up Radstock Town. Clevedon Town are runners-up, finishing five points behind Portishead while Welton Rovers, who are looking for a new manager, finished rock bottom with only four points. Comments Tel: 01761 258030[email protected]Follow us Further Links Owned or licensed to Tindle Newspapers Ltd | Independent Family-Owned Newspapers | Copyright & Trade Mark Notice & 2013 - 2025 Brixham Rugby Club extend winning run to five matches Brixham RFC pay their respects on Remembrance weekend Brixham RFC are poised to pounce on the top three in the Regional 1 Tribute SW Division after extending their winning run to five matches The Fishermen currently sit fourth in the table but only six points behind leaders Exmouth and even closer to Barnstaple and Launceston in second and third The recent run of victories has seen Chew Valley The latest challenge came at fifth-placed Lydney where a strong defensive display provided the platform for a 25-5 triumph An early penalty from Mitch Pinkus got the scoreboard rolling in Brixham’s favour and Matt Crosscombe then dotted down for the opening try on 11 minutes Jamie Hext crossed the whitewash to extend the lead and another Pinkus penalty gave the Fishermen a powerful 18-point advantage at the interval Lydney responded with their only score of the game after half-time but a final try from Rory Medley confirmed the win Brixham welcome third from bottom Matson this weekend Tom McLean (2) and Will Kingsley helped Brixham Crusaders to an entertaining 54-14 win over Old Techs at Astley Park The Crusaders remain top of the Counties 3 Tribute Devon South & West Division with a trip to Plympton Victoria on the menu this weekend It was a stellar weekend for Paignton Ladies who are second behind Exeter Saracens Women in the league table Paignton 1st XV enjoyed an enthralling 29-29 draw at St Ives in the Counties 1 Tribute Western West Division The tied result saw Paignton drop to second in the table but only on points difference from Plymstock Oaks This weekend will see the Cherries host Kingsbridge An Ethan Ward hat-trick played a big role in Paignton 2nds battling to a 30-20 success over Totnes Lewis Swar and Luke Boot also dotted down for the Cherries who are fifth in the Counties 3 Tribute South & West Division There was a trio of doubles for Torquay Athletic’s Josh Macklin as the Tics cruised to a 12-40 win at OPM Rugby Club Morgan Penrice also slotted four conversions for the Tics who maintain their narrow lead above Devonport Services 2nds in the Counties 2 Tribute Devon Division Torquay Extras were well in the game at half-time against high-flying Ivybridge 2nds but the Bridgers stepped on the gas after the break to win 15-48 A hat-trick from Greg Fisilau set the tone for Exeter Chiefs in their comfortable 54-3 win over Hartpury in the Premiership Cup.  Fueled by family and still firing on all cylinders Brixham’s Central Garage is celebrating 70 years of service.Started in 1954 by Norman and Christine Ashley the family business now spans four generations and shows no signs of slowing down With 27 employees and garages in Torquay and Brixham over seven decades Central Garage has become a much-loved fixture of the Bay.“I don’t know where the years have gone,” said Peter Ashley Norman’s son who has been working at the garage for the entire 70 years.“I started with my dad at 17 and we said righto and got on with it 70 years later I’m still here.”The story of Central Garage began after Norman and Christine moved down to the Bay from Ross-on-Wye to open a new garage.After a long search they found the perfect spot in Brixham.Peter explained: “We had a flat in Kingswear and we used to go up and down to Brixham getting the paper to check whether there were any petrol stations for sale.“One day we came past and saw a semi-detached house with two hand pumps so we came back and bought the place for £3,200.”Central Garage was born The first premises was modest—a semi-detached house with just two hand pumps it was the beginning of something big.Sadly Norman died at the age of 56 and left the business to Christine and three sons Micheal and John.The three men continued to grow the business the garage expanded as the family bought the adjoining properties on either side business was booming and Central Garage had earned a reputation in Torbay for great customer service and value for money.To accommodate the extra trade a new showroom was built and a large workshop was erected behind the showroom This workshop is still Central Garages' main Brixham workshop.Throughout Micheal and John were unrelenting in their hard work and dedication.“We’d do all sorts to buy and sell cars,” remembered Peter.“Back then what we’d do is go through the paper in the evening and buy two cars We’d then drive them up to an auction near Pilton near to where Glastonbury Festival is now.“We’d then sell the two cars catch the bus to Bristol and then the train to Churton Ferrers.“It was a well-oiled machine My brother used to say if we could make more than £15 we could have a bowl of soup at Temple Meads Station."Throughout expansions and changes in the market the family remained at the core of Central Garage.“At one point my older brother Micheal was married and lived in the next house and I was married and lived in the house after that It was a really wonderful time.“We’ve all stuck together through the good times and the bad.”Tragedy struck the family in 1975 was still well and truly in the family's hands.Over the next six years or so John and Peter stuck to their predecessors' formula Keep offering a brilliant standard of service and good value at the same time Also to put profits back into the business to be able to expand when the need arises.Central Garage continued to evolve with Simon joining the family business in the late 1980s at the same age of 17.Central Garage had acquired the Rover franchise and was selling hundreds of new Rovers each year the Brixham base was operating at full throttle.On November 5 Central Garage opened a second premises on the old Travis Perkins site on Newton Road It featured ample indoor space for numerous offices and a spacious showroom as well as plenty of outdoor space for a wide selection of used cars.“We knew that was a good move the moment it opened,” remembered Peter.People were coming to the garages from further afield and business continued to grow the garage’s dealership partner going into administration.Sadly Central Garages lost John Ashley after a long illness leaving Peter as the last son in the business Peter has been working for the garage for 70 years and has no plans for retirement.Peter said: “I couldn’t think of retiring I couldn’t even think of it!“My grandson Luke is 18 and he’s just started with us My dad would love it if he could see the business now with four generations behind it.”And it’s not just the family that goes back decades some of the customers and employees have long histories with Central Garage as well.One such employee was Bill Munnings Bill worked at Central Garage for 50 years.“It was my dad who originally got me the job here as an apprentice,” Bill explained.“I used to come and do Saturday mornings I obviously enjoyed it because even after retiring I still come over Peter works at the garage with his son Simon and his grandson Luke John's son Scott and Peter’s eldest David hold down the fort.After 70 years and four generations of Ashleys there are no signs of the wheels falling off this business Central Garage stands out as a unique survivor a place where tradition meets the needs of modern drivers Central Garage has an exciting road ahead.