First round of games in the Tolchards Devon Cricket League The latest news as it happens across Torquay Find out what is happening & the latest breaking news in Torbay important updates and local opinions from Torquay Paignton & Brixham at the Torbay Weekly News Torquay United FC match reports & opinions and other Local sports news days out for the kids and amazing holiday ideas in Torquay Your source of news from beyond the bay covering Devon News and UK News The Torbay Weekly Business awards celebrates the accomplishments of Torbay based Businesses and brings together the Torbay Business community Paignton & Brixham from the local community & our Torbay based reporters property sales & property of the week in Torquay Get your local Torbay traffic & travel reports and airport departures in and around Torquay Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily 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 Despite a mixed forecast earlier in the week sun-laden early summer weather conditions greeted players and supporters for the opening Saturday of the Tolchards Devon Cricket League were the coloured playing kits and pink ball that have been voted in The inception is somewhat inevitable given its universal adoption across cup and T20 fixtures raise eyebrows and promote vigorous discussion from the traditionalists amongst us Paignton adapted well to the kaleidoscope with a four-wicket first day win at Sidmouth South African recruit Ayabulela Gqamane took 3-45 on debut as the home side were dismissed for 197 at The Fortfield Captain for the day Luke Medlock chipped in with 3-34 Both players contributed well with the bat as Paignton successfully chased down their target inside 36 overs They lost at home to defending champions Bradninch and Kentisbeare There were also opening day wins for Cornwood It was a disappointing start for Torquay and Kingskerswell Torquay and KK lost by 48 runs at (renamed) Bridestowe and Belstone Captain Harry Passenger bagged 3-44 as the home side amassed 228-9 from their 50 overs Torquay and KK’s capricious middle-order was again their undoing in a reply of 180 all out A warmly anticipated derby with Barton at The Rec awaits them in week two Former Brixham seamer Craig Eaves taking 4-24 and Fin Last 3-16 But despite knowing conditions and how the pitch was playing Barton’s old batting demons resurfaced in a reply of only 72 all out Bovey endured a five-wicket loss at Hatherleigh on their return to the A This despite an impressive opening day total of 287 all out 78 on debut for Slade van Staden and 97 from skipper Seb Ansley But Hatherleigh’s batters all chipped-in and measuredly reached their target with eleven balls to spare Bovey are at home to Bridestowe and Belstone this week Ipplepen made the shortest journey of their season to Abbotskerswell and came away with a 77-run win and the full 20 points The visitors ran up 249-8 from their 45 overs Only Toby Codd (67) really got going for Abbots in reply Joe Parker’s 4-33 was significant in their 172 all out It proved a good toss to win for Plymstock who bowled Stoke Gabriel out cheaply for 107 in 31 overs Three wickets each for Isaac Withington and Sanjog Dabholkar made Plymstock work hard for a two-wicket win Stoke travel to Ipplepen as Abbotskerswell go north to Bideford Both Brixham and South Devon started their C Division West season with away defeats Chudleigh’s Mark Halse claimed 4-11 as Brixham collapsed from 81-0 to 145 all out The home side wasted little time and had the game won in the 22nd over for the loss of only two wickets South Devon lost by six wickets at Varwell Field after being 174 all out Ashburton’s 177 in the winning run-chase was the highest total of the day in the division Paignton 2nds beat Teignmouth and Shaldon by three wickets at Queen’s Park Lewis Swar (6-17) was pick of the bowlers in the visitors’ 157 all out Paignton’s winning reply aided in no small measure by Mark Gilmour’s 86 Week two sees Brixham at home to Ashburton whilst South Devon host Paignton 2nds in Newton Abbot and Teignmouth and Shaldon welcome Chudleigh to Hazeldown Oval Babbacombe’s return to D Division West was not a happy one thanks to a low-scoring four-wicket loss at Kenn They face Plymouth 2nds at Walls Hill on Saturday Stokeinteignhead enjoyed a first E Division West win over Plympton 2nds and next play at Tavistock 2nds the local (20 over) cup competitions are swinging into action Brockman Cup games are scheduled for Tuesday evenings and the Aaron Printers Cup for Thursdays you can catch another Barton v Torquay and KK clash at Cricketfield Road in the Aaron Printers Cup first round " + $(".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 also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez Image: Al Macphee / Miracle PR and Event Photography Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie 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 POLICE are appealing for the public’s help to locate two men who are wanted in connection to reports of a serious assault from Paignton are wanted following an incident which occurred on Teignmouth Back Beach Officers were called to reports of a young male being attacked by four people with weapons at approximately 8.45pm on Friday Enquiries remain ongoing in order to locate the two men and police are appealing for anyone who knows of their whereabouts to contact them on 999 This incident was part of a wider disorder which is thought to have involved predominately young people It is believed that 50 to 100 people were present on the beach that evening but police wish to be clear that most of these people were not involved in this disorder two males were arrested on suspicion of assault One has been released with no further action being taken DS Sarah Dawkins said: “We are aware of footage circulating on social media and ask that people do not share this footage We need to remind the public that any suspect under the age of 18 is by law not allowed to be identified “These rules are not solely for media organisations to adhere to They also apply to members of the public and includes information posted via social media “This may be seen as interfering with a live investigation therefore remind the public that it is vital that they do not speculate Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling freephone 0800 555111. Comments Tel: 01363 774263[email protected]Follow us Further Links Owned or licensed to Tindle Newspapers Ltd | Independent Family-Owned Newspapers | Copyright & Trade Mark Notice & 2013 - 2025 Papa Johns has confirmed that its Torquay and Paignton branches are among 13 stores to close after it ended its relationship with a franchisee operating across the South West and beyond The Torbay Weekly understands staff were not given prior notice and say they remain unclear about their employment status or whether they will be paid for past shifts A Papa Johns spokesperson told the North Devon Gazette: “We hold all our restaurants to the highest standards and expect our franchisees to operate with integrity and in line with our values we have ended our relationship with this franchisee we are working to secure new ownership and reopen as soon as possible Our priority is delivering quality pizza and a great experience for our customers while supporting our teams through this transition.” The Torquay store on Fore Street, St Marychurch, and the Paignton store on Hyde Road are currently listed as “temporarily closed” on Google Employees claim they were informed of the closure via a message from franchise owner Jabbar Mumtaz told the Gazette: “None of us were given any notice We’ve had no confirmation about whether we’ll be paid for the work we’ve already done It’s left us completely in the dark and extremely worried.” was reported to have acquired the Devon and Cornwall Papa Johns franchise in late 2023 after the previous operator went bust The 13 stores currently listed as temporarily closed are: Four sailors from Paignton Sailing Club recently travelled to Lake Garda to participate in the RS Aero European Championships The competition took place across the RS Aero 5 which are distinguished by their sail area and nearly 120 competitors took part in the event The championship featured four wonderful days of sailing enhanced by the warm atmosphere of friendship and sportsmanship that embodies the RS Aero class philosophy Although there was a temporary break on Saturday due to the funeral of Pope Francis with all scheduled races completed except for the RS Aero 5 fleet which sailed 10 races instead of the planned 11 Congratulations to the sailors from Paignton Sailing Club: Ben Flower achieved 1st place in the Aero 9 fleet; Mark Ripley secured 3rd place (and 1st in the Under 22 category) in the Aero 7 fleet; while Zak Mitchell finished 18th and Luca Mitchell came 21st in the Aero 6 fleet Morag Aiken (Commodore of Paignton Sailing Club) said: “We are extremely proud of the boys who represented Team Paignton during the event The smaller rooms and remains of the garderobe The excavation site in the corner of the churchyard belonging to the Church of St John the Baptist faces the entrance to the vicarage in Palace Place It forms part of the remains of the Bishop of Exeter’s summer palace Further remains include the high crenelated walls surrounding the vicarage and the tower on the corner of Church Path and Tower Road The remains are thought to be 14th century and several archaeological digs in the area have unearthed relics from different eras Paignton has long been known to have a history which goes back to at least Saxon times and this area of Paignton is believed to be where the earliest settlements were situated The excavation site now looked after by Paignton Heritage Society was thought to have been a chapel Another theory is that it could have been a resting place for travellers The church was expected to provide safe accommodation for travellers and this would have been a likely position for that The ruins appear to indicate that there was one larger room and several smaller rooms The remains of steps indicate that there was a second floor In the corner the remains of an early garderobe are seen possibly a further indication that travellers stayed there The area around the site was where the Paignton Market was held The charter granted by Edward I in 1295 allowed traders to sell their wares farmers to sell cattle and merchants to display handicrafts The most popular item traded was believed to be cloth This was a busy and important part of early Paignton and probably the centre of local life A modern tapestry displayed at Kirkham House is a depiction of the Bishop of Exeter visiting the market in the 13th/14th century Early illustrations of the church show the stocks which originally were just outside the church gate A feature of mediaeval life which has thankfully died out Paignton Heritage Society has written two books in the last year in collaboration with Oldway School is a history of Paignton written with the help of children from Oldway designed for children eight to 11 years old It has proved extremely popular with both adults and children The second book due to be launched at the library on 10th May is entitled ‘Wartime Paignton’ Also written with the help of the children of Oldway School it is hoped that this book will be equally popular The launch event runs from 10:30am to 12pm The author Jo Tucker will be reading extracts from the book at 11.00am and 11:30am This is a drop-in event; everyone is welcome The PHS meeting this month is on 15 May at 7pm at Gerston Chapel and his talk is entitled Bringing History to Life through Film Rescuers battled in vain to save a juvenile dolphin stranded on Paignton beach The Volunteer Marine Mammal Medics for the British Divers Marine Life Rescue responded to a call out after the dolphin was discovered They said: "This was a stressful situation for all involved With amazing support from the Torbay Coastguard team we were able to assess and then move the dolphin to a quieter location They added: "Marine mammals often strand for reasons we cannot see or easily explain everything we did was in the best interests of the dolphin Thank you to everyone for their concerns and comments Please never attempt to put stranded marine wildlife back into the sea Eye-witness Maddie Stainer said she and her partner had been walking along the seafront where coastguards and marine medics were already on site to help the dolphin Above: Dolphin and the battle to save it She said: "They had applied a wet jacket and the coastguard were going back and forth to collect sea water to keep the dolphin wet." Maddie added: "The coastguard’s did a great job the marine medics on site advised the dolphin looked to have injuries to his fin Everyone did such a great job in looking after the dolphin." A long-planned new development of around 240 homes on farmland on the outskirts of Paignton will be considered by Torbay Council this summer The council owns the land at Little Blagdon Farm at Collaton St Mary and hosted a public exhibition of its latest proposals at the Parkers Arms pub The land has been earmarked for housing for more than a decade Visitors to the exhibition saw details of how the development would deal with ecological issues including bat corridors and roosts The visual impact of the site will be minimised and the site will feature public open spaces Around 80 of the homes will be ‘affordable’ and the council says the site will contribute much-needed housing for the bay Above: Development plans for the Collaton St Mary area and the latest version of the proposals differs from a ‘masterplan’ drawn up in 2016 by having a loop road around the houses instead of a spine road with several culs-de-sac The council says it will review all the feedback from the exhibition at the Parkers Arms before starting the planning applications process this summer Torbay Council bought the land from the Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust in 2019 after securing funding from the government but the project was delayed by the nationwide slowdown in the property and building markets In 2023 councillors voted to hand the land to their wholly-owned building company TorVista Homes in order to keep the government funding alive but the company was dissolved later the same year A local man in his 70s has suffered serious injuries in a road accident in Paignton Police are investigating the incident on Monday and are appealing for any witnesses to come forward Officers were notified of the accident which involved a green Citroen C1 VTR saloon and a pedestrian on Great Western Road As a result of the collision the man suffered serious injuries and was taken to Torbay Hospital for treatment A 23-year-old woman from Paignton has been arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by careless driving and driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit Officers from the Roads Policing Team would like to thank the public for their patience whilst an investigation took place at the scene If you witnessed the incident or have any information or dashcam footage that could help with enquiries, please contact police via their website or by calling 101 quoting log number 537 of 7/4/25 The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response Two Paignton schools have marked the retirement of their headteacher with a farewell that was more lesson in love than assembly line goodbye Jess Humphrey, who has led both Curledge Street Academy and Kings Ash Academy, has stepped down after more than 15 years of shaping young minds and leading with passion under the Thinking Schools Academy Trust Described as a guiding force and more than just a leader Jess was celebrated in heartfelt gatherings held by both schools The events brought together past and present colleagues as staff and pupils came together to reflect on a career that has left a lasting legacy Jess joined the schools in 2010 and quickly became a key figure within the community Her tenure has been defined by her ability to nurture both pupils and staff A standout achievement was her leadership in launching the Little Thinkers nurseries in October 2024 – an initiative that introduced children as young as nine months to a nurturing and stimulating learning environment Jess said: “It has been an absolute privilege to be part of these schools and families have made every moment so rewarding and I will always look back on my time here with the fondest memories.” She continued: “Thank you to every parent and carer for your unwavering support and trust over the years Working with our community has been a true privilege helping make our school a place where every child feels valued and inspired to reach their full potential Working together has been key in achieving our mission of transforming life chances.” and belief in every child have shaped this school in ways words cannot really capture creating a school community where people feel valued and supported we’re all so grateful for the huge difference you’ve made It is difficult to imagine the school without you but if anyone has earned the time to relax Your legacy will continue to inspire us all.” added: “Working with Jess has been an absolute privilege She has been more than just a leader; she has been a mentor and belief in her team have created a truly special atmosphere in our schools and always finds a way to bring out the best in everyone we know her impact will stay with us for years to come” Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right Subscribe to Key Modern Railways now to access the wealth of information on offer completely ad free Subscribe now Key Publishing Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales with Company Number 2713662 An ideally-placed restaurant in Paignton is up for grabs The Crab and Hammer sitting alongside picturesque Paignton harbour is being offered on a lease The property was completely refurbished in 2021 and had several successful seasons following the Covid lockdown.  The business closed at the end of the 2024 summer season.  The property is now available fully equipped and on a new lease.  Selling agents Bettesworths say: “This creates a fantastic opportunity for an experienced operator to take the helm of this previously well-established business benefitting from its idyllic position on Paignton harbourside and the huge catchment area of Torbay and South Devon.  “An early viewing is recommended of this turn-key business.” The harbourside restaurant/bar is ready for the 2025 season It has 48 Covers situated over two trading levels with outside seating overlooking the harbour Bettesworths say: “It is a rare opportunity to secure a fully equipped The harbour has an authentic 'fishing haven' feel and has recently been significantly improved with various commercial businesses becoming established or having been refurbished.  The premises is available on a new 10 or 15-year fully repairing and insuring lease at a guide rent of £25,000 per annum Peter Middleton and Kevin Foster launching the petition campaign outside Paignton Post Office A campaign has been launched to save Paignton's Crown and main Post Office from the chop with a local councillor describing the potential loss as a 'tragedy' The Paignton town centre site is among four Devon offices named on a list of 115 around the country under threat of closure The Post Office says the branches make significant losses Crown Post Offices are owned and run directly by the Post Office with Paignton’s conveniently located next to a Royal Mail Delivery Office (Which is not affected by this announcement) The full range of Post Office services are available Nearly 1,000 Post Office staff work at the affected branches The Post Office is owned by the Government Whilst the announcement indicates other franchising options may be looked at local campaigners are concerned at the potential loss of a facility valued by many due to the helpful team of staff who work there The news comes despite the Post Office expanding its work into areas like banking hubs and the growing demand for online retail and supported access to services Paignton resident and local campaigner Peter Middleton said: “This news is a blow not only for the Town Centre It is also sad to hear the team there may now face losing their roles Instead of just axing this part of the network I want the Post Office to better consider how they could be used to support many people who struggle with using online websites and services Former Bay MP Kevin Foster added: "A real transformation plan would see the Post Office look more carefully at how in a time when online shopping services and the need for assisted digital access to services is growing their network could be at the forefront of delivering them and assisting the more vulnerable in society “A strong campaign saved Torre Post Office in Torquay so I am pleased to be working with Peter to ensure the voice of Paignton people is heard on this plan as well.” Roundham with Hyde) represents the ward in which the Paignton PO sits She said: “It would be inconvenient and tragic to lose this mainline Post Office It is crucial to the local businesses and residents which is increasingly important as the banks that are still in Paignton are not open very long in the week and hardly any on Saturdays “This Post Office is also useful for so many other things such as road tax to name just a few. It is a vital asset Cllr Carter said she wanted to know what engagement Torbay Council had had with the Post Office to try to stop the closure Torbay’s Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling has called for a meeting with Post Office managers This Post Office is part of the beating heart of Paignton town centre “I have written to the authorities at the Post Office and I have also written to the appropriate minister seeking some assurances around this as well.” The 115 branches are those wholly-owned by the Post Offices rather than the smaller franchises Options could include operators such as WHSmith taking on the branches The business has faced challenges in recent years including competition from rival parcel operators like Evri and fewer people sending letters or undertaking transactions such as renewing vehicle tax Torquay and Brixham are not affected by this announcement They are mostly small businesses owned by a sub-postmaster who provides Post Office services Campaigners are urging residents to continue supporting and using them Other Devon Post Offices on the list are at Bideford The petition opposing the plan and demanding other options are considered to avoid closing this service can be found at:  www.kevinjfoster.com/campaigns/save-paignton-post-office Planned new look Station Square in Paignton town centre This is how a new-look Station Square in Paignton town centre could look after a multi-million-pound regeneration facelift Torbay Council has unveiled the new images and has announced that work will start on two of Paignton’s community-led transformational projects from early next year The two 'significant projects' are aimed at transforming Paignton town centre—bringing the total number of UK government-funded improvement projects underway in the town centre to four With weeks to go until construction teams move in the council has emphasised: "Paignton will remain open and accessible for shoppers Each project coming forward has been developed in line with the Local Plan The two newly released images show how the design focuses on modernising the heart of the town centre by improving public spaces and introducing new landscaping to create a vibrant and welcoming environment To ensure the final scheme meets the needs of businesses different layouts have been trialled and feedback captured With the scheme design finalised and agreed upon with key stakeholders and work is anticipated to start in the early months of the new year The council says that details on the programme and phasing of works are in the process of being developed with the contractor (also in liaison with Network Rail and Great Western Railway) and will be shared with businesses and the community in due course Torbay Road Improvements will be made in phases beginning with the creation of new spaces for blue badge holders and Hackney taxi ranks New proposed taxi car ranks will be introduced at the eastern and western ends of Torbay Road By introducing the taxi ranks ahead of the Station Square works starting the council can ensure a smooth transition to the new arrangements for drivers and passengers Above: Aerial view of how Station Square in Paignton town centre could look To further support the Hackney trade during the Station Square improvement works a temporary rank will be introduced on Hyde Road This rank will not be put in place or operational until work on Station Square starts (date to be confirmed in the new year) The Torbay Road works programme is in the process of being finalised It is proposed that works on Torbay Road will commence early in the new year and prior to the main works starting on Station Square a phased programme of demolition work at the Victoria Centre starts with the bringing down of the multi-storey car park Victoria multi-storey car park will be closing permanently will start enabling and demolition works from Monday Businesses operating within the Victoria Centre and surrounding areas will remain open and accessible In preparation for the closure of the multi-storey car park a new temporary surface-level car park has been created on Hyde Road Demolition work will be carried out in three phases At the end of the first phase of the demolition programme work will start to construct a temporary surface-level car park with the aim to have hundreds of these spaces available for next summer Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Place Development and Economic Growth at Torbay Council said: “These projects are exciting for Paignton as we start a new chapter for the town.  "The community-led plans want to see the area rejuvenated businesses being attracted back into the town and the creation of new homes for local people By improving the look and feel of Station Square we’re providing a pleasant and welcoming space for everyone that visits Paignton and space for pop-up concession stands will give the heart of the town a new lease of life “The demolition of the Victoria Centre is an important step towards releasing the land for redevelopment and supports the council in bringing forward the site for development with its regeneration partners—Willmott Dixon and Milligan “Throughout all works happening in 2025 and beyond it is important to remember that Paignton will remain open; please keep visiting and supporting the town centre.” In preparation for Victoria multi-storey car parking closing a temporary surface-level car opened at the end of November on Hyde Road.  pay-and-display parking spaces are available 24 hours a day with provision for blue badge holders and motorcycles Off-street and on-street parking can also be found in and around the town centre.  stay for the day’ parking promotion is running in Victoria multi-storey car park and Hyde Road car park Work is underway by the Council and its regeneration partners to bring forward a revised option for the former Crossways shopping arcade site that will deliver around 90 extra care homes.  It is proposed to bring forward a new planning application for this site in the middle of 2025 the site will be used as a temporary surface-level car park (Hyde Road car park) to help maintain town centre parking provision during the demolition of Victoria multi-storey car park and Paignton Picture House Trust are working together to deliver the full restoration of Paignton Picture House in line with the Paignton Town Centre Masterplan (2015) The project will see one of Europe’s earliest purpose-built cinemas restored into a vibrant Paignton and Preston Promenade Scheme The Paignton and Preston Promenade scheme will provide high-quality coastal defences and public realm The defences are essential to protect the future of the seafronts The scheme includes enhanced public spaces with space for locals and visitors to make the most of this stunning area of Torbay Torbay Council is now in the final stages of the tender process to appoint a developer for the scheme including construction timelines and detail on phasing of the works Torbay Council was successful in securing £13.36million of Future High Street Funding for Paignton to deliver infrastructure improvements Since Future High Street Funding was secured there have been considerable inflationary pressures Torbay Council sought a regeneration partner the council has been working with Willmott Dixon and Milligan to bring forward revised options for key sites and areas for redevelopment and improvement across Torbay Paignton’s regeneration programme is complemented by private sector investment with the delivery of two new hotels on the seafront and new hospitality venues at Paignton Harbour A resident engagement event focusing on regeneration in Paignton is being planned for late January in the town centre