Mega cruise ship vision to transform Devon resort, offering solutions for moaners

A local businessman wants to help Torquay. He has ideas for improving tourism in the town. Scott Evans wants people to share their ideas. He believes they can solve local issues. Online negativity does not help, he stated.

Evans thinks Torquay has talented people, and they should create plans for the town. He suggests an online platform for ideas. This site could help improve Torquay, and everyone would benefit from that improvement.

Evans pictures a cruise ship hub at Beacon Quay. This would use the old Living Coasts site. It would not need a large deepwater port. Smaller boats could move passengers to shore. This could attract cruise ships to Torquay.

A third party could run the boat service. Investors might fund this cruise hub idea. More large hotels have appeared recently, so this hub could bring more business to them. Tourism needs a boost in town.

Cruise ships might come if it was easier. This could create local jobs on the ships. Increased tourism could open new businesses, and these businesses would create even more jobs in Torquay, revitalizing the town.

Evans shared his ideas on Facebook, and they received almost one hundred responses. He wants the town centre to be an education hub. Students, shoppers, and businesses would add energy. This could improve the high street.

Cruise ships mooring at sea saves money. It would also provide a scenic start. Torbay is more picturesque than other ports. The UK’s history and culture are admired, and Torquay embodies the British seaside.

Living Coasts closed back in 2020. The Wild Planet Trust owns the site. The council and trust want to secure its future. It costs about £50,000 each year to maintain, and they talk with potential buyers now.

Evans knows there are challenges ahead. Better transport links are a must, though cruise tourism alone will not fix everything. He says they must stop focusing on decline. Creative thinking is important, he believes.

This idea may be very challenging to enact, though he does think that it is possible. The focus should be on community effort, and people must generate interest in the bay.

Too many think Torquay is hopeless, but Evans doesn’t believe this claim. Times changed, and they must change too. People should identify solutions, instead of blaming the council.