You said, we did
Listening to the community is vital in shaping the work of the Street Focus: Torquay project. We have analysed the key themes from your feedback which has resulted in us working with our partners to act and deliver the following:
Last updated: February 2025
“There are too many vacant shops in the town centre.”
Led by Torbay Council, we are exploring street and community art projects with partners. This will provide an opportunity for local artists to take over vacant shops and run local creative art programmes for residents.
One shop front is also being used to provide updates on the Street Focus project and provide information on how to report crime.
“There needs to be a tougher stance on drink and drug use, as well as antisocial behaviour (ASB).”
We are working in partnership with multiple agencies to tackle alcohol, drugs and ASB. In June 2024, Torbay Council introduced Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs). The alcohol PSPO prohibits the drinking of alcohol in defined zones within Torquay, Paignton and Brixham.
The dispersal order PSPO for Torquay town centre includes powers for the police and authorised officers to direct any individuals causing nuisance or disorder out from the dispersal zone and not to return for up to 24 hours or face enforcement.
To date, there have been more than 500 PSPOs issued for alcohol in Torquay and 60 given for dispersal across both Torquay and Paignton.
Torbay Council’s CCTV team have had some good results recently including spotting a man dealing drugs in Torquay – police were alerted and attended. The man was arrested and charged with supply offences and is now in prison. The team also continues to work with police to identify individuals riding dangerously through Torquay on bikes.
Officers on hotspot patrols have attended 92 ASB incidents, resulting in 21 arrests, 29 stop and searches, one offensive weapon seized, 19 pieces of property seized, 17 enforcements of the PSPO and five instances of other ASB Crime & Policing Act 2014 powers being used.
“There needs to be more visible policing on our streets.”
We implemented hotspot policing in Torquay town centre to deter and disrupt crime. Police officers, town centre officers and street marshals are all working together to provide a uniformed presence and offer reassurance to the community.
To date, there have been 1,727 hotspot patrol hours and more than 6,000 members of the public have been engaged with.
In addition, police from Torquay will be carrying out high-vis patrols across a four-week intensified period. These extra officers will help us to be more visible in crime hotspot areas, target more offenders and enable positive outcomes for you, our community.
“I don’t feel safe in Castle Circus.”
There are around 300 cameras across Torbay to help keep people safe on our streets. Recent successes include:
· 2 men wanted on warrant located by CCTV operator and arrested by police.
· Offender of racial abuse located by CCTV operator in Torquay.
· Robbery of a mobile phone in Castle Circus which was witnessed by a CCTV operator and led police to the location of the offender for subsequent arrest.
Police, town centre officers and street marshals are delivering high visibility hotspot patrols. Feedback has been very positive with residents and businesses feeling safer and reassured by the additional uniformed patrols.
“Street and local park cleanliness issues need to be tackled.”
The SWISCo neighbourhood enforcement team work on behalf of Torbay Council seven days a week covering all areas of Torbay.
Their focus is tackling environmental crimes like littering, fly tipping, fly posting, graffiti and dog fouling. The team issued 75 fixed penalty notices between November last year and January of this year but their approach is to engage and educate before carrying out enforcement.
They patrol largely on foot and currently walk an average of 150km a week between them!
The team are working on actions highlighted in an Environmental Visual Audit to make the streets and community spaces safer and cleaner.
Graffiti in Union Street and Lower Union Lane Car Park was witnessed by a CCTV operator who directed police to the offender.
“Locate the police station visibly within the town centre.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez gifted a van to the force to use as a mobile police station on the streets of Torquay. This gives local people the opportunity to engage with officers while in the town centre.
The mobile police station is based in different locations to reach a variety of communities. People who visit the mobile police station can receive crime prevention advice, report crime, share intelligence about a crime and be signposted to useful support services without the need to pick up the phone or visit the police enquiry office.
“Shoplifting issues need to be addressed.”
Our town centre officers have been promoting StoreNet, a radio system for traders. It’s linked to our CCTV control room which is in turn linked to the police. There are currently 69 premises which have radios.
NiteNet is a similar radio system operating in the night-time economy. 63 premises hold these radios, as well as street marshals and street pastors.
A council CCTV operator spotted two men who are believed to be involved with high-value thefts in Torbay. He alerted the local policing team, who stopped them and seized more than £1100 worth of stolen razors. They will appear in court in March.
A pilot will commence this year in Torbay for the UKPAC Business Crime Reduction Solution. This is funded by the OPCC and will support local businesses to report retail crime and the police to collate evidence to prosecute offenders.
“Remove the benches outside Castle Circus House.”
Benches situated outside the Castle Pub were a focal point for ASB with groups loitering around them to consume alcohol and drugs.
Local businesses and residents raised their issues with the benches when the OPCC conducted engagement walkaround sessions to launch the new Crimestoppers Zone in Torquay town centre. 66 businesses were visited and the majority raised concerns about the benches being used for ASB and the impact this had on their trade and safety of their staff and customers.
Local residents have repeatedly told us that they feel unsafe and often intimidated walking through Castle Circus and Union Street due to the groups of street attached who congregate on these benches.
As a result, the benches were removed. The impact of this will be assessed with a view to removing further benches in Union Street if ASB activity continues.
“Youth club provision needed to address young person’s ASB and youth gangs in the town centre.”
We have engaged with South Devon College to hear from young people how they would address the issues in Torquay’s town centre. The students were set a problem solving challenge and presented their ideas to a panel with representatives from Devon & Cornwall Police, Torbay Council and the OPCC.
The students focused on fixing the root cause of some of the issues by providing accommodation, addressing alcohol and drug addiction through support services, revitalising disused shopfronts, and setting up youth clubs.
The OPCC will be funding Plymouth Argyle Community Trust to run local youth community programmes in both Plymouth and Torbay.
If you want to help shape the future of Torquay town centre, complete our survey.