Our popular seaside town was once loved by tourists – but now it’s a hellhole full of drug users & rubbish
A ONCE thriving seaside town that was loved by tourists is now plagued by drugs and rubbish.
Locals living in Torquay, Devon, are furious as they watch their beautiful home turn into a living nightmare.
Fuming homeowners, dog walkers and families are scared to walk down some streets, meanwhile visitors are leaving the once bustling hotspot disappointed.
One scathing local said the situation was “very bad” and claimed the council aren’t stepping up to resolve it, as reported by DevonLive.
“We have contacted the council, the police and Swisco (street cleaning and maintenance company), but haven’t heard back from any of them,” they said.
“It annoys me when you read all these pieces about Torquay being such a lovely place, yet, just two minutes from where the tourists walk up and down, you have this horrendous thing.”
The fuming resident also said they have seen the area increasingly plagued by drug use – exacerbated by a lack of police presence.
“Especially around that area where we walk our dog,” the local added.
“I don’t know if anyone was in the tent, or whether they just use it for whatever they use it for. I don’t know.”
They claimed their beautiful landscape is blighted by burnt tents and daily life hindered by fear.
“We don’t walk past there on our own anymore because you don’t know who is going to be there, that is the worrying thing,” they said.
“It used to be a lovely walk down there, the wildlife is lovely. You have the buzzards, and every now and again you see the sparrow hawk. There’s also all the wildflowers, but you can’t enjoy it anymore.”
Drug use has become a major worry for locals who found “hypodermic” needles on the street.
They said: “I think it’s such a shame. If tourists leave their hotels in Cross Road and walk the back way into Torquay, they have to walk past this site.
“I don’t want people to leave Torquay and go back to wherever they’ve come from and think there is drugs going on here. I don’t want them going back with that impression of Torquay.
“You have to avoid the place, and of course when people start avoiding the place, that’s when these people start to move in because no one is going down there. It’s a vicious circle.”
‘TAKE IT SERIOUSLY’
The resident called for the council to start taking the problem seriously and help the community restore their idyllic seaside town.
“They need to take it seriously. Dog walkers walk around here and so do children. It’s dangerous. It’s sad to see what Torquay has become,” they concluded.
A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: “Matters relating to paraphernalia and fly-tipping are very much for each local authority to address and not the police to lead on.
“Whilst it is impossible for us to be everywhere at once, patrols are conducted across Torquay, including in the town centre paid for under Safer Streets, and these will continue for the foreseeable future.
“We will also continue to use local intelligence and reports to our control room to help us plan our patrols locally, so please continue to report ASB matters to the police.”
A spokesperson for Torbay Council added: “Although this is not council land, we aim to clear away the drug paraphernalia as soon as possible as we felt this was important from an environmental health perspective, however ultimately this is the responsibility of the landowners.
“We were aware there were some rough sleepers on the land but these have now moved on.”