Two landmark buildings in Paignton, both steeped in history, have been dominating the headlines. But what of their future?
One has at last taken a huge step in what will be a long journey in the massive bid to restore it to its former glory; the other may end up consigned to the history books!
Oldway Mansion, once the palatial home of the world-famous Singer sewing machine family, has been mothballed ever since a development deal with a private sector developer collapsed many moons ago. Now action is at last being taken to awaken it from its damp and rust-ridden slumber.
More than £9 million is being spent on making the mansion watertight and windproof, with repair and restoration work about to start on its 13-section roof. The total cost of bringing the mansion back into full use is being put at a staggering £54 million, but there is already some interest from the private sector, and the future of the historic gem looks brighter than it has ever done. Don’t expect an overnight transformation, though.
Just a short distance around on Paignton seafront is the now forlorn-looking Inn on the Green, whose future is not as rosy. It has been bought by the Fragrance Group, builders and owners of the two new next-door Ibis and Mercure hotels. Fragrance has submitted plans to demolish the Inn and replace it with a car park.
It has been revealed, however, that saving the Inn hasn’t been for the want of trying by the Fragrance owners…
Objectors to the car park plans say the Inn on The Green is a ‘historic’ seafront feature, and even Torbay MP Steve Darling says it would be a shame to see it flattened.
Above: Inn on the Green. Image: Guy Henderson
“There have been some exciting and ambitious developments at neighbouring properties in recent years,” he said. “Is another car park really the best we can do for Paignton?”
The application to knock down the pub, which closed in October and is already cordoned off with metal fences, has been lodged with the council.
The move comes as demolition begins on the remaining section of the nearby Garfield Road multi-storey car park to make way for a town centre regeneration scheme for new homes and businesses. The multi-storey car park at Crossways also came down last year, and there is now a temporary ground-level car park in its place.
Opponents say the Inn on the Green is ‘steeped in local history,’ and an article on the ‘Undiscovered Torbay’ social media site explains that it was built in the 18th century as two separate seafront villas and was then transformed in the late nineteenth century by Paignton businessman Arthur Hyde Dendy, who has another nearby seafront pub named after him.”
The article reveals opinion is split somewhat: “The decision to demolish has sparked a mix of nostalgia and pragmatism among locals. While some lament the loss of a structure that connects Paignton to its Victorian heyday, others see the redevelopment as a necessary step to support the town’s renewed efforts to grow the tourism and hospitality sectors.
“Once the new prime seafront location car park is completed, it’s hoped that it will cope with the influx of visitors drawn to the new hotels and nearby Paignton attractions, marking a new chapter for The Esplanade while slamming the book tightly shut on one of its most historic, oldest, and arguably most characterful landmarks.”
Martin Rogers, a former commercial agent in Torbay and South Devon for many years, is the Fragrance’s man in the UK. He revealed for the first time that his original plans were to save the Inn on the Green. He said: “My original plan was to create the car park and then lease out the Inn on the Green. I was absolutely shocked when I went in there. I was shocked by the state of it. It is full of asbestos for a start. It is not viable. There is nothing I can do with it.”
Mr Rogers can also remember the times when the Inn on the Green had seen better days. He can go back to the early 1980s when he was working for agents Waycotts and the then Inn on the Green owners, well-known hotel and hospitality figures Brian Shone and Terry Taylor, were two of his clients.
But he says somewhat sadly: “We are definitely going ahead with the car park plan. We are short of parking spaces in Paignton, and when the car park comes down at the back, we will be even shorter.”
Mr Rogers says even more spaces will be lost when the huge Paignton sea defence and public realm regeneration project takes shape.
He has created more spaces at the back of the Ibis, which was part of the Inn on the Green land. The new car park plans on the site of the actual inn will create spaces for hotel guests and the public.
He says: “There is no alternative for the Inn on the Green. I do not want to build a third hotel there, and the local authority is not going to let it be residential units. It will stay like it is. What else can I do with that?”
Chris Lewis, Torbay and Preston councillor who is in charge of regeneration, was part of an Oldway working party that was given a tour of the mansion last week.
He says: “The Oldway working party comprises councillors, the Oldway Gardeners, and Friends of Oldway. It is about taking the community with us.”
He revealed: “Some areas where the water has seeped through are not too good. Generally speaking, it is not as bad as I thought it may be.” #
He added: “We need to take politics out of this. The mansion has been virtually ignored (since the private sector partnership deal collapsed). We made a commitment in our manifesto that we were going to find a solution for Oldway.
“The first phase is to make the mansion watertight and windproof to stop more damage taking place. At the same time,le have to be patient as it is not going to happen overnight. we are looking at alternative uses for the mansion. Any works will be phased. People have to be patient as it is not going to happen overnight.
“We are trying to find a partner going forward to find a long-term solution. It is still very early days. It is not something we are going to rush on.
“The mansion has been marketed to see if there is any interest from the private sector—but that doesn’t mean it has been put up for sale. We cannot do this by ourselves. We need an end-user. There has been some interest.”
A wedding venue, restaurant, hotel, and residential have just been some of the ideas floated.
“We have had interest, and we are looking at all those interested parties going forward. This is not going to be a quick fix,” said Cllr Lewis.
Just returning to Fragrance, Mr Rogers and his Paignton seafront hotels, the Ibis and Mercure. He says: “The two hotels are doing. They are doing okay. I wouldn’t say it is brilliant at the moment, but nothing is brilliant in the UK at the moment except London, which is really busy.
Fragrance’s third hotel on the site of the former Corbyn Head on Torquay seafront should be ready to open in June.
Meanwhile, the company’s 37-home development is progressing on part of the former Palace Hotel site in Babbacombe and should be ready to launch to market in early May. There is still no movement on the main former Palace land, with original plans for a five-star hotel/spa development put on hold and alternative proposals for more homes not exactly everybody’s cup of tea…..
Fingers crossed there will be compromises to be had on both the Inn on the Green and Palace sites. Derelict and idle land is in nobody’s interest, especially in landmark locations.