Torquay Pub Explorations

I haven't been to Torquay since Forest visited Plainmoor for a pre-season friendly in 2005.
2-2 (Dobie and Commons) - the season that followed wasn't a vintage one.

On the extended Devon pub tickathon, it seemed a good time to finally revisit the English Riviera.

First impressions weren't great, probably on account of us approaching on foot down Union Street - not the most appealing walking route to the seaside.

Three closed and derelict pubs in a short space, including this great bit of now defunct signage...

Reaching the bottom of the hill and navigating the rather raucous shopping streets (mid-afternoon bouncers on MacDonalds, cripes!), it was a delight to make it to Torquay's pleasant harbour. Looking good in the sunshine...

As was the first pub of the afternoon, tucked a short way up a narrow lane to the side of the clock tower.

Hole in the Wall (6 Park Lane, Torquay, TQ1 2AU - web)
There's an A-board outside luring people in with tales that "smugglers, pirates, seafarers, highwaymen, locals and mere mortals" have been drinking here since 1540.
On our visit it seemed to be locals and tourists making up the clientele.  Not a smuggler in sight, although I guess you shouldn't judge by appearance.

It's a charming pub, full of character with it's low wooden beams.  Dining room to one end, a couple of indoor seating areas either side of the bar, and appealing outdoor tables in the flower basket laden alleyway.

There was a sizeable range of hand pumps on the bar offering six real ales plus a couple of Lilley's ciders.  Beers from Exeter, Dartmoor, Buttcombe and Timothy Taylor's.
A 'Dartmoor IPA' for me - a beer I've become quite familiar with, so at least I can be moderately confident when I say it was on good form.

We picked the appealing benches of the snug section at the back of the pub.
Right next to where the pub locals were sat, where we learnt all sorts of things we didn't need to know about knee replacements and various ailments afflicting the folk of Torquay.

Time for the obligatory bite-to-eat in Spoons.
I always grumble, then I always return for another burger and beer deal because it's such an easy option.

Spoons have moved in the many years since I was last here and now occupy an interesting building with dominant Sports Direct signage.

The Green Ginger (Lower Ground Floor, Winter Garden, Torquay, TQ2 5DZ - web)
Similar to the Teignmouth branch, the real ale choice holds few surprises and nothing to keep the ticker or rare-beer-finder happy.
But it's ideal for people watching as all walks of Torquay life passed through the pub in the short space of time that we were there.

Not my best Wetherspoon pub pic

Time to leave Torquay centre and head up the hill to Babbacombe.
Where I'd promised Mrs PropUptheBar fine views from the cliff tops.
Bugger...

Seriously?  Look at the blue skies in the earlier pictures.
The mist rolled in from the sea like something in a Stephen King story, except it wasn't deterring the teatime picnic brigade set up along the cliff top promenade.

The Buccaneer Inn (41 Babbacombe Downs Road, Torquay, TQ1 3LN - web)
Lots of choice of pubs and hotel bar terraces in the vicinity, but we picked the past Good Beer Guide entry the Buccaneer for a swift half.
With a very lively carpet, and nautical theme to the decor: pictures of sailing vessels, ship's anchors, helm and lifebuoy hanging from various bits of wall.

A St Austell house, with 'Proper Job' and 'Tribute' available.
The seating out front was proving the most popular with holiday-making folk tucking into pub grub.  I enjoyed a decent Proper Job whilst pretending the sea mist wasn't actually quite chilly and that I wasn't cold in my t-shirt.

A fifteen minute walk took us from Babbacombe to nearby St Mary's, where the second current Torquay GBG pub lies.
Another Molloy's...

Molloy's (20 Fore Street, St Mary's, Torquay, TQ1 4LY)
A pub blogging fail as I sat in the seat in Molloy's where it was impossible to photograph the pub or soak up the atmosphere.  Something that wasn't helped by a band taking up half the place as they set up their equipment to entertain the masses later.

Oh well, here's what it looks like outside...

Molloy's served me a decent pint of Bay's 'Devon Dumpling', a strong golden ale on good form, which made a nice change from the more regularly seen 'Topsail'.

And with that, we were done and homeward bound.
Without doing the cliffside railway or the model village.  Half-a-job - sorry!