Torquay was my first parent-free outing as a teenager, now it has been named as one of the UK's worst towns . Growing up in Devon I never realised how lucky I was to have both the countryside and the coast so close. In addition to this, Torquay was a seasonal hotspot offering both the benefits of the beach and the hustle and bustle of a vibrant town.
The highstreet would buzz in the summer with tourists perusing European food stalls and locals onlooking with a smile that summer had finally come around. For my teenage self, Torquay was the location of my first outing without the beady eyes of adults. It offered all that a teenage girl could dream of.
.. A H&M, Primark and multiple arcades.
Torquay Harbour is currently undergoing a £21 million regeneration ( Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto) Fast forward nearly 10 years and results from a Which? survey have revealed Torquay as some Brits' least favourite town. Scored across categories including value for money, food and drink, accommodation, cultural sights, ease of getting around and lack of crowds, Torquay only managed to achieve an overall score of 58%. Parking scored the worst achieving only one star, whilst food and drink, cultural sights, shopping, ease of getting around and value for money all scored two stars.
Despite gaining four stars for accommodation, Torquay still came out at the bottom overall. But is one of the key resorts along the English Riviera really as bad as it has been made out? Located 18 miles from Exete.
