Wellswood or Brixham Torquay?

[Milliemoo1991]

Hello!
we’re hoping to move from Brighton, hove actually lol! As it’s just too busy here now and we don’t use any of the facilities so not worth staying anymore.

we are considering Torbay as we love the beach and want a bit of a slower pace of life now!

we both work remotely my dh offshore hove every 6 weeks and myself as a building surveyor for the air force so travel at times when required.

we are wanting proximity to the beach and a nice quiet area, no drama and lots of outside space, schools are also important as we have a y5 boy. Who’s outdoorsy, loves go karting so any recommendations on if there is anywhere to do that as a club!? And he’s also a beach bum.

We are looking at clearing our mortgage and love brixham and Wellswood, specifically ilsham road. It looks so idyllic and peaceful.

any roads to consider? Avoid? Is either area better than the other?
we drive, are outdoorsy but also like to be able to nip to the local shop with ease for essentials by foot of an evening! For Chocolate and wine 😂

thank you!!

😁😁😁😁

I forgot to say Broadsands is a lovely area too the beach is lovely. Like all places there are rough areas so best to go and have a holiday there and u will get a feel for the area.

Amazing thank you ☺️ we are headed back in July again to look at areas. I think I’m sold on Wellswood.
everywhere else along the coast seems as busy as Brighton and that’s what I want to get away from.

we both drive so for karting clubs etc at the weekend we’re happy to travel. I see there is a remote control car club, my son would love that!!

beach in the evening sounds amazing 🤩 just so busy on our beaches here you’d never get a spot to sit!! Xx

Brixham is not in Torquay and quite different. I wouldn't entertain Torquay or Paignton but Brixham is lovely. It can be quite isolated though for a teenager and not much to do for that age group. When out of the tourist season it has more of an older people vibe. My parents live there and are surrounded by people of a similar age who have all retired down to there.

I'd love to live in brixham we holiday there whenever we can.

we both wfh but We wont move anytime soon and definitely not whilst kids at home.

We've definitely seen a downturn in the rest of Torbay over the last 10 years unfortunately but where hasn't tbh

The single road in and out of brixham would be a significant concern for me tbh if lived there everyday. Churston grammar seems OK, brixham academy less so.

coming from Brighton everything is very inclusive and bit too much so for me. Noons is allowed an opinion

Definitely ignore Totnes then.

I loved Totnes, did all my socialising there but learned very quickly never ever to mention I was a doctor or that I thought vaccines were great. That was immediate social death.

It's the kind of place where all the teens wandered about in tie dye T-shirts while harping on about how individual they are 🙄

I used to live in Totnes when I was a student (i was also a barmaid at one of the local pubs). It definitely is a very interesting place. Will always have a special place in my heart!

I think Torquay is due a revival as people in their 60s who have energy and a bit of cash retire down there.

That's my theory!

The marinas are chock full of gorgeous boats. I'm heading down to my little boat for the weekend in the sun tomorrow, breakfast on the harbour, swim off the beach, take the boat out to the bay and relax. Drinks back at the harbour. Sleep onboard on the gently rocking lovely blue sea.

Anna sounds like you are talking about hove 😂😂 the I’m an individual vibe here is a bit much for me, that and letting children do whatever they want as they are just expressing themselves 😂😂 no, your child is just ill behaved!!

cornish potato sounds like you are living the dream!!
my dh works at sea on a boat and has now started discussions about getting a little boat if we move to Torquay!!

Agree with this but to stand up for the school, although it is huge, I know quite a few (naice) people whose DC have just finished GCSEs there this week and expect to do well, have great friends, enjoyed school, had lots of options due to the size, and their celebrations took place on the beach!

I think Exmouth is SO much better connected than South Hams or further East in Devon. The trains run really regularly into Exeter, and then you can be in London within a couple of hours from St Davids station. You're only just off the end of the M5 too

Torquay is always that bit further on smaller roads with lots of tourist traffic, makes every journey take that bit longer.

In all fairness op, no where in Devon feels as busy as somewhere like Brighton.

The population pressures and connectedness to London are so very different that you never ever really feel the same level of crammed in ness (or anonymity) in the SW as you do in the SE. Stuff closes overnight and all winter for a start.

Thank you ☺️ I don’t need to travel to London in fact I travel to anywhere but London for work, access to the m5 is very handy. Getting out of Brighton can take me 45 mins sometimes it’s an absolute nightmare.

that’s why I thought Wellswood as is the closer side and less touristy?? Or I might be wrong certainly felt that way when we visited last. More locals and chilled vibe.

im happy with a shut off time and month coming from the chaos that is Brighton. That’s why we’re moving.
as long as I can have a takeaway or two still 😂😂😂

Just to come back to the nothing to do as a teen there, I did Ten Tors/Duke of Edinburgh, went fishing or camping almost every weekend and spent a delightful amount of time exploring caves and beaches. I really think it depends on the child and what they are into. I did also spend a fair amount of time drinking cider on street corners and smoking but it was the 90s and I balanced it out with the outdoorsy stuff!
I think most places have a bit of the teens on the street thing, and it's more about what else you get them involved in and there's plenty there to do if you have money.

I live in Exmouth very near the beach and love it , I prefer East Devon to Torbay, as with anywhere else property prices are much higher the nearer you get to the seafront. There are lots of restaurants and bars in the town centre and yes too many charity shops but I wouldn’t describe it as rundown. Torquay has definitely got more choices for secondary school.

Our ds is outdoorsy, into mathematics and engineering so a bright little thing. He’s not a hang out on the weekend or do a million clubs kind ok kid. He enjoys the beach, and karting and otherwise likes to be home, for now anyway! Not sure what the teenage years will bring us!!

budget wise selling in Brighton means we have a healthy budget as we do want to be right on the beach with sea views. I have looked at exmouth. Have you lived there long? Do the beaches get busy? It it very touristy? X

Babbacombe is lovely, Teignmouth also a nice town, as is Dawlish. Torquay itself is not the nicest. Brixham is ok but there’s one road in and out so can be a nightmare in the summer. Devon is heaven though! (Except Paignton which is a dump)

@Milliemoo1991 I’ve lived in Exmouth for 24 years both of my children grew up here , the beach can get busy in peak season but never packed. I have a sea view from my bedroom. We do get a fair few exchange students and there is a big holiday site at Sandy bay nearby. There has been a lot of regeneration along the seafront with the Sideshore development and there are some bars and cafes , water sports but very little in the way of touristy shops .

Have you looked at the schools? The grammar schools are excellent if your DS is academic but it can be tough being the bottom of a high achieving group. Also, they are single sex unless he travels to Brixham to Churston Ferrers.

The other choices are the oversubscribed Torquay Academy (good but very strict Michaela school type rules), the Catholic/CofE school St Cuthbert Mayne (behavioural issues, requires improvement) and The Spires, which is the designated school for Wellswood. It has a grammar stream, which has pros and cons. I don’t know so much about it but it has had behaviour/attendance issues in the past but I believe it has become quite strict like Torquay Academy. Maybe someone with DC there now could give more up to date info.

Exmouth is busy but never silly busy. You can always get parked in the pay and displays for example.

Another vote for Shaldon, beautiful place, a few good pubs, quiet, just make sure you have off street parking.

Dear @Hannahthepink
I have followed your thread comments pre and post moving to Torquay. I love your positivity & wondered if I could ask you some qs, please? I aim to move down 2026/7 on my own (aged 55/56!!) with a dog and my 2 kids when back from Uni. What are your thoughts on Torquay as a place for a sea-swimming and SUP loving single mum who hopes to start her life's second chapter? Would you say people are friendly enough to make friends (yoga/pilates/hiking groups?). I am a careers coach. confidence coach and complementary therapist wondering if locals would have the money and appetite for such services (having read about the deprivation in some areas of T)? I grew up on the beach in Jersey but need to stay in England for the kids. Brixham is my other target move. I love cinema, theatre & the arts but am wondering if this would be difficult to find in either? Love eating out too and great coffee shops. Many thanks for any thoughts...😍

@SamusanI would say absolutely perfect! There is a fab community of (especially ladies) of this sort of age, I see them all summer at Park Yoga and beach yoga (Nurture by Nina), and the Oddicombe Rubber Duckers are very active if you like an organised swim, although there are always little groups out there. I saw some today having a chilly looking dip in Brixham too, there are no shortage of gangs to join!
There are plenty of people with cash down here. I get to peek into people's houses for work, and I can verify that there is a quiet but large proportion of the population that are doing very nicely. I would hope that you wouldn't have a problem with finding work.

We have 10 beaches in Torquay
Watcombe
Oddicimbe
Babbacombe
Ansteys cuve
Redgate beach
Beacon cove
Torquay sands
Livermead
Institute beach
Corbyn head

All are fab for swimming! And it's so nice having the variety to choose from, to keep it interesting

There are also some beautiful spots for swimming in Paignton.... Elberry cove is heaven.

Torquay has loads going on,
3 theatres
Museum
Harbour
Great coastal walks
Open theatre at torre Abby in summer
Festivals
2026 world championship of paddle boarders
Bowling green and 10 pin
All the tourist events
don't listen to the nay sayers, it's a fantastic place to live.

Torquay academy is an excellent school too. And if your kids v bright, the grammar is a solid bet x