A ROOM WITH A VIEW

My column in today's print edition of the Herald Express - All I want is a room with a view, a sight worth seeing, a vision of you! That line from Blondie’s Picture This song has always thrilled me. Partly, I guess, because of Debbie Harry’s voice and energy, but also for the imagery of a captivating view.

That wonderful song came to mind the other day, as I wandered down Torquay’s Manscombe Road. At the bottom, the view toward the sea is now dominated by the huge structure of a new hotel, being built by the Fragrance Group.

It really does dominate and I can only imagine the pain and anguish being felt by the occupants of apartments that once had a stunning view over the sparkling waters of Tor Bay.

Apparently, we do not have a right to a view; only to light. The light has not been obstructed, but the view certainly has. There is a way to go before this latest hotel offering is open to the public, but the wide-eyed residents overlooking this growing monolith must be devastated.

Well, it is not actually a monolith, but the size does dominate. I do have empathy with the people, soon to be looking at the back of this hotel. Some years ago, my glimpse of the open sea was partly obscured by a block of flats that ‘landed’ to the eastern end of the Oldway estate.

Back then, I loved to watch the regular flashing of the Berry Head light. Having spent many years bobbing around on the sea, there was comfort in watching this navigational aid.

Now my only nighttime vision is of the numerous lights from windows shining from the large apartment block. I say that I have some empathy and yet I could not throw a cricket ball far enough to hit the apartments.

For the people living behind the new building in Torquay, it would only require an energetic lob.

There is an acronym that captures resistance to this sort of change. The term nimby is an acronym for Not In My Back Yard, and neatly sums up resistance to change.

When the huge apartments appeared at the eastern edge of Oldway, a friend living next door to the development said that he was now an imby. He acronym simply translates as In My Back Yard!

As it happens, I rather like the numerous new hotels that have been built and hope that their arrival heralds a new and exciting time for South Devon. The two new huge hotels on Paignton’s seafront are certainly something to celebrate and the exciting rebuilding of the quintessentially English Redcliffe Hotel thrills me.

Sadly, the proposed five-star hotel on the site of Torquay’s now demolished Palace Hotel has been binned, and is to be replaced with a housing estate. ?

Sadly, because it seemed something that would lift the whole area. The thought of a five-star hotel on the site of the old Bishop’s Palace made me smile. Those churchmen of a former time certainly knew how to pick the best places to live.

The Palace Hotel had such a rich history and the sweeping gardens edging Lyme Bay were a delight. Capturing that energy with a new five-star hotel with stunning views across the ocean would have been sensational.

Meanwhile, we continue to keep the smile.