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Making Brixham A Main Port Of Call

Ambitious plans for historic Brixham harbour, on the southern edge of The English Riviera, in Devon, are helping to highlight its current position as one of the premier providers of fresh seafood to some of the country's leading chefs and restaurateurs.

Brixham has one of the largest fishing fleets in the UK - with over 100 large beam trawlers and smaller day boats. They currently land and sell their catch at the Fish Market on the quayside, where a strategically placed viewing platform enables visitors to enjoy all of the comings and goings of this busy port.

But now plans are afoot to completely transform the famous fish market in a multi-million regeneration scheme, which should all be in place in three years' time. The development will witness the rejuvenation of the existing fish market to offer improved access, a new tourist walkway and restaurant - as well as the creation of new shopping facilities and commercial space for local businesses.

FishWorks, an award-winning organisation with a long-standing relationship with fishing in Brixham, has been appointed to develop the restaurant, along with a cookery school and fishmongers for the town. Founded by Mitch Tonks in 1995 FishWorks has grown from a single fishmonger to a string of restaurants, cookery schools and fishmongers across the South of England in the last 10 years. Tonks is keen to promote the quality of catch from Brixham waters and has been providing a home delivery service of Brixham fish to people all around the country for some time. More recently he has also started to label the fish caught in Brixham so that customers visiting his fishmongers know that they are buying the "very best".

The first floor walkway is expected to be completed mid 2009 with FishWorks completed early 2010.

The history of the harbour-side, the colourful houses of the old town, and the brand new marina already make this a popular spot with visitors to the English Riviera; and the regeneration project is expected to raise its profile still further.

Brixham rose to prominence in the Middle Ages when it became the largest fishing port in the South West, and one of the greatest in Britain. It is also world famous for being the town where the fishing trawler was invented - influencing fishing fleets world-wide. At its peak, there were more than 300 of these elegant wooden boats in the Brixham fleet.

Today's visitors to The English Riviera are able to come into close contact with the six remaining trawlers which make-up the Brixham Heritage Fleet. All made at the turn of the 19th century, they are often berthed in the marina, with owners who are only too pleased to give impromptu talks and tours. Several are also available for training, chartered tours or evenings-on-board events.

One of the most popular annual events in the town, meanwhile, is the Brixham Trawler Race, when many vessels in the fleet down nets and go for top speed in a race which was revived exactly 10 years ago. The Kings Cup Heritage Race was first run in 1913 in honour of the King, and raced for by professional fishermen until the Second World War. Revived in 1997, this year's race is set for Saturday 16 June, and will be complemented by a host of family events on the harbour-side.

For further details, visit www.englishriviera.co.uk.

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For further information, AND IMAGES, please contact:
Katherine Brown Tel: 01803-296296 E-mail:Katherine.Brown@torbay.gov.uk