Torquay hotel owners bid to overturn ‘punitive’ rooftop bar ban on locals

Owners of a high-end Torquay hotel where local people are banned from the spectacular rooftop terrace bar are calling on councillors to reverse the ‘punitive’ restrictions.

When the Hotel Indigo was built on the site of the old Corbyn Head Hotel, Torbay Council’s planning committee insisted that the rooftop area should be for hotel guests only.

They said they had listened to neighbours who had concerns over the potential noise from a busy rooftop terrace if it was open to the general public, along with the prospect of traffic problems caused by eager diners.

The rooftop area and its restaurant were prominent features of the early plans for the hotel, boasting panoramic views out to sea and across the seafront. However, planning restrictions mean non-residents cannot use any of the hotel facilities, including the downstairs bar, restaurant and spa.

It was reported that dozens of curious locals were turned away during the hotel’s opening weekend, and that the hotel had to have a member of staff manning the entrance to make sure only paying guests were allowed in to use the facilities.

At the opening the hotel’s owners the Fragrance Group said they would be going back to the planning committee to ask for a re-think, and their application has now been submitted.

It says: “The condition which restricts the restaurant, rooftop bar, spa and gym exclusively to hotel guests is punitive in its effect and imposes a constraint that is disproportionate for a business operating within Torbay’s tourism economy.

“The visitor economy is a cornerstone of the bay’s financial health, and hospitality venues – particularly modern, high quality developments such as the Corbyn Head Hotel – play a significant role in supporting year-round economic activity.”

The application says that there is clear and documented public, business and political support for allowing non residents to access the facilities. It cites local press coverage saying there is a ‘general consensus’ that local people should be able to enjoy them.

The application goes on: “Preventing this access undermines the hotel’s potential contribution to the local economy and its role as a high-quality destination asset.”

If the application is allowed, the restaurant, roof-top bar, spa and gym will be open to the general public from April 1 2026 to January 1 2027 to assess its impact.

The £23million hotel has 153 rooms and is managed by the IHG Group which has hotels all over the world. It is part of a massive investment in Torbay by the Singapore-based Fragrance Group, which has already completed two hotels on Paignton seafront and has just unveiled plans for a new conference and events centre in Paignton.

The group was also behind the demolition and redevelopment of the Palace Hotel site at Babbacombe, where houses have been built but a luxury hotel plan has been mothballed.

There were more than 500 objections to the original plans for the Corbyn Head hotel when they were first published in 2019, with neighbours objecting to its size and modern design.

Demolition of the old hotel on the site began in 2020.