Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust (TCCT) have reopened Occombe Farm and Occombe Farm Café. The Farm had remained closed throughout the summer whilst the Farm Café was extended and refurbished. This work marks the first step towards the greater regeneration of Occombe Farm.
A modern extension has been added to the front of the café to provide additional seating suitable for visitors with well-behaved dogs. The interior of the café has undergone a complete makeover to create a contemporary and spacious facility. We have incorporated adjustments for safe operation within COVID-19 guidelines while retaining the potential to add capacity if circumstances allow.
We have reconfigured our toilet facilities to offer five self-contained unisex units, which can be accessed without having to step outside. The toilets are accessed via a one-way system and have hands-free fixtures. Huge improvements have been made to the kitchen and front of house and new contemporary furniture has been installed.
As Occombe is a working farm, it is worth noting that dogs are still restricted to the Café areas only and are not permitted on the Nature Trail.
Damian Offer, Chief Executive, Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust said:
“Refurbishing our café at this time has afforded us the luxury of building in really good COVID19 adaptations to ensure the best possible solutions for both our customers and staff. Customers are already saying how much they appreciate and welcome our efforts to make the café feel safe to visit.”
“I am grateful to everyone that worked so hard to complete this first phase of the Occombe Regeneration Project.”.
At the moment Occombe Farm, is operating with only a limited offer. Most of our animals are being cared for elsewhere due to reduced capacity. We have managed to re-open a limited length of the Nature Trail for public use. The remainder requires significant repairs and we are working towards securing grant funding for this work. Visitors are still able to visit the bird hide for wildlife spotting.
ENDS
Image: (left to right) TCCT CEO Damian Offer, Café Manger Sue Gillion and TCCT Chair Alan Tyerman.
For more information about this Press Release, please contact: Sarah James 01803 520 022 sarah.james@countryside-trust.org.uk
