Jim Parker's words in the Herald Express 31st October 2013
"THE shutters will finally come down on 35 years of history in Paignton at the weekend. Harbour Sports Paignton will sadly be no more.
Well-known businessman Frank Sobey has tried to keep the business afloat after more than three decades in the town, but he has been left with no option but to throw in the towel.
What do those TV property programmes say? It's all about 'location, location, location'. The truth is Paignton harbour just isn't the location it used to be for Frank.
That, along with the general market, decreased footfall and, according to Frank, making the harbour as un-user friendly as possible with a raft of rules and regulations, has persuaded him to say enough is enough.
He used to run the harbour outlet and other shops in the city centres of Plymouth and Exeter under Harbour Sports Limited, but the plug was pulled on that company via a creditor's voluntary liquidation just over a year ago.
Since then Frank has been running the Paignton shop as part of a partnership and using the name of the business which has been well known in town for such a long time.
The idea was to make a go of it and then look to sell on the business. It hasn't happened and a recent half price 'all stock must go' sale was the beginning of the end.
Frank says: "We carried on eventually for another year as a partnership using the name Harbour Sports in the hope someone would pick up the torch.
"The shop in Plymouth became a cycle shop/cafe and the one in Exeter is now a Children's Hospice SW charity shop.
"We've had several people express an interest, but sadly nothing came of that and Harbour Sports on Paignton Harbour will slip into history.
"It is a shame but that, sadly, is the landscape these days."
The harbour is seen by many as Paignton's hidden gem. It is one of the most charming places in the country yet it appears somewhat cut off and isolated from the main town centre.
It doesn't sit within the Paignton BID area where traders are given the opportunity to invest, and have a say, in improving their trading environment.
There have always been concerns about a lack of sign posting trying to encourage locals and visitors to walk the whole length of the prom and then see what lies beyond the harbour arch.
I can remember several conversations with the inspirational ladies who run TJs down there. By the way, it was brilliant to see them pick up an award in recent South Devon and English Riviera Tourism and Hospitality awards.
They are battling through but for Frank the fight is over.
He says: "These are hugely difficult times. The harbour is such a lovely place.
"It has not become a user-friendly harbour in so many ways with things like regulations and conflicting use.
"It comes down to footfall.
"The sadness is that the harbour is dislocated from the town. It has lost its way."
He can remember the days of teaching wind surfing from the harbour back in the late 1970s when it was 'vibrant' and not constantly blown out of the water by red tape and health and safety.
Frank says: "Poles and wires have been put up to stop people fishing off the harbour. It must have cost thousands of pounds.
"People see people fishing down there and they are told 'you can't do that'. They no longer come.
"Evidently, there was one incident where one man hit a passing boat. It is called life."
Somebody showed their disdain for the fish ban wires by hanging their washing on them. Wonder who?
Frank adds: "People are told 'you can't park here and you can't do that'. There are so many prohibition signs.
"We have a by-laws sign at the top of the slipway. We are saying 'welcome to Torbay — here's what you can't do'".
The changing face of the harbour is not the only reason he has decided to call it a day.
The limited company went under as it got caught in the harsh times in the High Street.
"The limited company went because we got caught in the changing market place down here," said Frank.
"The biggest thing was getting caught in the high street in Plymouth and Exeter. It was too expensive.
"When you walk down the high street it is like somebody who cannot afford good dentistry — there are gaps all over the place.
"People are milling around but they are not carrying shopping bags. There are so many empty shops."
He recognises there are many success stories out there and is not the sort of person to sit back and just moan and groan.
But there was one moment back at the harbour shop which has stuck with Frank as the clock ticked towards closure.
He says: "Some people are talking up activity (in the town centres) and people say they want to see independents.
"But people are using us as fitting rooms. We had a family of four in here looking at wet suits for an hour. Then the bloke took out his mobile device in the shop and ordered the wet suits on line," says Frank.
He adds: "We were hoping somebody would take on the sports business. We had four or five people who were keen, but they never got far enough to putting ink on paper." He says one interested party was an outdoor centre business offering services including corporate body boarding. They walked after discovering it would cost £5 a time to launch a kayak...
Frank tells me Harbour Sports will become a new shop focussing on chandlery and shellfish. Good luck to the new business, but Paignton harbour just won't be quite the same."
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