Explore the tragic incidents at Torquay’s Marine Spa that ultimately led to its closure for ever.
The Marine Spa was for swimming and fun. It overlooked Beacon Cove in Devon. It opened in 1857 originally. It had a ballroom and a concert hall. A sunny room and baths were also there.
The spa struggled a bit with money. It went bankrupt in 1863 quickly. New swimming pool plans started in 1910. World War I delayed building it longer. The pool opened in 1916 later.
Two bad things happened at the pool. One led to closing it for good. A girl got hurt in 1930. She was pulled into a pipe on the beach. The pipe was rusty and sharp too.
The pool was fixed after that incident. They moved the pipe and covered it. Concerns arose about old facilities after years passed. A new pool needed to be built.
A boy drowned in 1971 sadly. He got trapped in a pipe just like before. It took 26 hours to get him out then. The council shut the pool down after this.
The place became Coral Island in 1977. This was a big entertainment complex area. It didn’t do well outside the summer days. It closed in 1988 after failing hard.
They tore it down and built Living Coasts. It became a coastal zoo and aquarium spot. Princess Anne opened it in 2003 happily. It closed in 2020 because of money woes.
Living Coasts had a lease from Torbay Council though. The pandemic made things very tough then. Old stone arches from the spa still exist. They stayed there in 2019 still.