Our hotel company, Leisureplex, has been playing its part in ambitious plans to restore old properties around Torquay harbour to their former glory.

The harbourside regeneration initiative was launched two years ago, boosted by funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Signpost Housing Group, South West Regional Development Agency and Torbay Council.

The Leisureplex Regina Hotel is situated in one of the most prominent locations on the harbour, opposite the Living Coasts attraction. This 69-bedroom hotel was at one time the home of the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Actually it was two of her homes since she lived at both 1 Beacon Terrace and at what is now the main Regina Hotel building. Both her former homes are incorporated into the current hotel.

Heritage Champion Councillor Colin Charlwood, who also chairs the Torquay Harbour Initiative Group, is encouraged by the improvements completed under the initiative. He said: "A considerable amount of time and effort has already been spent, and we are now able to see some of the results."

"Torbay Council was one of the first local authorities to set up a heritage forum, which has played a key role in overseeing projects like the Palace Theatre, Torre Abbey, the Bishops Tower and many others."

Paul Sawbridge, Managing Director of Leisureplex, owners of the Regina Hotel, commented: "We are delighted to have played our part in this ambitious scheme to build a harbourside which both rejoices in its heritage and looks forward to the next century of tourism."

"We own Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian hotels in many seaside resorts, and they are very expensive to maintain in a way which respects their period architecture and also meets modern needs. To effect a restoration of the standard we have achieved at the Regina is impossible without assistance and we are extremely grateful to Torbay Council for their help with the design and also for their financial assistance and that of the Heritage Lottery Fund."