Torbay's first Pride event begins
16th July 2009
The first Gay Pride festival to be held in Torbay has begun.
Pride Torbay has organised a variety of events and produced a series of postcards for locals to send to their gay friends encouraging them to visit.
The chief executive for Torbay Town Centres Lucy Bell said: "We need to attract the family market and the pink pound."
The celebration, from Thursday until Sunday, aims to celebrate diversity in the English Riviera.
"We need to attract a whole range of the population to come on holiday," Ms Bell added.
"It's dangerous to put eggs in one basket."
'Huge event'
Organisers hope thousands of visitors will attend the festival and boost the local economy.
Sarah Wighton from Pride Torbay 2009 said: "If this gets the support that it needs and deserves, we could have a huge event every year which will bring jobs and revenue to the bay."
Britain's first gay resort, Key West in Torquay, is hosting several events over the four days.
Peter Gordon from Key West said: "People can be a bit cynical but gay people have got fewer venues to go to.
"If something new opens they're bound to go.
"They haven't got the choice of many bars, so when something opens they'll go for it."
Source: BBC