Local businesses are coming together to bring a family-friendly England Fan Zone to Abbey Park on Torquay’s seafront, with support from Torbay Council’s Events Team.
Led by The Foundry, The Apple & Parrot, and Offshore Bar & Restaurant, the initiative follows public demand for more outdoor community watch events during major sporting tournaments. The fan zone will accommodate around 1,500 people for England’s knockout stage matches, building towards the World Cup Final on Sunday 19 July.
Screenings will begin with the quarter-final on Saturday 11 July, with the possibility of a semi-final event on Wednesday 15 July should England defeat Norway. The quarter-final event will open at 2pm, offering live music, family entertainment, mini football pitches, games, and activities ahead of the 10pm kick-off. Last entry will be at 10.30pm.
The event will feature a range of food and drink options, including a licensed bar, on-site toilet facilities, and a selection of local traders, all professionally managed by the organisers. Entry is free, with priority queue tickets available through The Foundry. General admission will operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
Designed as an inclusive community event, the fan zone will provide a shared space for residents and visitors to enjoy England’s final World Cup matches together. It complements the many existing venues across Torbay that are hosting their own screenings, giving people an even wider choice of places to watch the games.
The site will include a large viewing screen for live broadcasts and a stage showcasing performances by local bands. Organisers are mindful of potential noise concerns and are working closely with a local sound technician to ensure sound levels remain within agreed limits.
Councillor Jackie Thomas, Cabinet Member for Tourism, Culture & Events and Corporate Services at Torbay Council, said: “It’s great to see local businesses working collaboratively to deliver an event like this for Torbay. The fan zone will add to the vibrant atmosphere we’re already seeing across the Bay during the tournament in our local bars and pubs. The watch party at Abbey Park gives residents and visitors even more opportunities to come together and enjoy the games in a welcoming community setting.”
Event organiser Alnardo Folloni said: “We’re really excited to bring this fan zone to Abbey Park and create a fantastic, family-friendly space where the community can come together to support England. There’s been a real appetite locally for outdoor watch events, and we’re proud to be working with our partners and Torbay Council teams to deliver something that’s safe, well managed, and enjoyable for everyone.”
For safety reasons, Abbey Park will be temporarily enclosed during match screenings.
All enquiries about the event, including trade stall applications, performance opportunities, or priority queue tickets, should be directed to [info@thefoundrytorquay.com](mailto:info@thefoundrytorquay.com) or **[www.thefoundrytorquay.com](http://www.thefoundrytorquay.com).
To support the economy, the UK Government has introduced temporary licensing extensions for venues showing World Cup matches. These apply to both indoor and outdoor spaces and cover alcohol sales and regulated entertainment. The organisers are working closely with Torbay Council’s Licensing Team to ensure full compliance with both the Abbey Park premises licence and the Government’s temporary provisions.
Curfews will apply on match days, with events finishing at 10.45pm for 8pm kick-offs and 12.45am for 10pm kick-offs.
This event is being organised by independent local event organisers using Council-owned land. While Torbay Council’s Events Team supports organisers in delivering events, all event arrangements are managed by the organisers themselves. Any questions about the event should be directed to the organisers. Torbay Council is not responsible for the content of external websites.
For more information about events in Torbay, visit [www.torbay.gov.uk/events/](http://www.torbay.gov.uk/events/).
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