I grew up in Watcombe in the 1970s, when life seemed a little simpler… and a lot more connected. Back then, you knew everyone on your street. You didn’t need to knock on a friend’s door; you just called for them, and off you went, home time was when it got dark.
Neighbours shared more than just a postcode they shared food, laughter, and problems. If someone was struggling, people rallied round. If you ran out of sugar, milk, or teabags, you didn’t think twice about popping next door.
Fast-forward to now, and I live in Shiphay. It’s a lovely area, but as much as I’ve tried, I don’t really know anyone. I know my immediate neighbour’s name, but we barely speak beyond a polite nod. If I ran out of sugar today, I think I’d probably just go without rather than knock on someone’s door.
It makes me wonder… what happened? When did we all become strangers living side by side?
Maybe it’s the pace of life. We rush from work to home, heads down, screens on, no time for small talk. Maybe it’s that people move around more, so the roots don’t have time to grow. Or perhaps, after the pandemic, we’ve all forgotten how to reconnect in person.
It’s sad, really, because community is what makes a place feel like home. It’s not just about location..it’s about belonging. Torquay still has a strong heart, you can feel it during events or when people pull together for charity, but that everyday connection – the friendly chats over the fence, the borrowed lawnmower, the shared cuppa – feels like it’s fading.
Can we go back? I hope so. Maybe it starts small, saying hello more often, stopping for a chat instead of waving from a distance, or looking out for an elderly neighbour.
We can’t turn back time to the Watcombe of the 60s, but we can bring back a little of that spirit if we want to.
What do you think? Has Torquay lost its community feel, or are we just looking in the wrong places for it?
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