Around Torbay

There have been one or two, or even more articles and letters in the local paper over the last few days re old dears queueing for hours in the cold and wet to change their bus passes. Indeed I have reported such queues here on this blog. So in the interest of research and empathy with the waiting masses I decided to go down to the Stagecoach Travel Shop on the Harbour Side today with a view to changing my pass. Providing the queue was down to less than 200. I did cheat a little, it was a lovely sunny warm day and instead of turning up at a quarter to nine in the morning, I got there at 3:30. In the afternoon I should point out. I didn't spend several hours in a sleeping bag on the pavement waiting, shivering, for the shop to open. So what was there when I turned up? Massive queue, hours spent reminiscing with 80 year olds about the queues we used to get during the war, Salvation Army Cadets handing out warming cups of Bovril,old dears banging their walking sticks on the windows of the Travel Shop and threatening to write nasty letters to the Editor. No, sorry. I walked into the shop and three charming and very helpful members of staff (see below) waiting to help me fill in the application form, take my photo and give me the above pass. Took about two minutes from start to finish. So now I can travel free round the Bay on any bus that turns up. Aren't Torbay Council wonderful. And Stagecoach Devon for providing the staff and shop to assist in the changes.



Rushed of their feet, aren't they?


I was there for about 20 minutes and in that time they deal with about 5 people, the moral of the story seems to be don't turn up on hour one, day one; wait a few days and it will all calm down.