Paignton
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Paignton is an English coastal town on "the English Riviera" near Torquay, in the county of Devon. Over the years Paignton and Torquay have grown into each other, and together with Brixham to the south they form the unitary authority of Torbay.
Paignton (originally spelt "Peynton") appears in records in the 11th century. For most of its history it has been primarily been a fishing village. During its expansion in the 19th century, a new harbour was constructed according to the Paington Harbour Act of 1837 (notice yet another spelling). Since then the rise of tourism has fuelled an even greater expansion which led to Paignton effectively swallowing the adjacent coastal villages of Goodrington and Preston. Oldway Mansion, formerly the home of the Singer family (of sewing machine fame) lies between Preston and Paignton, and is now the meetingplace of Torbay Council. Other Singer legacies in Paignton include the Palace Hotel and the Inn On The Green, both of which were homes for Isaac Singer's sons, and Paignton Green itself, which was used as a runway for their private aircraft.
Nowadays Paignton depends heavily on tourism, and is marketed predominantly at the lower to middle earners of the British population. The long beach in summer is crowded by tourists devouring ice-cream and fish'n'chips. Night life is predominantly late-opening bars and clubs on the sea-front. A recent addition to Paignton's attractions is the Quaywest waterpark on Goodrington beach. One of the most famous attractions in the town is the Zoo, recently featured on BBC television.
Paignton beach and the nearby Preston Sands are the best places in Torbay to launch for water sports such as wind and kite surfing, as well as dinghy sailing.
The Royal Bijou Theatre (now demolished) was the venue for the first ever performance of The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan.
Paignton is the home of the Torbay Bookshop, recently awarded the title of Best Independant Bookshop in the South West, and host to a succession of celebrity signing sessions.