Famous Devon caves could become huge new tourist attraction

One of Devon's oldest tourist sites could be transformed into a major international attraction under ambitious plans outlined by its new owners. Kents Cavern, a prehistoric cave complex in Torquay, was bought by the Tudor Hotel Collection last year.

The new owners have plans to invest millions in the visitor attraction - often dubbed Britain's oldest home due to its use by early humans. Tudor says the attraction is a "hidden gem" and wants to maximise its potential as a flagship tourist destination and "centre of Stone Age learning" in Britain.

The project, which is still at the concept stage, was outlined in a presentation by Kents to local tourism leaders earlier this week. They were shown AI-generated images of what the attraction could look like in the years to come.

The proposed investment of millions of pounds would be unprecedented in Kents' long history. The idea is to take an attraction that is already popular with visitors to the next level - maximising its potential as a site of national historic importance.

Rob Cox, CEO of Tudor said: "It's such an amazing place, an incredible experience for people and something that is so unique in terms of its history being so rich and authentic. We think it will be logical, not easy but logical, to take the next step and put in some modern experiences alongside the existing visitor attraction and bring it to more people through a mix of academia and heritage."

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He says the idea that Kents could become a centre for Stone Age learning is "very powerful". It would mean investing millions in new visual displays, restaurant, classroom, activities and modern visitor spaces.

Tudor says the plans will take several years to become reality but the company has a track record of making good on its commitments. It has transformed Bodmin Jail in Cornwall into a major tourist site having invested tens of millions. Its other major project in Torbay is at the historic Redcliffe Hotel in Paignton. Millions is being spent on its redevelopment into a luxury destination.

Mr Cox said: "Our experience with Bodmin Jail and developing the visitor attraction there proved to be useful in terms of adding to the heritage. We want to bring in a younger audience and a more educational side - doing it in a way where people can connect with it and feel like they're having fun and learning at the same time."

"I went into the caverns and I was blown away. I didn't know anything like that existed in Torquay. We realised it was a gem and decided to buy it. For us, a centre of Stone Age learning is a very appealing idea and the site has plenty of scope for developing."

The caves first formed more than 2.5 million years ago and were once occupied by prehistoric humans and Ice Age animals. Over 80,000 Stone Age artefacts have been found there, including an upper jawbone fragment, believed to be the oldest anatomically human fossil found in North-western Europe.

In 1903, the site was sold to Francis Powe. The Powe family operated it until the sale last year. It is thought to have attracted in excess of 10 million visitors and ranks at Number One on TripAdvisor.

James Hull, general manager of Kents Cavern, said it is one of the most important prehistoric sites in Europe and the only place where evidence of three types of humans have been uncovered. He says it stands besides other celebrated cave complexes in Europe such as Altamira in Spain and Lascaux in France.

"Basically we've got an international story but lack facilities similar to other European prehistoric sites," he says. "But we are just as important. It is a complex story for our guides to deliver and for people to understand in 45 minutes."

The concept for Kents is that the cave itself will be just one part of a more informative tour, preceded by information about how it was formed. It will fit into a wider story about human evolution, climate change and geology.

Elliot Ling, education manager at Kents, was born and raised in Torquay and has been working at the attraction for more than a decade. He said: "I think we all feel proud to look after the site and are very excited about what's to come with Tudor as the new owners."

The new owners still have work to do developing detailed plans which will be subject to council approval.