50 shades of blue to be thing of past as Skegness reveals vision for future

Simple changes that celebrate the heritage of Skegness are set to show visitors and residents alike that the latest masterplan for the resort '˜will not end up on a shelf and be forgotten.'.
The Skegness Foreshore EMN-180221-122902001The Skegness Foreshore EMN-180221-122902001
The Skegness Foreshore EMN-180221-122902001

Organisations involved in running the town met at Skegness Aquarium this morning to share their vision to improve the appearance of the foreshore.

A partnership including East Lindsey District Council, the Lincolnshire Coastal BID, Skegness Chamber of Trade and Commerce, Skegness Town Council and Skegness Partnership are working with design experts Focus and Guy Taylor Associates to see the development of a detailed Design Manual for the foreshore.

Achieving Grade 11 Listing for certain areas of the foreshore and Tower Gardens had opened up new opportunities for attracting funding, explained Coun Steve Kirk, Portfolio Holder for the Coastal Economy.

Steve Kirk EMN-180221-122913001Steve Kirk EMN-180221-122913001
Steve Kirk EMN-180221-122913001

He said: “The foreshore is looking tired and in need of some TLC. We have been through a period of not spending what we should have spent and it shows.

“Whilst the foreshore is a playground it is also a huge vibrant machine to create wealth.

“We want it to be as good as it possibly can.”

With tourism across East Lindsey worth more than £600m, the district council has set the ball rolling with investment to allow the consultants to identify projects, with the first meeting of partners next month.

Steve Kirk EMN-180221-122913001Steve Kirk EMN-180221-122913001
Steve Kirk EMN-180221-122913001

“We plan to have projects ready for when funding opportunities arise, “ said Coun Kirk. “Changes could be simple things like a uniformed colour scheme.

“I have never been a fan of the colour blue for the town and now it is fading there are so many different shades it looks a mess. Making sure flowers in the gardens and planters complement the colour scheme would also make a difference - simple things that don’t cost a fortune but would make the town look fresher.

“Looking around there are also different kinds of bins, benches and signage. .Why?

“If we want to be a premier resort we need to up our game.”

Lisa Collins, Coastal BID manager, said: “The timing is perfect for this. Heritage is a wonderful thing and it is all around us in Skegness. We acknowledge and recognise that there is much needed to be done to improve the aesthetics of the area, however me must not lose sight of the potential too.”

* For the full story see next week’s Skegness Standard.