Get the most from our coast: Share of £90m up for grabs as communities urged to revitalise resort

Coastal Communities Minister Mark Francois says the borough can bid for a share of a £90 million coastal community fund to help boost jobs and growth in seaside towns.

Plans are now being drawn up to bid for the funding with some radical ideas to boost the economy.

It comes as a report outlines the growth in coastal tourism but also the challenges and opportunities facing resorts, and the need to raise awareness amongst the under 35 age group and international visitors.

Tourism leaders have welcomed the report locally.

The report from the National Coastal and Tourism Academy (NCTA) said seaside tourism brought £8 billion into England's economy last year.

In 2014, it was estimated that visitors to Weymouth and Portland generated £218 million for the local economy through nearly four million visitor nights and day visits.

The academy said seaside tourism has regained its position as England’s largest domestic sector for overnight holiday trips. But its Coastal Tourism report suggests coastal communities can boost growth further by attracting more off-season visitors, developing 'health and wellness breaks' and reinventing seaside towns as business event destinations.

Nigel Reed, manager of the Weymouth BID, welcomed the report as a reflection of precisely what the BID had set out to do when creating its business plan in 2013.

He said: "This hits all the buttons that we've been talking about for some time.

"We are committed to promoting out of season and we know that people like coming to the coast.

"We are also that this developing health and wellbeing industry is emerging and people associate the seaside with that.

"This is a very positive report – it makes us feel like we are aiming in the right direction."

Michelle Hind, president of the Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce, said: "The thing about Weymouth and Portland is that although we don't rely entirely on the tourism trade, it is a vital part of the economy that brings employment to the area."

Tourism provides more that 17 per cent of all employment in Weymouth and Portland according to a review of the economic impact of Dorset's visitors on the economy published last year.

Mrs Hind added: "In the past, affidavits about the state of coastal tourism has been quite negative.
"Now is the time to invest in Weymouth and Portland."

Speaking of how the town taps in to the young market, she said: "It's a case of looking at what that client bases interests are.

"Obviously, the night life is something that's very vibrant here.

"We do have a number of negative issues around that and we are looking at what can be done to combat them."

Samantha Richardson, director of NCTA, said: "There's no doubt that our coastline is much-loved and cherished by the nation and yet for many, visiting the coast isn't a high priority– this is fundamentally because of a lack of awareness.

"What's needed is a stronger communication with clear messages, carefully-targeted for their audience.

"To thrive for the next generation, each destination needs to match its product to the appropriate market, whether that be wellness breaks, shoulder season holidays or to attract a younger audience."

Share of £90m available for coastal communities

TALKS are set to take place over how Weymouth can get its hands on a multi-million boost from the Government.

Weymouth's Coastal Community Team (CCT), chaired by chamber of commerce president Michelle Hind, has put in a bid for a share of the Coastal Community Fund.

Today the group will meet to formulate a plan for exactly which projects they want funding for.

Mrs Hind said: "There is £90 million that's being given out in three rounds of £3 million each.
"Groups applying for the funds must show that their projects are ready to go.

"It all has a time limit where the groups have to use the funds or they will be withdrawn and the money will re-enter the pot."

The £90 million is available over the next four years to help boost tourism, create jobs and provide quality training for local people.

Grants of between £50,000 and £4 million are available to a range of organisations including coastal community teams, charities councils, local enterprise partnerships and private sector companies.

The Weymouth BID is also involved with securing the money for the town, with representatives joining Mrs Hind in ensuring that the details of the projects they hope to fund are established.

Last year, when the Weymouth CCT came together, it was given £10,000 to help kick-start their work. 

Regeneration ideas that have been raised for consideration include restoring the Pavilion and creating homes and a water park on the peninsula, establishing a retail park at the park & ride site, and a commercial wave farm.

The plan the CCT drew up says the economy should be strengthened through providing quality local jobs and better career prospects for the young, and there should be less reliance on the traditional 'bucket and spade' tourism.

Speaking in March about the CCT bid, Mrs Hind said: "This is about the local community including business people coming up with projects for regeneration and moving away from it being council-led.

"We will work with local authorities but as a group we will be able to tap into funding streams and attract investment into Weymouth and Portland.

"There's a lot of money out there and we need to be thinking outside the box to establish what we want to achieve so we have been coming up with ideas."

"We've fallen back in love with our coast"

Coastal Communities Minister Mark Francois writes exclusively for the Dorset Echo

"THIS bank holiday weekend, millions of us will head on down to the Great British coast and enjoy a day by the sea.

"Dorset has seaside gems dotted along the Jurassic Coast – places which allow visitors to relax, unwind and wash away the troubles of the week.

"And with the seaside having recently regained its position as the most popular overnight holiday destination for Britons – nearly a third of all trips – it seems that we’ve fallen back in love with our coast.

"The tide has changed and hundreds of cities, towns and villages along our shores are experiencing a quiet renaissance. But many areas still need a bit of help to reach their enormous economic potential, and this Government is fully behind them.

"We’ve already invested more than £120 million in our seaside towns over the past four years. From Swansea to Scarborough and Weymouth to Whitehaven we’ve given creative councils and budding businesses a hefty portion of cash – anywhere from £50,000 to £4million – to boost jobs, skills and opportunity.

"Locally, we’ve put more than £1.4m into getting the railway back on track between Wareham and Swanage which when it’s complete will mean a regular passenger train service between the two stations for the first time in four decades.

"And we’ve given the RSPB £650,000 to spruce up two nature reserves one in Arne, near Wareham, and the other at Radipole Lake in central Weymouth to help bring in more tourists and make the sites accessible all year round.

"The projects may all be different but they’ll share the same aim: to create jobs, attract tourists and shape a shoreline where people want to visit, live and work. If you didn’t bid for this cash before don’t worry, you haven’t missed the boat. The investment has been such a success, with every £1 we provide generating up to an £8 benefit for the local area, that we’re now putting another £90million up for grabs.

"We’ll be investing this money wisely over the next four years and looking to the 118 coastal communities teams across England to lead the way with bids.

"These teams bring people together from local councils, businesses, charities and volunteers - to set out radical plans for how they plan to drive forward future growth, jobs and prosperity. So if you’ve got suggestions, I’d urge you to find your local team and get involved.

"Everyone has great memories of days out at the seaside, and I hope that this bank holiday millions of us will create many more. Whatever the weather this weekend, with your help, our seaside towns have a sunny future."