Oh we do like to be beside the seaside . . .

EASTBOURNE’S spring beer festival, Beer and Cider by the Sea, serves up more than 100 real ales, a wide variety of ciders and perries, and an abundance of cocktails and wine along with great entertainment from live bands.

Back for a fifth year the festival (May 26-28) celebrates Eastbourne’s great position as a seaside town just minutes from two award-winning breweries, the home of the National Cider and Perry Collection, and many vineyards dotted across the Sussex countryside.

Half of the real cask ales on offer will be provided by local breweries.

www.VisitEastbourne.com

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‘Seaside Czar’ can turn the tide and revive resorts

THE British Hospitality Association (BHA) says a Seaside Czar should be appointed ‘to help Britain’s forgotten seaside towns fight back from decades of decay’.

Called Creating Coastal Powerhouses, the report says businesses in seaside towns are more likely to fail – especially if they provide accommodation – and urges the government to create Coastal Enterprise Zones to encourage investment.

The report says people living in seaside towns are more likely to be poorly educated, unemployed, unemployable, lacking in ambition, claiming benefits, and living in multiple occupation housing.

A separate survey, conducted by Bourne Leisure, found that more than half of the British public have not visited the British seaside in the past three years, and 65% believe that the British seaside is run down and in need of investment.

Nine out of the 10 most deprived neighbourhoods in the UK are seaside communities, according to the Department for Communities and Local Government 2015 Index of Multiple Deprivation.

The report highlights several reasons for the decline, including the collapse of shipbuilding and fishing, the demise of the traditional annual holiday by the seaside, growing drug use, and cutbacks in budgets affecting maintenance of public places, street cleaning, and tourism promotion.

The BHA cites the successful regeneration of Folkestone in Kent and the Jurassic Coast in Dorset and East Devon as examples of how the British seaside can recover.

Ufi Ibrahim, chief executive of the BHA, said: ‘Our members recognize the problems facing many coastal communities, but we also know there are fantastic opportunities to boost these places and help revive the Great British Seaside holiday.

‘250 million visits are already made to the UK’s coast each year, generating £17 billion to the economy. But we know there is a lot more to do – and that can only happen with a concerted effort by a committed government and the private sector. Together we can turn the tide and bring a smile back to the seaside.

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ABTA urges families to Swim Safe this summer

AS FAMILIES get ready to head away for their summer holidays, the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) is urging them to Swim Safe.

According to statistics published by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, 30 children under ten years old have drowned in holiday swimming pools abroad over a six-year period, with more than half of these victims under four years old. Last year, ABTA was made aware of 19 fatal drownings abroad of UK holidaymakers, 7 in swimming pools and 12 in the sea.

Families are urged to take care and always follow pool and beach rules and signs, check the pool lay-out to know where the deep and shallow ends are, and never leave children unsupervised. 

ABTA’s top tips for swimming safety:

• Brush up on your swimming skills before you go away 
• If you’ve got kids, get in the water with them 
• Always follow pool rules and local signs 
• Check the pool layout 
• Check warning flags and signage on the beach 
• Beware of dangerous currents 
• Beware of underwater hazards, such as reefs, rocks, sudden changes in depth 
• Don’t dive or jump from rocks, piers, breakwaters, or poolside furniture
• Never swim alone; buddy up’ with others in your party 
• Never swim at night or after drinking alcohol 
• Know how and where to get help if you see someone in difficulty 

Even if you swim regularly in a pool, remember that open water can be very different; cold water reduces significantly the distance that you can swim, even for strong swimmers

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Catching crabs 101!

RESEARCH by Visit North Norfolk has revealed that many adults and children do not know traditional skills such as using a compass or flying a kite.

To address this knowledge gap, Visit North Norfolk has created a series of films and guides showing how to carry out traditional outdoor pastimes, what you will need, and where to go.  Its campaign, 'Nip to North Norfolk' has six films focusing on:

• Spotting and naming clouds 
• Building a sandcastle 
• Catching a crab 
• Mooring a boat 
• Beachcombing 
• Using a compass. 

Accompanying the films are downloadable guides.

To see the films go to www.visitnorthnorfolk.com

Kayla Dunne at Visit North #Norfolk said: ‘We were quite surprised our research findings highlighted that many people did not know have these traditional skill. Activities such as beachcombing, finding your way using a compass, crabbing or building a sandcastle, are enjoyed by all ages and are a great way to enjoy the North Norfolk #coast and the #countryside.’

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£90 million boost for coastal tourism

THE UK GOVERNMENT has made £90 million available for coastal areas over the next four years to help boost tourism, create jobs, and provide training.

Grants of between £50,000 and £4 million are available to organizations such as coastal community teams, charities, local councils, development agencies, enterprise partnerships, private companies, and voluntary groups.

Communities secretary Greg Clark said: ‘We’re investing £90 million in exciting new business ideas across our much-loved seaside areas – bringing not just a wave of enthusiasm but also creating thousands of good new jobs, too. With grants of up to £4 million available, I’d urge our coastal entrepreneurs and communities to get involved.’

The £90 million fund will be additional to the £120 million the government has already made available via the Coastal Communities Fund.

Previous investments by the fund include £1.9 million to Blackpool City Council to transform its illuminations, and £500,000 to Hastings Borough Council to improve the seafront and visitor attractions. Scarborough’s market was awarded £2.7 million for refurbishments, and the Welsh National Sailing Academy and Event Centre in Pwllheli got £120,000 to create a sailing venue which brings an extra 10,000 visitors in a year. The National Coastal Tourism Academy in Bournemouth was awarded £2 million to set up a coastal activity park and train coastal businesses.

The academy’s annual report, Coastal Tourism 2016, shows that seaside tourism has regained its position as England’s largest domestic sector for overnight holiday trips. Seaside tourism is worth £8 billion to the economy, with 13.7 million seaside trips, making up nearly one third of overnight holiday stays in England.

The report suggests coastal communities can boost growth by attracting more off-season visitors, developing health and wellness breaks and reinventing seaside towns as business event destinations.

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Picture Credit: Hunstanton Beach, Norfolk</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin

Study reveals UK family holiday trends

THE average British family holiday involves a three-hour journey, four tantrums, and two days of rain, research by self-catering agency Beach Retreats reveals. 

The study, which compiled the experiences of 2,000 families, also found that children ask ‘Are we there yet?’ five times and parents get only two lie-ins. The average British holiday also sees 81 photos snapped.

Parents will normally get less than two-and-a-half hours to themselves on most days but will manage three quiet drinks over the holiday.

Andrew Easton, business manager for Beach Retreats said: ‘Around half of British families will be taking a staycation in 2016 and the appeal of the British beach holiday stronger than ever. Documenting your beach holiday with photos, social uploads, and selfies is now a typical part of a beach holiday, but it’s great to see that outdoor activities, discovering the beach, are still so important to families.’

Traditional British beach behaviours are still as popular as ever, with building sandcastles (69%), digging holes in the sand (61%), and exploring rock pools (58%) listed as the most popular things to do beside the seaside.

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They do like to be beside the seaside …

MORE than half (58%) of Britons are expected take a holiday or short break on the coast this summer, according to the annual Travelodge holiday index. The report also claims that Britons will spend more than ever on their UK holidays this year. 

It estimated they will spend an average of £729 on their breaks ‘to give the UK economy a welcome boost of almost £20 billion, up from £16.5 billion last year’.

The report – which has surveyed 3,000 British adults for the past six years – shows that 2016 is set to be the biggest year for seaside breaks since the study started.

Coastal locations dominate the list of most popular destinations, with Cornwall rated top for the second consecutive year, followed by Devon (3rd), Blackpool (5th), Brighton (8th), and Scarborough (10th).

After seaside holidays, the second most popular type of UK trip is the city break, with the top locations including London, Edinburgh, Manchester, York, and Liverpool.

The third most popular type of holiday is in the countryside. Among the rural holiday hotspots for 2016 are the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, Scottish Highlands, Norfolk Broads, and the Cotswolds.

The study claims more than two-thirds (67%) of Britons are taking a staycation break this year.

The average British family is taking a one-week holiday supplemented by four short breaks throughout the year.

A Travelodge spokeswoman said: ‘A new trend we are seeing is more Britons taking a three-in-one holiday. This includes taking a city, rural, and coastal break as part of a one-week holiday.’

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Helpful Holidays and Cath Kidston offer holiday prize

CATH KIDSTON has teamed up with Helpful Holidays to offer a lucky winner a #holiday in the fashionable South Devon town of Salcombe. 

The winner will be picked at random by entering their details on a postcard available in Cath Kidston stores or via the Cath Kidston website … www.cathkidston.com/fcs/blog/seaside-holiday. The closing date for entries is May 30.

The #prize is a week's holiday at Underbecks, a 5* villa on the hillside above South Sands beach, #Salcombe. With five en suite bedrooms, the winner can invite up to 10 family members or friends to join them.

Private dining will be provided on two evenings, plus meals on other nights, as well as products from the Cath Kidston 2016 Spring/Summer seaside-themed collection.

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Picture Credit: Cath Kidston Shop, York</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin, Mill Bay</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin

Not the End of the Pier show

HASTINGS-BORN Graham McPherson – aka Madness lead singer #Suggs – has fixed the final screw to complete the re-decking of Hastings Pier following a £15 million renovation project.

Scheduled to open to the public in late April, Madness will headline a gala opening celebration on the pier on May 21. In its heyday, the pier hosted many of the best US and British musicians, including The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and Jimi Hendrix.

First opened in 1872, the 890ft-long pier enjoyed many years of popularity, but the gradual decline in the British seaside in the 70's and 80's led to poor maintenance and declining visitor numbers. The pier was closed in 2008 and a fire in 2010 all but destroyed the superstructure.

Tickets for the Madness concert and the gala re-opening day celebrations are available from the Hastings Pier website.

www.hpcharity.co.uk

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St Michael's Mount re-opens

ST MICHAEL'S MOUNT in #Cornwall has re-opened for the 2016 holiday season.

Developments there this year include the opening in May of a visitor centre. Designed in partnership with the National Trust, the centre will be in the Barge House in the village at the base of the island, where it will provide an experience for visitors who are unable to take the climb to the castle or walk around the gardens.

Coming up:

Annual Easter Egg Trail – March 25, 27 and 28.

A Coastal Garden (April 11- July 1) will focus on the challenges of seaside gardening, with head gardener Lottie Allen and her team on hand daily at 1pm (weekdays only) to talk about the terraced gardens where blooms and exotic plants have thrived since 1780.

Island Harbour Home (June-August) will bring to life the story of the community living and working on the island.

Castle and Conservation (September and October) highlights the challenges in caring for a Grade 1 listed building at the top a tidal island.

A Garden in a Castle (October 2-October 11) brings the Mount's sub-tropical autumn planting into the castle.

There are free, daily tours of the village and the harbour led by head guide Bob Hunt, who focuses on the everyday lives of the people who live here and showcases the harbour and village.

Visitors can walk to the island at low tide. At high tide during spring, summer and autumn, motorboats leave from landing points at Marazion, subject to weather conditions.

#StMichael'sMount castle, shops and restaurants are open daily (except Saturdays) until October 30.

www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk

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Help needed to boost seaside tourism

THE importance of seaside tourism in Britain has been highlighted by the House of Commons’ Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee. In a report, it says the English coastline has towns and resorts which are growing in popularity – Bournemouth, Wadebridge, Deal, and Scarborough are given as good examples and other areas are suffering from years of decline. 

‘There are great contrasts’ the report states, ‘between those areas of growth and the areas of decline which are characterized by high unemployment (particularly among school leavers), tired infrastructure, with poor transport and digital connections. It is important that reversing the fortunes of these coastal areas remains a priority for the government.’

The committee said it would like to see funding for the National Coastal Tourism Academy, which has made a ‘great start in its work providing case studies and materials that could be adopted by seaside destinations’.

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West Country choices

Helpful Holidays’ 2016 portfolio has grown to almost 650 large and small self-catering properties from West Cornwall to Dorset. 

Prices start from £268 (£90 per person) per week for an early New Year break for three in either Lopes Cottage at Belstone in Dartmoor National Park or Ginentonic Cottage on Cornwall’s Lizard peninsula. At the top price level is Great Bidlake Manor, a Grade II listed 16th century manor house near Bridestowe on Dartmoor for 13 priced at £3,621 (£279 per person) for a high season week.

Other highlights include Sandpipers, a waterside house for nine at Feock in South Cornwall. Bicycles, kayaks, and boats can be hired with river mooring nearby to explore the Carrick Roads waterways … and pets are welcome. Prices start from £1,096 (£122 per person) per week

For a copy of the agency’s latest supplement and its main brochure call Helpful Holidays on 01647 434063 or go to www.helpfulholidays.com

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Coming up in Eastbourne …

EASTBOURNE’S family-friendly bonfire procession returns this autumn (October 3) for an evening of traditional English folk celebrations.

The procession starts at 7.30pm and culminates with the bonfire lighting between the bandstand and Wish Tower, fire juggling, and a firework display on the beach.

THE town’s annual three-day beer festival, now in its 13th year, opens at the Winter Garden on October 8.

Visitors can taste real cask ales on tap from a range of more than 160, all selected for the festival by local CAMRA members. There will also be bars serving wine, cider, and international bottled beers.

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33037982@N04/4828187075">Eastbourne</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license)

Wanted: Volunteer beach cleaners!

THE UK’s leading marine charity – the #MarineConservationSociety (MCS) – is looking for volunteers to register for a citizen science project that involves a trip to the #beach.

The #GreatBritishBeachClean (September 18-21) is the only UK-wide beach clean that not only spruces up hundreds of beaches around the coast but also records the litter finds.

Plastic bottles and carrier bags, nappies, balloons, and tiny plastic pieces can be found on almost every beach in Britain – either washed up, blown there or dropped. Most of the litter found can be traced back to us – the general public.

‘Beach litter has steadily risen over the two decades we’ve been recording it on UK beaches,’ says MCS Beachwatch Officer, Charlotte Coombes.  ‘Last year’s Great British Beach Clean attracted almost 5,500 volunteers to over 300 beaches. It’s a citizen science project that has become the most respected and long-standing beach litter survey in the UK.’

In 2014, tiny bits of plastic were the most frequently found litter items on UK beaches. There was a 6.4% rise in beach litter between 2013 and 2014 with wet wipes having the biggest increase at almost 50%.

‘Taking part in the Great British Beach Clean,’ says Ms Coombes. ‘really can make a difference. In previous years when we’ve highlighted increases in dog poo bags and sewage related debris found on beaches, we have seen drops in numbers subsequently. We hope we’ll see fewer wet wipes in 2015 following our mini-campaign showing why these material squares should go in the bin, not the loo.’  

MCS says cleaning and surveying a beach takes only a couple of hours. Each beach has a co-ordinator who explains how to fill in a simple data form … then it’s just a case of taking a litter picker and a bin bag and filling it up with rubbish.
    
Volunteers are also asked to record any branded items they find, to enable MCS to approach specific manufacturers and retailers and look at ways they can work with them to reduce the amount of rubbish from their products reaching beaches.

‘Beach litter is a serious environmental problem,’ says Ms Coombes. ‘But the solution is in our hands. The first step is to register as a volunteer. We want the Great British Beach Clean weekend to offer a snapshot of what the future could look like for the British seaside by reducing the amount of litter that reaches our shores”.

Find out more at http://www.mcsuk.org/greatbritishbeachclean or telephone 01989 566017.

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