Business chosen to build Sea Road building in Cleethorpes
JemBuild Ltd, based in Humberston, have won the contract to build the iconic Sea Road building in Cleethorpes.
Committed to using local companies where possible, JemBuild have already been working with North East Lincolnshire Council on the retaining wall works behind the old beach safety offices. Once this has been completed, work will start on the main building.
A new three-storey building will be constructed on the brownfield site on Sea Road, comprising retail or hospitality space, as well as new public amenities and a changing places facility. Work is ongoing to secure the pre-let agreement for the hospitality provider, which will be announced in due course.
Paul Barker, Managing Director of JemBuild, said: “I am delighted to have secured this fabulous contract with North East Lincolnshire Council and look forward to working with NELC along with our construction partners, Hodson Architects and C2C Structural along with our local suppliers on this exciting project that will undoubtedly cement its place on the local landscape to become as iconic as its sister building, the prominent Pier.”
Cllr Philip Jackson, Leader of the council, said: “This is great news for the area and it’s good to see things moving forwards. The Cleethorpes Masterplan, carried out by renowned consultants, Hemingway Design, has helped us create a vision for the future of the resort, based on what people who took the time to respond to the Masterplan want to see. And hundreds of people have been having their say about the future designs for Pier Gardens and Market Place in the last few weeks too.”
Interrupted by COVID, the three-storey Sea Road building was granted planning permission in 2020, and promises to offer new high quality outside space, with public viewing areas as well as balconies. The first floor of the building will be accessible from Pier Gardens, giving a gracious nod back to how the pier was accessed when it was first constructed.
Other elements of the building hark back to the Art Deco seaside style and the buildings constructed around the resort at that time, such as the small retail kiosks on Central Prom, and the former Electricity Board showroom on Isaac’s Hill.
Work to deliver the three key schemes in Cleethorpes, the Sea Road building, Pier Gardens and Market Place, along with a small amount for signage, is being funded by HM Government.
Image credit: North East Lincolnshire Council
Keepmoat signs lease on Alexandra Dock site in Grimsby
A lease that will result in new housing in the Alexandra Dock area of Grimsby has been signed with Doncaster-based homebuilder Keepmoat.
The 6.25-acre town centre site bordered by Fisherman’s Wharf and the River Freshney will eventually see a community of around 130 homes with supporting commercial accommodation.
The brownfield site has been the subject of consultation with developers in the housing market since November last year. This is a process where developers register an interest in the site, and then, through rounds of discussions, submit a final bid to take over the build lease of the site which then allows them to put in a planning application for their proposals.
Investment worth about £7.8m to support the development at this site has already been secured through the Government’s Towns Fund, and the build will be supported by brownfield funding secured as part of the Greater Lincolnshire devolution deal.
Cllr Philip Jackson, Leader of the council, said: “We want to create a place that connects the town and its community with its waterside, creating a fantastic urban living environment.
“North East Lincolnshire must develop as a place where people want to live and work. If that does not happen, we risk stagnating as a borough. We’re committed to making sure that does not happen.
“There’s a long way to go yet, and developments of this scale don’t happen overnight. But we are working to improve the town centre as a whole and this is part of that vision.
“We want people who work in our borough to also live here as this will maximise the economic benefits to the area.
“Step-by-step, along with other initiatives in the town centre, we’re changing how our town centre can be used safely, and enjoyed by everyone.”
Ben Hindley, Regional Land and Partnership Director at Keepmoat, Yorkshire East, added: “We’re excited to be working in partnership with the Council to regenerate a large parcel of brownfield land and deliver new homes in Grimsby.
“At Keepmoat we pride ourselves on supporting local authorities to achieve their housing targets and we are honoured to be the housebuilder of choice for this project, selected to create much needed quality housing stock for generations to come.
“We are approaching the project in the Alexandra Dock area of Grimsby with healthy life principles in mind, to ensure the scheme is not only visually appealing, but has plenty of available green spaces for walking, cycling and spending time outside.”
ABP refurbishes memorial to wartime minesweeping crews
Grimsby’s tribute to members of its seafaring community who risked their lives sweeping the seas for mines has been refurbished by custodians Associated British Ports.
The freestanding memorial for both world wars was erected in 2001 by members of the Royal Naval Patrol Service Veterans led by the late Tom Walkley and supported by Associated British Ports (ABP) who allowed the memorial to be sited on our land and supported its creation.
Simon Bird, Regional Director of the Humber ports said: “Due to its location the memorial suffers the ravages of the weather and it’s fitting that we keep it maintained as a tribute to all those who served and gave their lives. We’re delighted that it has been restored to its former glory.
“Grimsby was a major centre for the minesweeping crews, mainly fishermen who joined up as they had the local knowledge of the Estuary and the North Sea. They earnt the nickname Harry Tate’s Navy, which was jargon for something amateurish after an old music hall entertainer who played a clumsy comic. They were anything but amateurs and became well respected by the Navy for their courage and resourcefulness. This is a fitting tribute to those men.”
Dale Wells from the Turntable Gallery said: “The Turntable Gallery was delighted to be awarded the incredible opportunity to preserve the memorial to the memories of those valiant minesweepers who lost their lives, clearing the estuary and beyond, of enemy mines.
“As part of the gallery’s ongoing commitment to preserving out material heritage, and restoring the artifacts of our shared past, this project was one we relished. The task required sympathetic cleaning, re-establishing the worn lettering, and replacing the lost badges. The latter involving extensive research and contact with specialists in the field. These new ceramic pieces have been sourced from Italian artisans, and now adorn the central stone. “
“To restore this important monument and preserve its legacy for future generations to remember these heroes by, has felt incredibly poignant, considering the hardships people face to this day, in the channel. Working on repainting the lettering of the faded names, and learning a little of the lives they lived, and left behind, has made their stories incredibly immediate. The least we can do is ensure the record of their passing is preserved.”
Work on the memorial has included recolouring the letters and having three new replacement badges made for the centrepiece.
Grimsby was a minesweeper base in both world wars and in 1908 provided two trawlers to the Admiralty for minesweeping tests. The memorial is to the memory of the 2,385 men who during World War Two have no grave but the sea.
The original plaque dedicated in 1939 to those who swept the seas is located on the western side of the Dock Tower after a campaign by Dorothy Clapham, who wrote the Lavendar Column in the local newspaper. It was paid for by Grimsby businessmen Mr J Doig and Mr A Phillips.
Together again: Devolution deal will create County Authority for Lincolnshire
Everyone living within the historic county of Lincolnshire is to be served by a new local authority from next spring, thanks to the agreement of a devolution deal that will bring together North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, and Lincolnshire County Councils as the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority.
It’s expected that devolution will progress through its final legislative stage to allow the forming of the new authority before the Mayoral election next May, and reverses the creation of the new authorities on the breakup of Humberside County Council.
The Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, Cllr Philip Jackson said: “I am sure I share the sentiments of the Leaders of Lincolnshire County Council and North Lincolnshire Council, when I say this is the best possible news we could have hoped for. Months and months of dedicated hard work and effort has been put into creating a vision for Greater Lincolnshire that will offer a cohesive approach – allowing this region to grow and prosper.
“Our deal was supported by the last Government with millions of pounds of funding agreed to be devolved down to our new Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority to ensure we would be able to truly invest in our key priority areas, which will underpin our positive way forward.
“I am therefore delighted that Greater Lincolnshire devolution continues to have the support of the country’s new Government and I now look forward to continuing our journey towards more local control with funding and powers handed to those who are closer to the communities they serve. We have a chance to make a real difference.”
Lincolnshire County Council Leader Martin Hill said: “This is great news and I’m pleased we are able to move forward with devolution to deliver growth in Greater Lincolnshire. We have always been clear that strengthening local decision-making where we consider the needs and wants of our communities, will give the best results for residents and businesses.
“It’s clear that having a Mayoral Combined Authority will give us the ability to liaise directly with the government about what is best for our residents and be able to achieve our ambitious plans more quickly. The decision to take this forward reflects our strong partnership work with North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire councils, and the hard work we have all put in to making sure it’s the right deal for our area.”
Cllr Rob Waltham of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “Our £720m deal was supported by thousands of residents and has been on the table for years and negotiated earlier this year. At last, we can get to work on seizing this monumental opportunity – bringing better paid jobs to the area, boosting skills, expanding local infrastructure and enhancing our environment across Lincolnshire.
“We will continue to strengthen ties across our great historic county – I am incredibly proud to have been born, educated and lived and worked in Lincolnshire for most of my life and to have 10 generations of my family living throughout Lincolnshire. We are a great county full of inspirational people who deserve the best opportunities for them and their families as we seek to level up Lincolnshire to deliver a better quality of life for local residents.”
The financial Deal remains the same as finalised between the three lead authorities and the previous Government, with a total investment fund of three-quarters of a billion pounds over the next 30 years. This includes an annual £24m Mayoral Investment Fund to invest in priority areas of jobs and skills; housing & highways, transport, the environment and nature, net zero, digital improvements, and innovation and trade.
There is also an initial capital funding pot of £28m including brownfield funding for individual schemes across Greater Lincolnshire. In North East Lincolnshire this will support the phase one development of a Grimsby Town Centre Transport Hub, along with the new housing scheme for the town’s Alexandra Dock.
North East Lincolnshire park tennis courts formally reopen with family fun session
Three tennis courts across North East Lincolnshire are to be officially reopened on 28 September with a family fun session after a £255,000 renovation, managed by the LTA, and supported by the LTA Tennis Foundation.
Tennis courts in Haverstoe Park, Sussex Recreation Ground and Barretts Recreation Ground have benefited from this investment.
The Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, along with representatives from the LTA will formally open the courts at an event at the court at Sussex Recreation Ground, open for people from the local community to attend from 9am to 11am.
Through the Parks Tennis Project, the LTA is delivering the biggest ever investment in parks tennis facilities across Britain, which has been used to transform three sets of courts across the local area, providing a significant boost to sporting facilities.
The courts have undergone extensive work to ensure viability for years to come, including resurfacing, repainting, new posts and nets and the addition of security measures for the courts. This nationwide programme of investment is seeing thousands of existing park tennis courts in poor or unplayable condition brought back to life for the benefit of communities across the country, providing vital opportunities for children and adults to get active.
As well as weekly free park tennis sessions, with equipment provided, the new courts will host Local Tennis Leagues, giving people the opportunity to get involved in friendly and social local competitions.
We Do Tennis will be responsible for the operation of the courts for the next five years.
Andy Moss, Head of Parks at We Do Tennis, said: “We Do Tennis is a not-for-profit organisation focused on improving, growing, and securing the future of tennis at all levels. We are extremely excited to be working with the Council and the residents of the local area to provide a first-class tennis offering. Improving the facilities is a great first step and our role is to activate tennis in the area and get lots of happy people with a racket in their hand.”
Cllr Hayden Dawkins, Cabinet member for leisure, said: “I’d like to thank the LTA particularly for their funding for this project to help us bring these back into use. This has been a lovely project to watch grow in our local parks, and I’m delighted to see the courts refurbished and ready for our residents and visitors to use all year round.”
Julie Porter, Chief Operating Officer at the LTA, said: “After months of hard work, we’re delighted to see park tennis courts across North East Lincolnshire officially back open to the public, and in better shape than ever.
“Public tennis courts are such vital facilities for getting active and we want as many people as possible, of all ages and abilities, to pick up a racket and enjoy playing tennis. Thanks to this investment the sport will be opened up to more players, for years to come.”
Image credit: North East Lincolnshire Council
Grantham Dementia Reminiscence Groups support members of RAF Family with memory loss
To mark World Alzheimer’s Day, recognised globally on 21 September, the RAF welfare charity, the RAF Benevolent Fund, is highlighting its support for members of the RAF Family affected by dementia and memory loss in Grantham.
Research has found that 982,000 people are estimated to be living with dementia in the UK, with 52% of the UK public knowing someone who has been diagnosed with a form of dementia.
According to research, armed forces veterans have an increased risk of dementia due to risk factors including traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, deployment, and sleep. The RAF Benevolent Fund facilitates Dementia Reminiscence Groups for serving and retired members of the RAF, including widows and spouses, who are affected by memory loss.
The groups, based in Grantham and country-wide, allow members of the RAF Family with dementia and memory loss to share life experiences, memories and stories from the past, giving those affected a sense of competence and confidence by recalling these memorable moments.
In 2023, the RAF Benevolent Fund was awarded a grant of £82,000 from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust to go towards funding up to eight Dementia Reminiscence Groups over three years.
Terry, who has benefitted from his local group in Cambridgeshire, said: “I struggle with dementia and need prompting by my wife constantly. I forget things when I’m speaking, and she fills in the gaps for me. I forget words, where I live and, more upsettingly, the names of my children. It’s scary. The group has made me feel welcome and is a safe place for my wife and I to speak and meet with people.”
Declan Geraghty, Friendships and Connections Manager at the RAF Benevolent Fund, said: “We are dedicated to supporting the local RAF Family with our Dementia Reminiscence Groups, during Alzheimer’s Awareness Day and beyond. Our goal is to connect individuals affected by memory loss, whether diagnosed or not, by fostering meaningful connections. Engaging with others who share similar experiences can significantly reduce feelings of isolation and enhance overall happiness and wellbeing.”
Image: RAF Benevolent Fund’s Dementia Reminiscence Group attendees take part in the Fund’s Tin Foil Challenge in St Ives, Cambridgeshire. Credit: Ollie Dixon
Edible Grimsby returns to town in October
Free creative event Edible Grimsby returns to the town on Saturday 5th October promising free food tastings, food and drink stalls, and entertainment.
It’s been created by The Culture House in partnership with Emergency Exit Arts to celebrate growing, cooking and sharing food.
Charlotte Bowen, Culture House director said: “2024 sees a return to St James’ Square for Edible Grimsby and it should be a brilliant day when all ages can enjoy food alongside fantastic entertainment within the town centre.”
“We’re committed to enlivening our grey streets with vibrant and accessible events and Edible Grimsby is just one offering that aims to achieve this.”
Taking place from 11am – 4pm, the day will include an array of performances from both local and national talent including street theatre, live music, immersive creative story-telling shows and indoor theatre.
Local community groups Oasis Hub, Community Shop, Friendship at Home and makers including Beetroot Collective will be making bespoke sauces and ‘A Jar of Goodness’ using locally grown ingredients provided by Green Futures. Rhubarb jams and onion chutney will be offered for tasting, together with home-made scones provided by The Canopy Kitchen.
Other fantastic local food stalls that have recently between them served thousands at Cleethorpes’ Grub Fest, will include the popular Greek Shack. Riverhead Coffee will also be providing tasting treats and mini bites.
As well as fun, food-related street theatre, visitors can also enjoy three amazing shows by national touring companies – TEABREAK, TOAST and A Tiger’s Tale for children by M6 Theatre.
Edible Grimsby is funded by Create North East Lincolnshire through the Place Partnership Fund and supported by Ramsden International and Pattesons Glass.
Devlopment of Greyfriars building gets under way in Lincoln
The development of Lincoln’s culturally-significant Greyfriars building has begun, with a view to removing it from the National ‘At Risk’ Register by creating a space for weddings, conferences, and education.
Greyfriars is set to welcome visitors again in late 2025 thanks to a successful bid for £3m in funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and partner organisations.
ASBC Heritage & Conservation Specialists are dedicated to the conservation and restoration of the nation’s historic structures, making them a perfect fit for such a restoration project.
Dating back to 1230, Greyfriars is believed to be the oldest-surviving Franciscan friary building in the country, having served the community in various roles over the centuries including as a Free School, a Jersey knitting and spinning school, a house of correction, a mechanics institute and the county museum.
Heritage Lincolnshire will work with community partners to create a multi-use space for events, conferences, weddings, learning and other creative uses in this historic part of the city. The project will deliver an exciting programme of activities and events to celebrate the history of Greyfriars and provide learning opportunities for a broad audience.
Cllr Joshua Wells, Portfolio Holder for Inclusive Economic Growth at City of Lincoln Council, said: “I am very pleased that the necessary funds from the National Lottery Heritage Fund have been secured to bring the Greyfriars building back into use, and that the construction phase has begun. The building is so steeped in history and culture, and it will become an even more unique and treasured asset to the city once made more accessible for visitors.”
Tracy Stringfellow, Chief Executive at Heritage Lincolnshire added: “I am incredibly excited to start the next stage of this project at the iconic Greyfriars. A tremendous amount of work has been going on behind the scenes, with City of Lincoln colleagues we have been working closely with the Heritage Fund to bring about appointment of our construction partner, Alan Staley Building Contractors Ltd. We can’t wait to see work progress and for Greyfriars to begin serving the community once again.”
Cleethorpes makes ‘Bucket and Spade’ list of top ten seaside attractions
Cleethorpes has secured a place on the Seaside Heritage Network’s Bucket and Spade List of the Top Ten favourite seaside places.
A public vote put the resort’s Lakeside area at Number 7, behind features at New Brighton, the Isle of Wight, and Folkestone, with Scarborough’s Grand Hotel coming in at Number 9.
Voters said of Cleethoroes’ Lakeside area that it was family friendly, very accessible for mobility restricted disabled people; calming and great for mental well-being; and spacious.
Dr Kathryn Ferry, founder member of the Seaside Heritage Network, stressed how important it was to see people and communities getting behind the vote: “Our winners this year are not the usual suspects but that is a timely reminder that seaside heritage is not always grand or obvious. These are attractions that make their location unique, they are distinctive things that are highly valued by residents and visitors alike; it’s for that reason thousands of people took the time to register their choice.
“Several themes came out in the comments from voters and the sense of continuity these places and experiences provide was key. People have a great nostalgia for the things they enjoyed in childhood and they are grateful for the opportunity to pass that on to the next generation. Our winners were routinely praised for their family focus and friendly staff too. We firmly believe that embracing the power of seaside heritage to connect with people anew can help coastal places blighted by social and economic problems. It’s brilliant to have such a varied and cherished Top Ten.”
New stretch of King Charles III England Coast Path opens in Lincolnshire
A new stretch of the King Charles III England Coast Path has been opened, giving the public a legal right to access some of Lincolnshire’s coastline for the very first time.
The opening of 57.3 miles (92.7 km) of path between Sutton Bridge and Skegness means the majority of the coastline of The Wash is now open to walkers. This section links to the existing section of King Charles III England Coast Path around the Norfolk coastline and to Lincolnshire’s open National Trail between Skegness and Mablethorpe.
Victoria Manton, Deputy Director for Natural England in the East Midlands, said: “This new stretch of the King Charles III England Coast Path will give people from all over the country access to our beautiful local coastline, connecting them with nature and providing health and wellbeing benefits. The trail will also support the local economy – bringing walkers and visitors to the towns and villages for daytrips, refreshments and places to stay.”
The path provides multiple opportunities to spot sea birds, waders and other fantastic nature with views across The Wash, which is of national and international importance, and also across the rich farmed landscapes of Lincolnshire. The Wash attracts large numbers of migratory and overwintering birds such as knot, dunlin and oystercatcher. The route of the path has been carefully assessed to avoid impacts to protected species. At Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve works have been undertaken to create a year-round dry route.
The trail passes through the town of Boston, passing the memorial to the Pilgrim Fathers who sailed to America on the Mayflower. The trail north of Boston is a new route on a relatively new coastline and as it cannot continue to Skegness until a new bridge is built it stops at a convenient point to allow walkers to either turn around or to turn inland to pick up other paths.
Parts of the path are very remote with no public facilities or connecting paths for many miles, so walkers are advised to be self-sufficient, taking enough food and water for the journey, checking the weather and wearing appropriate clothing and footwear.
Natural England worked on this section of the King Charles III England Coast Path with its key partner Lincolnshire County Council.
Cllr Colin Davie, executive councillor for environment at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “The Lincolnshire coast has long attracted residents and visitors looking to explore its natural beauty. It’s a great pleasure to see this latest section of the King Charles III England Coast Path is now open, giving people even greater access to our unspoilt coastline.
“I had the pleasure of meeting His Majesty elsewhere on the Lincolnshire coast during his first visit to the county as King, back in July last year. He took a keen interest in the management of the coastal environment and providing access to nature. It seems fitting then, that we celebrate extending public access to the coast with the opening of this next section of the path that bears his name.”
Darren Braine, Senior Officer for the King Charles III England Coast Path at Natural England, said: “It has taken many years of working with our partners and land owners to deliver this exciting new National Trail around The Wash and to create this key link in the long distance network. But our work isn’t done. The River Steeping has presented a particular challenge and we are working at pace to design and install a new bridge across the estuary.
“In the meantime, we have to keep this area closed for public use as there is no means of crossing these dangerous tidal waters. Until the new bridge is installed, there are about five miles of the trail that are not yet open for public use, but we have forged ahead with opening the other 52 miles.”
The King Charles III England Coast Path, once completed, will be a 2,700 mile National Trail around the whole of the English coast, enabling people to enjoy, recognise and value the benefits of our environment. Over 95% of the English coast is expected to be walkable by the end of 2024, with work to finish the job following on closely behind.
The KCIIIECP will link up and improve existing coastal paths and create new access where there was none before. People can arrive at the coast anywhere in England in the confident knowledge that there will be clear, well-signed and well-managed access around the coast in either direction. The trail aims to stay as close to the coast as possible and in many places that means walking right alongside the coast, while in others it heads inland, though usually only for short distances.
Once complete the King Charles III England Coast Path will be England’s longest National Trail. It is unique as a ‘coastal margin’ is being created alongside the trail. The margin includes all land between the trail and the sea, providing new rights to enjoy areas like beaches and dunes. Exceptions will apply such as private properties and gardens, buildings and MoD land. In some locations mudflats and saltmarsh will have restricted access due to their unsuitability.
Image credit: Stock.adobe.com/Brian Jackson 