Coastal Regeneration in English Resorts - 2010 Edited by John K Walton & Patrick Browne Contents Preface II Foreword III Introduction 1 Chapter 1 English seaside towns: past, present and future 12 Chapter 2 Coastal issues and the select committee inquiry into coastal towns 28 Chapter 3 Regeneration players and coastal networks 47 Chapter 4 Regeneration policies and their impact on coastal areas 63 Chapter 5 The view from the beach 79 Chapter 6 Enterprising the coast 93 Chapter 7 Culture-led regeneration in seaside towns1 109 Chapter 8 Researching the coast 119 Chapter 9 Cultural regeneration in four South East coastal towns 132 Chapter 10 Coastal areas and their duty to undertake an economic assessment 142 Chapter 11 Health, wellbeing and regeneration in coastal resorts 159 Chapter 12 Ageing and coastal communities 175 Chapter 13 Light entertainment, fairgrounds, penny-arcades and beach huts 184 Chapter 14 The planning system and coastal regeneration 190 Chapter 15 In their own words…services for coastal regeneration 199 Chapter 16 The highlights, a checklist, and doing small things better 212 Notes to the chapters 229 Index 246 I Preface This book is born of a desire now beginning a new academic We are also indebted to the by the Coastal Communities life as IKERBASQUE Research many local authorities, coastal Alliance (CCA) to maintain and Professor in the Department MPs and coastal networks extend the national debate on of Contemporary History at and organisations that have how to address the complex the University of the Basque provided articles and responded social and economic problems Country in Bilbao. John’s to our various questionnaires that are associated with English contribution has gone way and requests for follow-up coastal resorts. As such, it is beyond his modest retainer and information. very much work in progress, and his four chapters to embrace the debates that are generated a co-editing role, which gave The Coastal Communities here will be continued on practical weight to his love, Alliance would finally wish to the CCA website to create knowledge and enthusiasm for acknowledge the contribution a resource for organisations some of the most evocative of Lincolnshire County concerned about the future of settlements in England. Council, particularly the staff England’s seaside resorts. time of Nicola Precious and While the organisational for housing Jessica Ireland, The publication has been generosity provided the an admirable graduate intern made possible by the financial financial mortar for the book, during 2009. support of national and the bricks of words were, in regional organisations involved the main, provided free of John Walton would like to in varying aspects of coastal charge by a range of authors conclude this preface by resort regeneration. These from around the country. The emphasizing the indispensable include the Department CCA wishes to acknowledge nature of Patrick Browne’s for Communities and Local our deep gratitude to: contribution to this project. Government, the Improvement Jane Atherton, Newcastle Without his enthusiasm, and Development Agency, the University; Leigh Sear and commitment and expertise LGA Coastal Special Interest Jo Lee, WoodHolmeGroup; it is hard to imagine it having Group, and the South East, Fred Gray, Sussex University; got off the ground or arriving East and East Midlands Regional Chris Bamber, GONW; Lesa at this tangible and, we hope, Development Agencies. Dryburgh, Clore Fellow, Ivan successful birth. Annibal, Lincolnshire County The small budget that the CCA Council; Stephen Hayler, Patrick Browne, John Walton garnered, combined with the Canterbury Christ Church Lincoln and Lancaster, intrinsic interest and value of the University; David Powell, DPA; 11 January 2010 project, was sufficient to secure Ben Cave Associates Ltd., the services of Professor John and the Centre for Tourism K. Walton, formerly of Leeds and Cultural Change, Leeds Metropolitan University and Metropolitan University. II Coastal Regeneration in English Resorts - 2010 Foreword Britain’s coastline is rightly and problems are exacerbated Communities Alliance, which widely celebrated as one of our by the declining and seasonal has published this book. My national treasures. From steep nature of the coastal economy. fellow committee members and cliffs to flat salt marshes; from None of these characteristics I welcome the formation of this sandy beaches to rugged rocks; is unique to coastal towns; Alliance, which is open to all from fishing villages to bracing but the combination of them, coastal local authorities in the resorts and bustling ports – the together with the particular UK and to any public or private images of our coastal regions environmental challenges, sector organisation with an are a fundamental part of our led us to conclude that these interest in coastal communities. identity as an island nation. Yet, communities face significant and It focuses on socioeconomic as well as distinctive physical specific challenges that warrant and regeneration issues, and features and landscapes (which government action. works with the government’s themselves bring unique working group and the RDAs problems), Britain’s coastal The committee was very network without duplicating the towns and communities also disappointed with the core services they provide. share particular socioeconomic government’s initial response characteristics and concerns, to our report because it failed This authoritative handbook characteristics that are typically to recognise this need for is just one example of the quite different from those of specific measures for coastal contributions that the CCA has inland communities. communities. I wrote to the made, providing as it does a Secretary of State, asking for toolkit for coastal regeneration In 2007, the Communities a second, more considered practitioners. It encourages and Local Government Select response and that second new approaches to address Committee, which I chair, response in October 2007 long standing problems of launched an inquiry into coastal was much more positive. deprivation, shares knowledge towns. We concluded that It accepted many of our and best practice, and outlines many coastal towns share recommendations, including who is doing what in coastal common factors including the establishment of a cross- regeneration. physical isolation, significant departmental working group levels of deprivation and and a coastal areas network I wish the Coastal Communities transience, and low-waged, of Regional Development Alliance and all those working low-skilled, seasonally Agencies. towards coastal regeneration dependent economies. As every success in their efforts However, an inadvertent but older – and in some cases to revitalise these valuable positive additional outcome vulnerable – people move in, communities. young people tend to leave. of the initial response was There is a lack of affordable, that, because of the level of Dr Phyllis Starkey, MP suitable housing, with large dissatisfaction amongst various Chair, Communities and Local former hotels and guest concerned organisations and Government Committee houses often converted for groups, they independently multiple occupancy. All these formed the Coastal Coastal Regeneration III Introduction by John K. Walton out the groundwork. A new optimism about the state of British seaside resorts was becoming apparent at the start of the school summer holidays in 2009. A full-page feature in the Guardian on 18 July captured the tone, referring to a new pattern of ‘staycation’ holidays and to the British seaside as the ‘Costa Fraction’. This Handbook responds to also diverse and sometimes Good early summer weather, the growing awareness at the contradictory proposals for the fall of the pound against beginning of the twenty-first solutions, especially where the euro, evidence of buoyant century that British seaside the contested terrain of seasonal employment in resorts towns, and especially the ‘regeneration’ is at issue. And (at least in parts of the south seaside tourism industry, there is a continuing need to and south-west), and indications are in difficulties. Those convince central government that ‘towns that have spent difficulties, though real, are of the need to develop a cash on making themselves not as severe as they are national policy framework for better able to compete with often painted, and are far coastal towns, and to recognise European destinations seem from being terminal. the distinctive nature of the to be thriving’, were strung problems they present. together to produce an There is scope for positive optimistic interpretation. It was intervention by all levels What follows is intended as qualified by suggestions that of government in seaside a map to guide practitioners ‘people are downsizing from economies, societies and through this minefield, while the middle’, creating problems environments; and there is offering them suggestions about in the upper and middle levels every reason to provide and ways forward, best practice and of the holiday industry, while support such intervention. encouraging a broad outlook heavy demand for pasties in This will not be easy, because and joined-up thinking. We Cornwall was thought to reflect local and regional experiences need to avoid silo mentalities, a preference for cheaper picnics are many and various (though whether they are thematic over restaurant meals. strong shared themes are (looking at particular issues in But that was a remarkably