Research and analysis

Coastal Communities Fund: round 5 progress report (England) - accessible version

Published 18 September 2023

Applies to England

Ministerial foreword

From Weymouth to Wells-next-the-Sea, and from the quiet fishing harbours of Sennen Cove to the bustling international ports of the Solent, our coastal communities are inextricably linked not just to our country’s rich history but also to our future prosperity.

As a government, we have been – and remain – wholly committed to investing in our seaside villages, towns and cities right along the Great British Coast, helping them to adapt, thrive and grow for generations to come.

That’s one of the reasons why, in 2012, we launched the multi-million pound Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) – giving these seaside communities all the tools and resources they need to support local business, to promote tourism and to attract private investment from here and around the world.

This report highlights the success of the Coastal Communities Fund in its fifth round of funding – from 2018 to 2021.

It shines a bright light on a wealth of successful projects – 47 in all – predicted to create over 2,000 new, well-paid jobs and attracting over £50.29 million of partner investment.

These are ambitious schemes like ‘Sail the Wash’ in King’s Lynn – making this Norfolk harbour town a unique sailing destination complete with a new pontoon and swing mooring in the heart of their historic district.

At the other end of the country, the CCF has supported the National Maritime Museum Cornwall with a Heritage Boat Tours Project – introducing heritage boat tours to Falmouth’s historic docks with trained tour guides speaking to the area’s proud maritime history and diverse wildlife.

In Bournemouth, the CCF is funding a next generation environmental innovation hub, utilising digital technology and an advanced waste transfer station to eliminate single-use plastics, to transform public recycling and make the area one of the greenest and cleanest parts of the UK.

I am very grateful to both our national and local partners who have worked with government to deliver this fund.

I would also like to thank the dedicated coastal teams on the ground working side-by-side with residents, councils and local businesses to make these projects such a resounding success.

While this may be the final round of the CCF, we know its legacy will be seen and felt by the communities it has supported for decades to come.

Everyone who has been part of this nation-wide programme can hold their heads up high safe in the knowledge that, for our Great British Coast, only the brightest days lie ahead.

Dehenna Davison MP
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

1. Introduction

The Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) aims to support the economic development of coastal communities across the UK by providing funding to create growth and jobs, allowing people to adapt to the changing economic needs and opportunities of their area.

The intended outcome of CCF is that ‘coastal communities will experience regeneration and economic growth through projects that directly or indirectly create sustainable jobs and safeguard existing jobs’.

Since CCF began in 2012, over £229 million has been invested in 369 projects across the UK, on behalf of the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Analysis shows that the money has been well spent, with every £1 invested having the potential to create a boost of up to £8 in the coastal economies benefitting^{[footnote 1]}.

Before 2012 there had not been a co-ordinated response to the economic, social and environmental needs and opportunities in the UK’s coastal towns and communities. In the 10 years since CCF was launched, the Fund has provided a clear focal point for positive change, transforming awareness of the issues facing coastal communities and catalysing a surge in investment in economic growth, with public, private and community organisations working in tandem to transform local places.

Since CCF began, funding has been allocated to projects through several competitive bidding rounds.

This report describes the progress of the 47 projects, from April 2018 to March 2022, supported by Round 5 of the Coastal Communities Fund in England only, which began in 2018 with projects delivering up to 2022 and beyond.

It highlights the projects supported during that time, reflecting on their achievements so far and how they have contributed to the rejuvenation of coastal communities across England. The CCF Round 5 in England is managed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Groundwork supported the administration of CCF Round 5, including assessing initial applications and facilitating project selection decisions and implementing project monitoring processes.

CFC Round 5 (England) overview

Investment themes and priorities

• Business - Providing investment, advice, support and accommodation to help existing businesses and social enterprises to survive and grow, and new businesses to start-up.
• Community - Funding local groups to deliver new community activities and services to help local people of all ages and backgrounds.
• Environment - Investing in local environmental improvements such as flood defences and sustainable transport (e.g. cycling and walking), and improving awareness of local conservation.
• Physical Infrastructure - Investing in the re-development of brownfield sites in coastal towns, improving the public realm and green spaces, and creating new buildings and facilities (e.g. business incubators, visitor centres).
• Skills and Training - Funding education and training activities (including apprenticeships), helping people of all ages to develop new skills or get a new job.
• Tourism - Supporting the coastal tourism industry to grow, attracting more visitors and spending by providing new or improved attractions and better services for tourists, and helping local tourism and hospitality businesses to survive and grow.

Geography

Coastal towns and communities anywhere in England were eligible to bid. The project selection process aimed to support a good and fair spread of projects across the English regions.

The CCF Round 5 projects coincided with the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, which created huge disruption and further hardship in coastal towns and communities that were already facing economic and social issues. Despite the difficulties, the Round 5 projects have proven to be incredibly resilient. While many projects have suffered delays as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns and a temporary loss of business activity and visitors in coastal communities, most have adapted and found a way to achieve their plans and are already helping their local economies and communities to recover from the effects of the pandemic.

While all projects were originally due to complete by 31 March 2021, COVID-19 restrictions and associated impacts forced many projects to delay activity and extend their completion dates. This has been most pronounced in large capital projects where global supply chain issues have had severe impacts. Despite these unavoidable delays, the projects have found a way to keep going and their positive outcomes are needed now more than ever.

CCF is delivering on the UK Government’s levelling up mission^{[footnote 2]}, creating jobs, opportunity, and wealth, improving living standards and wellbeing, and boosting pride of place in coastal towns and communities that for too long have faced inequality and decline. The projects supported with CCF Round 5 funding are transforming England’s coastal communities for the better.

2. About our coastal towns and communities

In recent decades, many coastal towns and communities across England and the wider UK have been in decline. While the advance of economic globalisation, innovation and competition has benefitted the UK overall, with improving productivity, wealth and living standards, these benefits have not reached many coastal communities outside London and the South East. This has left deep and lasting scars in many of these places, damaging skills, jobs, opportunity, pride of place, health and wellbeing.

Although the pattern of decline is not uniform, and there are many prosperous coastal communities in the UK, most have been affected by some common challenges, which CCF has aimed to address:

• Over-dependence on seasonal, lower paid jobs in a small range of industries such as tourism and hospitality, and a lack of higher paid, higher skilled jobs locally.
• Declining and ageing populations, partly resulting from lack of opportunities and migration of young people out of coastal towns and communities to seek jobs, education, housing, and better prospects elsewhere.
• Distance from markets making it more difficult for businesses to prosper, and distance from services for local people, exacerbated by poor transport connectivity.
• Lack of available housing stock making it difficult for the local population to secure and/or afford appropriate housing.
• Declining physical infrastructure and environment (e.g. disused brownfield sites and buildings, poor quality public realm, lack of community facilities).
• Social challenges resulting from long term economic decline (e.g. unemployment, crime and antisocial behaviour, declining health and wellbeing).
• COVID-19 pandemic has deepened or accelerated some pre-existing challenges (e.g. unemployment, low incomes, health and wellbeing).

The projects funded by CCF Round 5 are playing a very important role in helping coastal communities across England to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as addressing pre-existing long-term challenges.

The CCF projects are creating and safeguarding jobs, helping businesses to start, sustain and grow, helping young people and others develop new skills and get their first job, attracting extra visitors and spending to boost local economies, and improving facilities and services for the benefit of local people.

Despite the inherent challenges, investment in coastal communities has resulted in positive changes in many places in recent years. In addition, some of the changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted new opportunities for some coastal communities, which may offer potential to support long term transformation and growth in some areas.

Examples include:

• Increase in home working enabled by digital technology has allowed some people living in coastal areas to secure better paid, higher skilled jobs with employers based in cities and elsewhere in the country, boosting opportunities and local incomes.
• Growth in UK staycations in coastal locations (underway before the pandemic but accelerated since) has attracted extra visitors and spending, growing businesses, and creating new jobs in some coastal communities.
• Greater appreciation of the outdoors, quality of life and wellbeing is making some coastal communities more attractive as places to live and work, with more people relocating to coastal communities, helping to reverse population decline and further boosting local economies in some places.

Many of the positive changes and opportunities in local areas have been enabled by CCF funded projects, which have improved infrastructure and facilities in coastal communities for the benefit of local people, businesses, and visitors.

There are many reasons for optimism about the future of coastal towns and communities as they continue to adapt and grasp the opportunities brought about by changes in technology, the economy, and people’s attitudes to coastal living and visits.

3. How CCF Round 5 was invested in England

• 47 projects supported
• £50.8 million CCF awarded
• £101.1 million total project costs
• £50.29 million attracted from other funders

Between 2012 and 2022, there have been 5 rounds of CCF funding, which together have invested over £229 million in 369 projects across the UK.

Within this overall total, CCF Round 5 awarded £50.8m funding to 47 projects across England, attracting a further £50.29m of investment from other funders, with every £1 of CCF funding attracting a further £1 of funds from other sources.

At a regional level, the South West accounted for 43% of all funding awarded, followed by the North West (26%), South East (12%), and East of England (10%). These regions shared CCF funding totalling £46.2m. Projects in the East of England, East Midlands, North East, and Yorkshire and Humber regions have also benefitted, sharing CCF funding totalling £4.6m. This mirrored a pattern from previous rounds, with the South West being the region with the biggest amount of coastline.

In some cases, projects needed to be fully funded by CCF, depending on whether projects had access to funding from elsewhere. These projects were assessed in the same way as all other projects and decisions made were in accordance with the assessment framework.

Whilst funding from other sources was encouraged, it was not essential and CCF could be the sole funder of a project. Projects with finance from other sources had to ensure that funding arrangements did not impact on the ability to deliver the project within CCF timescales.

Figure 1: CCF investment and co-funding (by region)

Region | CCF Award | Co-Funding | Projects Supported |—-|—–:|—–:|:—–:| England Total |£50,796,193 |£50,285,598| 47 East of England |£5,224,408 |£4,235,935|6 East Midlands |£370,000| - |1 North East |£2,907,090 |£1,520,643|5 North West |£13,175,983 |£15,011,517|9 South East |£6,032,775 |£4,961,462|8 South West |£21,717,219 |£24,556,041|16 Yorkshire & Humber |£1,368,718| - |2

The £50.29 million in co-investment was provided by a variety of public, private, and charitable funders.

The Coastal Communities Fund was made available to all coastal towns in the UK. Communities were expected to put forward projects for consideration and all the project applications were assessed under robust, fair and transparent rules.

Unsuccessful places were offered feedback on their application, to support bids to future funds.

CCF Round 5 awarded funding to projects focused on 6 investment themes. The largest funding allocation went to Business projects (£16.4 million), followed by Tourism (£12.8 million), and Physical Infrastructure (£10.1 million). Other investment themes received smaller, although still substantial CCF funding allocations, including Community (£4.3 million), Environment (£4.0 million) and Skills & Training (£3.2 million).

View the interactive map

Figure 2: CCF investment by theme

The largest number of projects supported was within the Tourism theme (17 projects), followed by Business (11 projects). Between 4 and 6 projects were supported with each of the remaining themes (Community, Environment, Physical Infrastructure, Skills and Training).

The average CCF funding award was just over £1 million per project. Physical Infrastructure and Business projects attracted the highest average awards (£1.68 million and £1.49 million respectively). Skills & Training and Tourism projects attracted the lowest average CCF grants (£0.63 million and £0.75 million respectively).

• Business (32%): £16,438,250
• Tourism (25%): £12,751,895
• Physical infrastructure (20%): £10,086,583
• Community (9%): £4,339,096
• Environment (8%): £4,024,343
• Skills and training (6%): £3,156,026

Figure: 3 CCF awarded by theme (detail)

Investment Theme | Number of Projects | % of Projects | Value (£) | Share (%) | Average Value (£) |—-|—-|—-|—-:|—-|—-:| Business | 11 | 23% |£16,438,250 |32% |£1,494.386 Community| 4| 9% |£4,339,096 |9% |£1,084,774 Environment| 4| 9% |£4,024,343 |8% |£1,006,086 Physical Infrastructure| 6| 13% |£10,086,583 |20% |£1,681,097 Skills and Training| 5 | 10% |£3,156,026 |6% |£631,205 Tourism|17|36% |£12,751,895 |25% |£750,111 Total|47|100% |£50,796,193 |100% |£1,080,777

Examples of the types of activities supported include:

• Business: creating shared workspaces and business incubators; providing packages of advice and support to assist local start-ups and SMEs.
• Community: new community projects such as accessible leisure facilities enabling people with disabilities to enjoy the local environment and nature; creating new spaces for events and activities bringing local communities together.
• Environment: improving cycling routes and electric charging points to encourage visitors to reduce their carbon footprint as they move around local areas; projects to reconnect residents and visitors with the local environment, with improved information and outreach activities.
• Physical Infrastructure: refurbishment of disused sites and premises in towns, bringing derelict buildings back into use for new economic and community activities.
• Skills and Training: apprenticeships for young people; upskilling the workforce to take up local jobs; connecting residents with local employers; establishing creative skills and education hubs.
• Tourism: creating new visitor attractions; providing local tourism ambassadors; using digital technologies to improve the visitor experience.

All organisation types were eligible to apply for CCF. Local authorities accounted for the greatest share of projects (45%). This was followed by private companies (23%) and registered charities (19%). The allocation of CCF Round 5 funding broadly reflects the distribution of projects, with local authorities receiving £26.4 million (52% of the total funding), and private companies and charities securing a combined total of £18.7 million (37%). Other organisations such as trust ports, local enterprise partnerships, coastal community partnerships, and social enterprises accounted for a combined total of £5.7 million CCF.

Figure 4: CCF Round 5 projects by organisation type

• Local authority (includes 1 town council): 21
• Private company: 11
• Registered charity: 9
• Social enterprise: 1
• Other: 5

Figure 5: CCF Round 5 awards (£ millions) by organisation type

• Local authority (includes 1 town council): £26.4 million
• Private company: £13.6 million
• Registered charity: £5.1 million
• Social enterprise: £1.1 million
• Other: £4.6 million

4. How communities have benefitted

CCF Round 5 in England is delivering the following benefits in coastal communities:

• 2,118 jobs created and safeguarded
• 3,563 businesses supported
• 152 community projects supported
• 85,981 local people benefitting
• 2,249 trainees supported
• 914,398 additional visitors attracted

The CCF Round 5 projects are forecast to create or safeguard a total of approximately 2,118 direct and indirect jobs^{[footnote 3]} in coastal towns and communities across England. Most of the projects are currently in the delivery phase and together they have supported a total of 910 jobs already^{[footnote 4]}. It is expected that a further 1,208 jobs will be created or safeguarded over the coming months as the projects complete.

	Actual to March 2022	Total Forecast
Direct Jobs	247	358
Indirect Jobs	334	1,152
Safeguarded Jobs	329	608
Total	910	2,118

The greatest number of jobs are in the South West, East of England, and North West, largely reflecting the pattern of CCF investment through Round 5.

Figure 6: Employment outputs (by region)

Region| Actual jobs to date |Remaining Forecast |—–|:——:|:——-:| England Total |910 |1,208 Yorkshire & Humber |10 |8 South West |368 |279 South East |148 |40 North West |158 |353 North East |109 |103 East Midlands |0|0 East of England |117 |425

Tourism projects are creating and safeguarding the greatest numbers of jobs, followed by Business, and Physical Infrastructure projects. Community and Environment projects have created and safeguarded the smallest number of jobs. This reflects the level of CCF investment in the different sectors.

Figure 7: Jobs created and safeguarded by investment theme

In addition to the job outputs, the Round 5 CCF projects are delivering a variety of other benefits. These other outputs show how the projects are revitalising coastal towns and communities by supporting businesses to grow, helping local people to improve skills and get jobs, boosting the tourism sector, and improving local infrastructure and facilities.

• Tourism (50%): 1,053 jobs
• Business (25%): 538 jobs
• Skills and training (8%): 174 jobs
• Physical infrastructure (11%): 238 jobs
• Environment (4%): 82 jobs
• Community (2%): 33 jobs

Round 5 projects are forecast to create the following outputs:

Business:

It is clear that CCF Round 5 funding is improving the resilience, sustainability, and growth of local businesses with more than 3,500 SMEs (including social enterprises) supported across England, and more than 250 new businesses supported to start-up. The businesses supported are expected to increase sales by a total of £15.4 million.

• 3,563 private businesses supported
• 258 new businesses started

Community:

CCF Round 5 is building the capacity of coastal communities across England, with more than 85,000 local people benefitting, more than 150 community projects supported, and almost 500 community organisations supported. This includes local community members having access to new cultural and educational provision, new and improved local facilities including enhanced public realm and public toilets, and community activities connecting and celebrating people with historically marginalised identities.

• 85,981 individuals supported
• 152 community projects

Physical Infrastructure:

CCF funding is helping to transform the physical fabric of coastal towns and communities, bringing 34 hectare (ha) of unused brownfield sites back into use, and upgrading the quality of the public realm and green spaces with more than 233,000m² of spaces improved (the equivalent of more than 30 football pitches). The funding is also improving local infrastructure, creating more than 15,000m² of new and improved buildings and facilities, such as business incubators and visitor centres.

• 34 hectare brownfield land brought back into use
• 233,537m² public realm created or improved

Skills and Training:

By investing in skills and training projects, CCF Round 5 is improving access to opportunities and jobs for local people, with more than 2,200 trainees supported to learn new skills, 175 people gaining qualifications, and 166 people supported to get a new job.

• 2,249 vocational and non-vocational trainees
• 166 trainees into employment

Tourism:

Tourism is a vital part of the local economy in many coastal towns and communities, creating wealth and jobs for local people. CCF Round 5 funding is boosting the tourism sector, supporting almost 600 new tourism events across England, and creating almost 50 new tourist attractions and facilities. These investments are helping coastal communities to attract more than 900,000 new visitors, bringing more than £26m in new visitor spending to local economies.

• 914,398 additional visitors
• £26.2 million new visitor expenditure
• 596 new tourism events

Environment:

CCF Round 5 is also supporting projects that address environmental needs and priorities in local areas, mitigating the impacts of climate change and supporting the drive towards net zero. The funding is supporting 5 coastal defence investments, protecting local communities against the risks of flooding. It is also supporting 6 local sustainable transport projects, including improvements to local cycling and walking routes.

• 5 coastal defences
• 6 sustainable transport projects

The government is determined to change the country for the better, uniting and levelling up our regions – including our coastal communities. Since 2012, CCF has awarded grants to 369 projects across the UK, totalling over £229 million.

Ensuring our coastal towns have the support they need to thrive is at the heart of this government’s plan to level up every part of the UK.

All output figures are based on project reported information at March 2022. A number of projects are ongoing, having experienced delays due to COVID-19. As a result, not all projects have fully completed yet and many outputs from capital projects will not be realised until the physical work is complete, while other projects will continue to deliver outputs into their operational phase. We will continue to monitor projects to ensure they continue to receive support and achieve their full potential.

Figure 8: All CCF Round 5 outputs by theme

Investment Theme | Output Indicator | Total Forecast | Actual to Date |—–|——|——-:|—–:| Business | Private businesses supported | 3,563 | 2,974 Business |Increase in business sales (£m) | 15.4 | 3.6 Business |New businesses started | 258 | 225 Business | Social enterprises supported and started | 62 | 53 Community| Individuals supported | 85,981| 24,694 Community| Organisations supported| 472| 253 Community| Community projects supported | 152| 117 Environment| Sustainable transport projects | 6 | 6 Environment| Flood / Coastal defence projects | 5 | 4 Physical Infrastructure | Brownfield land remediated / developed (ha) | 34 | 32 Physical Infrastructure | New or upgraded floorspace (sq m)| 15,057 | 13,168 Physical Infrastructure | Public realm created or improved (sq m)| 233,537 | 214,469 Physical Infrastructure | Physical projects supported | 48| 33 Skills | Non-vocational trainees | 1,751 | 1,353 Skills | Vocational trainees| 498 | 412 Skills | Apprenticeships created| 92 | 71 Skills | Trainees gaining qualifications| 175 | 131 Skills | Trainees gaining employment| 166 | 136 Tourism | Increase in visitor numbers | 914,398 | 77,266 Tourism | New visitor expenditure (£m) | 26.2 | 4.5 Tourism | New tourism facilities created | 49 | 35 Tourism | New tourism businesses started | 39 | 14 Tourism | New tourism events supported | 596 | 375 Tourism | New marina berths created | 62 | 52

CCF projects are providing a range of other benefits in local communities and economies that are more difficult to measure.

Collaboration and partnerships

Many projects have brought together a range of partners to deliver local activities in collaboration. Some strengthened existing partnerships while others fostered new ways of working. For example, the Berwick Welcome visitor project created a new public, private, and voluntary sector partnership that is continuing to work together to achieve the town’s ambitions. The Coastal West Sussex All on Board project has improved collaboration between tourism businesses and created a more connected tourism community locally.

Local pride of place

Engaging the local community in CCF funded projects, and improving the physical environment in towns, has helped to generate increased pride in local areas. For example, the Reimagining St Austell project reported that residents now have a much greater sense of pride about where they live and work.

Improved perceptions

Many projects have helped to raise the profile and improve perceptions of their local areas. For example, the Berwick Welcome visitor project has improved first impressions of the town by creating a higher quality welcome experience for first time visitors. The WAVE project (Cornwall and Isles of Scilly) has used digital technologies, including augmented reality visitor experiences, to raise the profile of visitor attractions in the area. In many communities, CCF investment is helping to challenge previous negative perceptions of the area.

Catalyst for further change

CCF has kickstarted and helped to attract additional investment that has catalysed further change in coastal towns. For example, following on from CCF investment The Margate School secured Town Deal funding to expand its work in growing the town’s creative sector. The Lancashire’s Living Seas project secured extra legacy funding on the back of CCF investment that is supporting outdoors activities to improve local residents’ health and wellbeing.

5. Projects in action

The following project examples showcase how CCF Round 5 funding has been invested in coastal communities across England, and the positive difference it is making.

National Trust - Tin Coast Partnership (Environment and Tourism)

The Tin Coast is a stretch of coastline in the west of Cornwall. Part of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site, the area is also celebrated for its wildlife and the outstanding beauty of its landscape.

The Tin Coast Partnership story began in 2016, when the local community started talking about improving tourism for the benefit of businesses, visitors and local people. From these initial discussions, the Tin Coast Partnership was born. With an overarching ethos of sustainable tourism, the Partnership set out to create local jobs and opportunities while protecting the area’s natural environment, heritage and culture.

• 120 businesses supported
• 15 new tourism facilities developed
• 19 new tourism events created

New community assets and infrastructure were built, including an electric car charging network, car parking and cycling routes, and a renewed footpath network. There were enhancements to the visitor experience, such as free wi-fi hotspots, better signage, and a Tin Coast walking App.

The project also brought together the local community and brought people closer to their surroundings, teaching them about their mining heritage, and the rich abundance of local archaeology, flora, fauna, and wildlife.

The Tin Coast Partnership will continue to work with local people and businesses, so that the economy continues to grow in balance with the local community. For more information on the Tin Coast and the future plans of the Partnership, visit:

• Welcome to the Tin Coast
• What we are doing next

Berwick Community Trust – Welcome Visitor Project (Tourism)

The tourism economy is vital to Berwick-upon-Tweed but, despite its array of natural and historic heritage, the town’s potential has been hampered by the lack of a distinctive visitor offer and the seasonal nature of its tourism market.

The Berwick ‘Welcome Visitor’ project aimed to establish Berwick as a ‘you must go there’ destination, bringing in new visitors who would stay longer, do more and spend more while there. Working with the local community and businesses, it created a package of activities to enhance the visitor experience and celebrate Berwick’s distinctive heritage, culture, and environment.

The ‘Welcome Visitor’ package included changing perceptions of Berwick with a new approach to marketing; a refreshed events programme celebrating the town’s character and distinctiveness; training and skills development to support businesses and community enterprises to benefit from the visitor economy; and new wayfinding and signage to improve the way visitors experience the town.

• 15,102 new visitors
• £2.5 million visitor spend
• 11 new tourism events created

As well as bringing in new visitors and increasing visitor spend, the project created 1.5 direct jobs and a further 50 indirect jobs. It supported 114 existing businesses and 3 new businesses, and 220 people completed online training to become Berwick Ambassadors. New online content and social media campaigns were created, and new promotional materials developed.

Maintaining momentum is critical for the town as it rebuilds its tourism businesses in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Berwick Community Trust has recruited a full- time Tourism Officer to coordinate ongoing marketing and promotional activity. In addition, a newly created Berwick Tourism Partnership will build on the project’s success in raising Berwick’s profile and achieving its tourism ambitions.

To find out more about the work of Welcome Berwick and the Berwick Ambassadors programme, visit:

• Visit Berwick
• Berwick Ambassadors

Helford River Children’s Sailing Trust – Trevassack Lake Water Sports for All (Community)

Trevassack Lake, formerly a quarry, is a 26-acre site with 10-acres of sheltered waters adjacent to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula. The site was bought by Helford River Children’s Sailing Trust (HRCST), with the aim of transforming it into a centre for inclusive water sports, offering accessible activities and adapted accommodation year-round.

Plans for the development included a Learning Centre with double-height classrooms for mast rigging lessons, a sensory room and disabled facilities, and 2 adapted holiday lodges for families with disabled children.

Available for use by all, but catering particularly for people with disabilities, the Lake would be fitted out with hoists and pontoons at the waterside to enable young people with severe disabilities to access adapted sailing dinghies, kayaks, power boats and the Trust’s unique floating classroom.

• 1 new tourism facility created
• 663 visitors attracted
• £46k visitor spend

The £1.7 million CCF grant has funded the construction of the Learning Centre, an adapted Holiday Lodge and site infrastructure at Trevassack Lake, creating 3 new jobs and 2 apprenticeships.

Following the end of the CCF project in July 2021, the next phase of delivery focused on completing the Learning Centre, 6 holiday lodges, site infrastructure and landscaping. Marketing and social media got underway, and the booking system went live.

This is very much a long-term project, which is focused on delivering an inclusive, high-quality local amenity and tourist attraction. HRCST has been working closely with disability groups to ensure the facilities are promoted and accessible to those who will most benefit. In addition, activity programmes continue to be enhanced for both locals and tourists alike. Find out more about the work of HRCST at:

• Children’s Sailing Trust – Trevassack Lake

Lancashire Wildlife Trust – Lancashire’s Living Seas (Environment and Tourism)

The Fylde Coast is home to a great diversity of wildlife, and the health of this complex ecosystem is vital to regulating the climate, supporting biodiversity, providing livelihoods, and creating opportunities for recreation.

Building on previous work to raise awareness of coastal wildlife amongst local communities, Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s Living Seas project aimed to increase nature tourism along the coastline, and to inspire and engage people with the marine environment in order to protect its future.

Activities to increase engagement and boost tourism included joint marketing with local businesses; a programme of events, talks and workshops; a mobile interactive display to use in community centres, exhibition spaces, conference and visitor centres; improved signage interpreting coastal wildlife; supporting community groups to actively champion their coast; and providing volunteering opportunities and work placements for local people to help with surveys, wildlife watching, and events.

• 5,300 new visitors
• £182k spending in the local economy
• 149 new visitor events created

Over 3 years, Lancashire’s Living Seas project successfully increased tourism and encouraged engagement with wildlife on the coast. As well as boosting visitor number and spend, the project supported 42 trainees, 31 businesses and 10 community groups. It also improved access, signage and interpretation along the coast and produced 3 Tale Trail story maps.

The project created significant momentum and increased appreciation of nature on the coast. In addition, Lancashire Wildlife Trust has secured legacy funding from the People’s Postcode Lottery, which will help to expand on the activities developed through the Living Seas Project. This includes a new 2-year project, The Bay: A Blueprint for Recovery, delivered in partnership with the Eden Project and Cumbria Wildlife Trust, to encourage local communities to connect with nature all around Morecambe Bay. Find out more about both projects at:

• Living Seas North West
• The Bay

The Margate School – Enterprise and Technical Support for the Local Creative Economy (Skills and Training)

The Margate School is an independent, not-for profit, post-graduate arts school in Margate. In May 2019 the school took over the former Woolworths Building, located in a prominent position on Margate High Street, securing £499,100 CCF funding to support the redevelopment of the building which had been vacant since 2008.

The CCF funding would help to both repurpose the building, establishing a fab lab / makers space, and support Margate’s emerging creative community through courses, events and mentoring, contributing to the regeneration of the town.

• 81 FTE jobs created
• 442 businesses supported
• 16,000 people trained

With the help of the CCF funding the building has been transformed into a creative hub, combining academic excellence with studios and maker facilities. As well as creating jobs and supporting businesses, it has increased footfall in the high street, attracted 1,186 new visitors, and delivered workshops, events and training to around 16,000 people.

The school has become the only higher education institution in Margate, offering the only European MA in Fine Art provision in the country. It has helped to raise the profile of Margate, attracting the support of high-profile individuals, including Tracey Emin CBE RA and John Newbigin OBE. It has supported more than 70 artists, and provided studio space for more than 40 creative professionals and students.

Building on the success of the CCF project, the school has big plans for the future with further growth and development of Margate’s creative industries. This includes new courses, an expanded community outreach programme, and creating apprenticeship and employment opportunities for young people. The school has also secured Town Deal funding to support its ambitions to grow the creative sector in Margate.

• The Margate School

Joining up the Wyre Coastline Economy (Physical Infrastructure)

This Wyre Borough Council project aimed to sustain and support economic growth in Fleetwood and Cleveleys through a series of projects at Fleetwood Market, a key asset and major attraction in the town. Investment in physical infrastructure aimed to improve facilities, encouraging more people to visit and stay longer.

The Council secured £772,085 CCF funding, towards a total project cost of £1.22 million, to invest in improvements at the Market. Plans included the redevelopment of 2 upper floor vacant flats to create shared studio space for start-up businesses; redeveloping the outdoor market to create new stalls and pop-up stalls for start-up businesses; and creating an outdoor entertainment space and new cultural activities.

• 120 businesses supported
• 32 jobs created
• 9 creative businesses accommodated

The project has been a great success, creating 32 new jobs and supporting 120 businesses. The new studio space has been fully occupied by 9 creative business start-ups and artists since September 2021. The outdoor market has been reconfigured to include 8 new kiosks in the outdoor food court, new pop-up stalls, and a seating and entertainment area. To attract people into the market, 2 digital sign units have been installed on Cleveleys Promenade, promoting local attractions and events.

The physical improvements supported with CCF investment have stimulated further investment. In 2020, Fleetwood Market was designated a Heritage Action Zone and awarded £1.7 million funding to deliver further public realm improvements, digital trails, and to bring vacant buildings back into productive use. A new partnership has been established – ‘Future Fleetwood’ – to deliver projects that support the economic development of the town centre. The Council also has plans in place to help businesses boost their online presence and improve their digital skills.

• Fleetwood Market
• Fleetwood Market - The Seaside Shopping Experience - Facebook
• Fleetwood Market (@FleetwoodMkt) - Twitter

Neptune Co-Working Hub – Herne Bay (Business)

A lack of workspace for start-up and small businesses in Herne Bay was the key driver for this project, led by Canterbury City Council. The Council, working in partnership with Herne Bay CCT and the local community radio station, identified a vacant Council office building which could be re-purposed to provide co-working space; meeting and training rooms; and studio space for the radio station.

Funding of £212,950 was secured from CCF, towards a total project cost of £383,950 to create the co-working space and deliver business support for pre-starts, start-ups and existing businesses. The building work was completed in December 2019, and the Neptune Co-working Hub opened in January 2020, providing business accommodation and space for events, workshops and hot-desking.

• 9 new jobs created
• 94 existing businesses supported
• 20 new businesses supported

The Neptune Hub has adapted to incorporate additional COVID safety measures within the facility, to meet the requirements of tenants and users of the co-working space. So far, the project has supported 94 existing businesses and 20 new businesses. It has created 9 new jobs, with a further 27 expected in the next few months. New tenant, Zest Homes, which started up in November 2020 during the pandemic, moved into Neptune in January 2022 to accommodate its expanding workforce. The company, which has benefitted from the co-working hub support, expects to create a further 2 new posts by summer 2022.

Future plans for the Hub include increased delivery of business support to help more people start businesses, and to support the growth of existing businesses. This will include networking events, training, and workshops, as well as specialist one-to-one support such as the drop-in accounting advice service.

• Neptune Co-Working Hub - Facebook

SeaGrown – Boosting Yorkshire’s Blue Economy (Business)

This innovative project identified an opportunity to develop an exciting new marine industry for the UK in the cold, open waters of the North Sea off the Yorkshire Coast. Capitalising on increased consumer interest in meat-free and healthy products, SeaGrown successfully secured £472,150 of CCF funding to create the UK’s first open water seaweed farm and a Floating Outreach, Research, Seaweed Hatchery and Offshore Equipment (FORESHORE) facility.

By the end of the project in 2021, SeaGrown was established as an open water seaweed aquaculture company, producing seeded material to be taken offshore and grown in the sea. FORESHORE, the home of SeaGrown in Scarborough Harbour, is onboard renovated vessel ‘Southern Star’. As well as a café, bar and visitor centre, FORESHORE provides a marine research facility for SeaGrown and visiting scientists.

• 8 jobs created
• 2 Kickstart internships
• 143,637 business sales

With the support of CCF funding, SeaGrown has successfully established the UK’s first open water seaweed farm, creating jobs, as well as ‘Kickstart’ internships for young people on Universal Credit. The pioneering farm can ethically produce bulk farmed seaweed that can be used in many innovative ways, from biodegradable plastics to a new source of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, textiles and biochemicals, as well as supplying local restaurants and wholesalers with seaweed seasonings.

There has been strong media interest, with TV appearances on The Hairy Bikers and The One Show, and print articles in the Yorkshire Post Magazine, Country Living, and The Times. SeaGrown has all the parts in place to thrive in the future, with plans to scale-up the farming operation, develop new markets, and develop shellfish aquaculture to promote sustainable seafood on the Yorkshire coast and beyond.

• SeaGrown
• SeaGrown - Facebook

6. Conclusions

Since the CCF began in 2012, over £229 million has been invested in 369 projects across the UK, which are forecast to generate up to £8 in coastal economies for every £1 spent.

CCF Round 5 has awarded £50.8 million funding to 47 projects across England, attracting a further £50.29 million of investment from other funders. Every £1 of CCF funding has attracted a further £1 of funds from other sources, including local authorities, charitable trusts and foundations. The CCF Round 5 projects are forecast to create or safeguard more than 2,000 jobs and support more than 85,000 people in coastal towns and communities across England.

The largest proportion of Round 5 funding has gone to Business projects, which are helping to improve the resilience, sustainability, and growth of local businesses. This investment will support more than 3,500 SMEs, help more than 250 new businesses to start, and collectively increase sales by more than £15 million.

Tourism is vital to the local economy in coastal towns and communities, and the largest number of projects supported by CCF Round 5 were Tourism related. The tourism projects supported have made a real difference, with CCF funding helping to create almost 600 new tourism events across England, as well as 50 new tourist attractions and facilities. Together, the projects will attract more than 900,000 visitors to coastal towns and communities, bringing more than £26 million in new visitor spending to local economies.

Beyond these measurable outputs, the CCF Round 5 projects have brought a wide range of other benefits to coastal areas. Many successful partnerships have been formed that continue to work collaboratively for the benefit of local communities, and CCF funding has acted as a vital catalyst to attract further valuable investments from public and private funders. The projects have also helped to improve the profile and perceptions of local areas, as well as fostering a greater sense of local pride.

Despite the challenges they face, there are many reasons to be optimistic about the future of our coastal towns and communities. The surge in homeworking, growth of staycations, and increased focus on wellbeing and quality of life are making coastal areas more attractive places to work and live. CCF funds have made an important contribution to these positive changes, creating jobs, improving living standards, and boosting pride of place, as well as addressing environmental needs to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

In the 10 years since its launch, CCF has focused attention on the issues and needs facing coastal communities and catalysed investment in their economic growth. It has brought together public, private and community organisations, who are working in tandem to transform England’s coastal communities for the better.

Annex 1: Project summaries

Amble Development Trust: Bord Waalk – The National Bird Sculpture Trail, Amble, Northumberland

This project is creating a national bird sculpture trail in Northumberland, starting at Hauxley Nature Reserve winding its way along the coastline to Amble along the river Coquet. The project received £396,000 of CCF funding to create and install physical structures of birds along a nature trail and for virtual and augmented reality bird installations.

The project aimed to address a lack of nationally recognised art attractions in the county, bring opportunities for a local community to be involved and work with national and international artists, create a tourist attraction while creating and opening up employment opportunities within the art, leisure and tourism industries.

All art installations, VR and mobile apps have been built and delivered. The project has benefitted local, national and international artists, VR and App specialist companies, art curators, local businesses and most importantly the local community groups, organisations and people who have participated in workshops.

To date the main benefit achieved has been creating employment and interest in the arts industry. The trail has already attracted interest from the media which will increase the profile of Amble.

The trail will bring and develop social enterprise opportunities and build on the interest the community has shown in working with the art industry.

The Development Trust will also encourage neighbouring councils to add to the trail, thereby extending the reach of the project, increasing tourism and visitor interest which in turn will generate increased business turnover, benefitting wider Northumberland.

Arun District Council: Littlehampton Town Centre Public Realm Delivery Scheme, Littlehampton, West Sussex

This on-going project is regenerating key areas of Littlehampton Town Centre, supporting businesses through the delivery of a high-quality public realm enhancement scheme. The CCF funding of £2,452,295 included new paving, lighting, planting and street furniture.

This will create a modern high-quality navigable, pedestrian-friendly series of linked and co-ordinated public spaces that lead people between the key attractions of town, seafront and riverside. The previous layout was dated and car-dominated, and the improvements should increase visitor numbers and encourage local residents to use the town centre for retail instead of online shopping and out of town retail parks.

The project was delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions but is now well underway, making tangible physical improvements to the street scene and receiving great enthusiasm from the local community. Arun District Council aims to improve public spaces that increase the number of visitors, generate direct and indirect employment opportunities as well as safeguarding jobs in the retail and service industries

Beer Coastal Community Team: More than just a beach, Beer, South Devon

This project in Beer, South Devon, received £53,000 from CCF to employ a Village Manager. They implemented an events and promotions plan for 2019/20 and introduced a structure and process for the hire of public space and event booking. A new Beer village website and social media platforms were established and sales of Beer village branded merchandise introduced.

Through consultation with local people they devised an approach to promoting the village, including marketing training and the use of social media. This helped attract and increase the time spent by visitors, enhance their enjoyment and extend the visitor season.

Beer saw increased visitor numbers in 2019/20 as a result of a new programme of events including a summer food festival and a New Years Eve fireworks display.

The project has also produced an inspiring ‘visioning’ document for the village, capturing the aspirations of local residents and the business community, exploring options for public space development and identifying possible commercial/community activities and business opportunities. The document will be used by the Coastal Community Team and the Parish Council to plan more detailed works, promote business opportunities and support future capital grant applications.

The Coastal Community Team plans to consolidate the role of the Events Coordinator in Beer and to continue to develop the promotion of Beer village, specifically the hire of outdoor spaces in the village for events, activities and trading.

Berwick Community Trust: Welcome Visitor, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland

The project, carried out between November 2018 – March 2021 with £304,000 in CCF funding, aimed to help Berwick flourish as a tourist destination via 2 main initiatives:

Berwick Ambassador Scheme

220 local people completed an online training course to become Berwick Ambassadors.

Visit Berwick Website

This was refreshed with new layout and a commitment to keep content updated, supported by a social media campaign to attract visitors to the area.

These initiatives gave a significant boost to Berwick’s tourist economy.

During the 2019 visitor season, 478,450 people visited the town (including 110,870 who stayed overnight), spending £55.85m, an annual increase of £2.5m which led directly to the creation of 19 new jobs in the tourism sector.

In response to the COVID-19 restrictions, the project hosted online events celebrating Berwick’s heritage and influence, including the online Berwick Film Festival and the Glasgow Boys & Girls Exhibition.

Moving forward, the Trust is set to further develop Berwick’s marketing presence and tourism ambitions through further initiatives, including:

• The creation of a full time Tourism Officer post to coordinate promotional activity, including overseeing Visitberwick.com and driving future social media campaigns.
• Encouraging attraction and event providers to co-ordinate with the hospitality sector to boost the income potential of hotels and restaurants.
• Sourcing new funding opportunities to renovate and modernise Berwick’s landmark attractions, including the Maltings Cinema and the Berwick Barracks.
• To begin developing new attractions to help secure and extend visitor stays to the area

Blackpool Borough Council: Blackpool Museum Project: Showtown

Blackpool Borough Council were awarded £1,750,000 in 2019 to partially fund the creation of Blackpool’s museum to increase access to cultural activities, generate civic pride and community engagement whilst highlighting Blackpool’s national significance. The museum will include 1,200m2 of family-friendly themed displays as well as a 150m2 temporary exhibition gallery, hosting changing exhibitions exploring popular cultural themes.

The Blackpool Museum Project aims to play a critical role in the town’s ambitious regeneration plans and make a significant contribution to the economy. The museum will create jobs and establish an innovative new cultural business in an area with historically low cultural investment.

Local children will benefit from high-quality educational experiences outside of the classroom, where displays and exhibitions are designed to appeal to non-museum visitors that see the traditional museum approach as a barrier. Visitors, families and young people will be able to take pride in the town.

The Blackpool Museum Project will provide a volunteer, apprenticeship and skills development programme and will enable people to gain industry experience.

Over 15,000 people were engaged through headline projects including Get Dancing, social dance with a twist, and Open Up the Mic; a series of comedy exercise workshops to improve young people’s resilience, confidence and wellbeing. These events established significant performers networks nationally to capture memories.

The Blackpool Museum Project will continue to build the museum and engage with local residents and visitors to build awareness, with a specific focus on marketing and PR activities.

Bournemouth, Christchurch, & Poole Council: Environmental Innovation Hub, Bournemouth and Poole Seafront

This project received £2,399,463 CCF funding to create a new public education destination dedicated to delivering a step-change in the reduction of waste and elimination of single-use packaging along Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole’s seafront.

It aims to address the roughly 2,000 tonnes of waste removed from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole’s beaches every year through education and by developing innovative solutions to single-use items.

Despite some delays due to COVID-19 and unexpected increases in costs of construction, the project has produced 5 direct jobs, 5 indirect, and 55 safeguarded jobs. Furthermore, it has supported 100 private businesses and created 1 new business. The feedback received so far from visitors have been very positive and people are excited to see the building completed and opened.

Over the next 3 years, the Hub aims to deliver:

• A venue that models environmentally positive behaviour and systems
• A learning space that connects people’s actions to the oceans and builds environmental guardianship
• A showcase for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole’s development as a low impact destination, where refill and reuse replace single-use
• A new catering kiosk, trailing innovative ways of working Seaside School – an education resource for schools and families

British Marine Federation South West: Nautical routes to Devon, South Hams, Plymouth

The British Marine Federation were awarded £53,000 in 2019 to increase and diversify coastal and maritime tourism in Devon through the development and promotion of a package of measures to increase cross channel leisure yacht visits.

Nautical Routes to Devon aims to address declining fortunes of the marine leisure sector in Devon, contributing to a sustainable, diversified, less seasonally dependent tourism product. The project is enhancing the local economy by increasing off-peak visits and visitor numbers and extending the duration of seasonal activities, targeting new activity in off-peak seasons.

The project is developing a new website and collating and publishing route and destination information to overcome perceived issues around planning and regulations. It is producing and distributing marketing materials and developing collaborative projects with businesses.

Nautical Routes to Devon is bringing together various marine sectors, tourism bodies, local attractions and the hospitality sector, with the aim to promote thriving enterprises and help businesses grow.

Castle Point Borough Council: Canvey Island Seafront Regeneration, Thorney Bay

The project is the first part of a strategy to improve the amenity of Canvey Seafront via the provision of additional visitor facilities at Thorney Bay. It received £1,522,033 in CCF funding to deliver a new pavilion at the seafront, including public toilets and a retail space, an extension of the Thorney Bay car park, and improved pathways for better accessibility. These additions will benefit locals and visitors by making the area more attractive, bringing in new business, and enhancing the local economy.

The project experienced delays to its initial plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To manage this, they presented a revised design that included the core elements reimagined into a simplified design to ensure it could be delivered. The new design is visually exciting with contemporary and striking features, adding to the vibrancy of the area. The project will benefit local residents and visitors to Thorney Bay, provide additional jobs and safeguard 150 jobs at existing businesses on Canvey Island.

Canterbury City Council: Neptune Co-working Hub, Herne Bay Town Centre

The project delivered a co-working hub with £212,950 in CCF funding. Renovation began Autumn 2019 and the hub opened to the public in January 2020.

It aimed to address the lack of workspace provision despite the growing demand for flexible working. It was developed to offer workspace, training and guidance to local businesses to help them succeed and grow, therefore creating further employment and economic growth.

It has delivered a thriving workspace, meeting room space and business support as well as numerous events including training and networking events, workshops and drop-in sessions.

The hub has been welcomed by the community and has brought new activity and life to the centre of town. It has given people access to training and space to start and grow their careers and has been a space for connecting and avoid isolation when working from home. The increased traffic in the town centre has also benefitted the local economy. It has created 1 direct and 9 indirect jobs and safeguarded 7. Ninety-four private businesses have been supported and 20 new started, as well as 9 organisations, 3 social enterprises, 3 community projects and 55 individuals.

Canterbury City Council is supporting the project for the next year and then they plan to appoint a board of trustees and run as a Community Interest Company (CIC).

Coastal West Sussex Partnership: All on Board, Coastal West Sussex

This project positioned the Coastal West Sussex area as an active hub for water sports activities through collaborative and targeted marketing. It received £170,000 in CCF funding and took place between October 2019 and autumn 2021.

It delivered a wide range of networking opportunities, both face to face and online, resulting in sharing ideas and a strengthened, inter-connected tourism community. It also produced a selection of marketing materials and campaigns to promote the area through the Experience West Sussex marketing platform – by the end of 2020 the website had generated 937,000 business leads.

Industry-specific business support workshops were delivered to 277 attendees and 173 tourism webinar attendees. The project also carried out an audit of the current facilities that support water sports and made recommendations to relevant individuals working in the public sector about improvements.

Moving forward, the water sports officer, appointed as part of this project, has returned to work for 3 days a week for 6 months to continue to grow the networks and keep the operators engaged, building on the momentum of the project.

Common Space: Bay Micro Brewery and Micro Museum & Gallery, Sandown, Isle of Wight

The project has created Boojum&Snark, a microbrewery, micro museum, gallery and craft shop on the Sandown high street in the Isle of Wight. It is providing employment, apprenticeship and volunteer opportunities. As a result of the £99,000 Coastal Communities funding, 2 full-time employees, 2 freelance team members and 1 freelance brewer were created.

The group were able to launch 4 art commissions providing opportunities for artists to respond to Sandown’s unique heritage, culture and environment. This has resulted in a permanent art installation on-site, a window exhibition during lockdown, an animated film creating a modern folktale and as well as a response to the natural environment of the Biosphere Bay scheduled for later in 2022.

An events programme included a craft and cask ale event during October 2021 which saw increased footfall into the town and boosted sales. A COVID-safe quiz has been held twice a month and the community space has been used for installations and meetings by community groups such as Cold-Water Swimming and Sandown Yarn Bombers.

Boojum&Snark is looking forward to fulfilling its community potential through being a meeting place for more groups and societies and working with more local businesses producing own label ales from the High Street location. Looking further ahead they will be expanding the brewery by taking on a larger location to wholesale beer to more island venues and employ more people.

Community Arts Project: North East St Hilda’s Pit Head Community Hub

Community Arts Project North East were awarded £61,390 in 2019 to refurbish St. Hilda’s Pit, a prominent building with cultural and historical significance. The project is transforming the building into a community, cultural and heritage hub, which will include an employment training facility, office space, event and exhibition space and a base for Community Arts Project to operate from.

St Hilda’s Pit Head is contributing to improving the number and quality of the facilities available in the town and its coast. The building itself is significant to the area and its renovation will significantly improve the public’s perception of South Shields, further enhanced by the activities and events that the project offers.

Funding has supported the employment of a Business Development Officer, 2 apprenticeship opportunities and created a facility for delivery of employment skills training. St Hilda’s is a hub to support the well-being of the wider community by offering stimulating group activities that address isolation and loneliness. The events and exhibition space also give local artists the opportunity to display and sell their art work.

St Hilda’s Pit Head is taking the ‘at risk’ industrial landmark building and transforming it into a vibrant centre which will have a positive impact on the local economy and provide an asset to the community. This benefits the community of South Tyneside and the wider North East.

Copeland Borough Council: Connecting Cumbria’s Hidden Coast, Copeland, Cumbria

The project is improving visitor infrastructure, facilities and activities along Cumbria’s ‘hidden’ coast, creating new visitor demand and increasing sustainable local employment opportunities. The £1,059,499 CCF-funded project is creating improvements to public spaces and new infrastructure include a community café and hub, improved footpaths, cycle ways and river crossings, and new activities.

The project has created a Coastal Challenge Trail which will host events and is supported by maps, signage and digital media. It is strengthening the tourism offer along Copeland’s coast and increasing opportunities for sustainable travel, promoting cycling and walking as a means of exploring the coastline.

The project is due to create 5 direct jobs and 30 indirect jobs for people in Copeland.

Future plans include the upgrades to the Esk Trail Cycle way. When completed the route will provide 8 miles of off-road leisure cycling from Ravenglass and Muncaster on the coast to the Village of Boot. Silecroft Café will be an activity hub, with accessible changing places at Silecroft Beach, and the Digital App will link all the new and existing attractions and events along the coast.

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership: Coastal Communities wAVE (AVE = Augmented & Virtual Experiences) Project

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership were awarded £698,596 by CCF to support coastal communities in Bude, Looe, Porthcurno, St Agnes and the Isles of Scilly with the wAVE project. Between July 2019 and July 2021 the funding was used to deliver new, innovative, virtual, augmented and immersive heritage experiences across 5 local museums with the aim of attracting year-round visitors, increasing engagement amongst local young people, and offering digital training to local businesses to help them future-proof their offer.

The project successfully implemented innovative technologies to create new, immersive visitor experiences, as well as raise the profile of the region’s unique culture and heritage, and provided a programme of digital training to ensure that the opportunity presented by immersive technology is seized by a wider number of cultural and tourism businesses. wAVE created 3 full time jobs, one apprenticeship, and supported 683 businesses. The project plans to continue its “Museums Immersive Network”, which was set up when Immersive Tech Introduction Sessions were moved online following lockdown, with membership totalling 300+ from museums worldwide.

Deal Town Council: Cycle Friendly Deal, Deal and Sandwich, Kent

Deal Town Council were awarded £98,077 from CCF to promote Deal, Walmer, Sholden and Mongeham as a visitor destination for cycling.

The Cycle Friendly Deal project aimed to develop family-friendly cycle routes, improved signage and the creation of new cycle maps and guides. The project also set out to install more secure storage for bikes with the aims of reducing local journeys by car and reducing pressure on parking spaces.

Events were hosted throughout 2019 to encourage local residents to cycle more. These events included an affordable refurbished bike sale as well as 22 Leisure Rides, 5 Confidence Rides and 3 Heritage Rides.

The Cycle Friendly Deal has generated an increase in visitor numbers to the area. Local leisure centres, cycling shops and cyclists have benefitted from newly published Cycle Tourism Guides and Cycling maps. In addition, 26 new secure cycle stands have been installed in 11 locations across Deal & Walmer.

Deal Town Council’s Transport & Infrastructure committee have agreed to deliver the ‘Cycle Friendly Deal 2’, to continue the promotion of cycling within the local community through free events and training, external campaigns, and local advertisement.

Disability First: Access Fylde Coast Project (AFC), Lancashire

The project received £985,522 in CCF funding to improve the sustainability of the coastal economy by helping businesses to address the varied accessibility needs of their customers.

Accessibility assessments of nearly 600 business premises were posted on the AccessAble website which helped to identify where improvements could be implemented. Following this, nearly 400 of their employees completed a mixture of on-line and face-to face training courses in disability awareness.

17 volunteers trained as ‘Event Stewards’ as part of successfully enhancing 15 local events for disabled people and initiating 12 more accessible events.

A new Blackpool transport app features an accessibility guide for 50 heritage sites on the Fylde: with interactive information in Easy Read, BSL and audio formats.

These initiatives provided tangible benefits to both disabled residents and visitors to the region by transforming their ability to access events, attractions, galleries, hospitality venues and overnight accommodation.

Disability First received extensive coverage for the project, including securing an interview on BBC Northwest Tonight showcasing how wider-scale accessibility benefits the whole community. The scheme attracted significant social media coverage with one post receiving 300,000 impressions.

There is optimism that the efforts to improve accessibility will boost the region’s economy long term, with Disability First now working to obtain funding for further projects, building on the progress made so far to create a fully inclusive Fylde Coast.

Dorset Council: The Weymouth Quay Regeneration Project

This project in Weymouth, Dorset, received £3,792,175 from CCF to construct a centre of excellence for business and enterprise. This included regenerating parts of the harbour and harbour walkway.

The co-working space will provide training and facilities for up to 80 small and medium sized businesses.

Despite delays due to COVID-19, 8 businesses have been supported, with 3 new ones created and 3 new social enterprises started and supported. These figures are set to increase once the work is complete. Community engagement events were held in 2019, receiving positive feedback around bringing new jobs to the area and the new improved public realm.

The Starfish Enterprise Co-work Hub was set up in Year One of the project and provides co-work space for the benefit of the community, attracting new businesses into the area and creating more jobs and self-employment opportunities.

Once complete, there will be 3 direct jobs to run the centre, 151 indirect jobs and 70 safeguarded jobs. The improvements to public places will increase visitor numbers and make the area a more attractive place to live and work.

Dover Town Team: Dover Soul - Revitalising Dover’s Historic Market Square and Old Town

The project is revitalising the traditional heart of Dover by improving access and public space in the Market Square. The CCF funding of £2,441,352 is rejuvenating the town market square to help re- establish the high street as a leisure destination and increase visitors. The pedestrian and public transport access is being improved, a water feature focal point and small green space. The project aims to create 50 direct jobs, 125 indirect jobs and safeguard 300 jobs, supporting local people in Dover.

Project delivery has been impacted by COVID-19 but it is expected that the Market Square project, combined with improvements to be funded by the Future High Street Fund and Dover Fastrack, will deliver transformational impacts to Dover town centre that will attract more visitors from residents and tourists including from the cruise terminal. The improved public realm and way-marking, to and from the Market Square, along with year-round events, such as a new farmer’s market, will encourage visitors and residents back to the high street.

Durham Heritage Coast Partnership: Crimdon Coastal Hub, Crimdon, Durham

The project took place in Crimdon on the southern end of Durham’s heritage coast between October 2020 and January 2022. The CCF funding of £1,325,699 paid for the visitor and events hub, a 40-seat café, public toilets and changing rooms. The building incorporates space for volunteers, wardens and interpretation which will benefit over 220,000 visitors each year. The funding has supported the creation of 30 direct and 44 indirect jobs, safeguarding 3 jobs, and benefitting 11 local businesses by increasing the average amount of tourism spend per head.

The build included a number of water innovation products as well as air source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels. The facility will be promoted as a demonstration of sustainable building, advocating reduced energy and water use. A workshop was held with the local water company sponsoring innovative thinking around changing behaviours on site and generally to reduce marine litter on shore.

The site will be an exemplar for a litter free coast and sea. A programme of activities and events will take place from the facility in the future.

Essex County Council: Essex Path to Prosperity, Tendring; Colchester; Maldon; Rochford; Chelmsford; Castle Point

The project received £663,565 in CCF funding to promote the Essex coast as a high-quality visitor destination. It aimed to achieve economic growth and the regeneration of Essex coastal communities, with a focus on job creation.

It delivered infrastructure improvements to public rights of way, produced 35 information boards, targeted new audiences with off-peak railway journeys via sustainable travel, supported small businesses along the coast, and introduced creative activities.

The production of new and improved information resources, including activity booklets, leaflets, and a dedicated microsite on the Visit Essex page, have raised the profile of the area and facilitated varied and vibrant visitor engagement.

An initial evaluation of the project’s impact by its partner Visit Essex found a 28:1 return on investment and a visitor expenditure on trips influenced by the project of around £2 million. 54% of those surveyed reported an improved awareness of the Essex coast, and 84% of locals surveyed reported an increase in local pride.

Courses offered by the Adult Community Learning group alongside the project have had positive outcomes for individuals from the local community. Participants have gained new skills leading to training and job opportunities, and potential apprenticeships. Essex County Council will continue engaging visitors, with a programme of art and photography workshops, themed railway trips and coastal walks engaging local communities and new visitors, and participating in World Bee Day.

Forest of Dean District Council: Destination Lydney Harbour

This project is creating safe, attractive transport routes into Lydney Harbour and developing the area as a recreation and tourism destination. It received £2,099,722 in CCF funding and began in October 2019.

It has delivered improvements in 3 categories: Access Routes and Wayfinding, Enhancements to the Landscape, and Enabling Increased Use of the Canal, Docks and Harbour. The schemes included: a new café, visitor information hub and public toilets, bespoke ornate railings, a landscape planting scheme, public artworks, a public art trail, heritage interpretation measures, a community boat building scheme, new mooring points, and highway improvements. In total, 3 new tourism facilities and 4 new tourism events have been created.

There is strong evidence for a significant increase in visitors since the new harbour facilities opened – from 6 per hour to 50-60 – and early trading suggests that the target figure of £99,233 visitor spending will be achieved.

Moving forward, 240 indirect jobs are forecasted to be created upon the completion of the ‘Pine End Works’ project, predicted to finish by 2023. Forest of Dean District Council are now leaseholders of key parts of the harbour which will help maintain political focus on the area and aid future progress and publicity.

Greater Lincolnshire LEP: Future Proofing Coastal Tourism Sector

The project set out to understand, and pilot solutions to tackle, Lincolnshire’s coastal challenges such as low aspiration, low investment and seasonal employment patterns which have contributed to a skills-deprived community where an estimated 40% of residents have no formal qualifications.

The £370,000 funding received helped identify and respond to local skills gaps in the existing workforce, and skills shortages in respect of the ‘future workforce’, as well as provide off-season training programmes in 2020, 2021 and 2022. This enabled employability and apprenticeship initiatives to develop.

Coastal Careers sought to raise local aspirations through profiling the career opportunities available on the Lincolnshire Coast, as well as investigating and piloting greater skills transferability and progression. This considered whether a stronger coastal careers identity or brand would add value.

A Coastal Evidence Base has quantified skills gaps and shortages, understanding seasonal labour market trends. The programme reached both larger and micro businesses with a number of prominent employers supporting the development of the skills programme with the piloting of a local ‘skills portal’ to reach smaller businesses.

The project has raised awareness of the opportunities and challenges of the coast – both within Greater Lincolnshire, and nationally amongst coastal communities. The off-season programmes included the local development of some innovative, engaging new provision such as customer/staff inclusion through the Sunflower Lanyard initiative – all customised to the local visitor economy. The COVID-19 pandemic meant that the large majority of the training delivered was via ‘virtual/online’ methods – a future economic option for employers and residents.

Helford River Children’s Sailing Trust: Trevassack Lake Water Sports for All, Cornwall

The project received £1,695,919 in CCF funding to improve facilities at Trevassack Lake for visitors and locals.

The project intended to create better facilities with which to deliver water sports activities to children with additional needs who otherwise would not have access to such activities, and to bring in increased commercial interest to fund more of these opportunities.

CCF has funded the construction of a Learning Centre, one adapted Holiday Lodge and site infrastructure improvements.

In addition to the site improvements, this project has resulted in the creation of 2.91 direct jobs, 9.2 indirect jobs, 50 construction jobs and 2 apprenticeships. The project has been received positively by the local community, who have been involved at every stage. Furthermore, they have been working with schools to bring water sports into local education and have worked with disability groups to ensure the site is welcoming and accessible to all.

Future plans will focus on building their activities as they continue to create an inclusive, high-quality local amenity and tourist attractions.

Hylgar Properties Ltd: The Beacon, Hoylake

Hylgar Properties Ltd were awarded £3,642,499 by CCF to redevelop the Old Town Hall building in the coastal town of Hoylake. The project aimed to make the 124-year-old building into a modern establishment, by upgrading the infrastructure, and improving the layout, accessibility and energy efficiency in order to attract a variety of businesses to increase footfall and investment in the area.

The project has modernised the roof and insulation, upgraded the energy and heating systems, the infrastructure and the floorspace. The internal spaces have been reconfigured to form all-new areas, including a glazed courtyard area, whilst also maintaining original features.

The project plans to let all building spaces to a range of business tenants, helping to drive the economic regeneration of Hoylake and the surrounding areas.

Jurassic Coast Trust: The Jurassic Coast Volunteer Network, Portland, Lyme Regis & Charmouth, Exmouth, Bridport and West Bay

Jurassic Coast Trust were awarded £258,526 from CCF in April 2019 to upskill volunteers, giving them diverse work experience and increase employment opportunities.

The Jurassic Coast Volunteer Network aimed to create opportunities to address deprivation in rural Dorset, as large numbers of young people were leaving coastal communities due to a lack of opportunities.

Volunteers were supported in gaining work experience and skills within tourism, visitor management and conservation roles across the Jurassic Coast. The Jurassic Coast trust became an AQA training centre, and accredited 37 AQA training modules for volunteers, which included CV writing, customer service skills and geology of the Jurassic Coast. 67 volunteers worked with placement providers for an average of 96 hours per placement, and during lockdown the programme adapted to support volunteers who enrolled on digital placements. In addition, 37 volunteers gained AQA qualifications.

Volunteers were able to gain AQA vocational qualifications, valuable work experience, the opportunity to build networks and contacts, and in some cases, created their own projects to continue their work.

The Jurassic Coast Volunteer Network will continue to support and facilitate volunteer co-ordination, focusing on network building and offering accreditation to volunteers, staff and businesses along the Jurassic Coast.

King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council: Sail The Wash, Kings Lynn

King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council were awarded £679,047 from CCF to enhance existing facilities and create more opportunities for leisure craft between June 2019 and March 2022 in The Wash area and surrounding waterways. “Sail the Wash” sought to improve existing facilities, increase activity in the area and improve perceptions of the area.

The project created 60 additional permanent berths and generated an increase in visitor boats by extending existing permanent and visitor moorings on the River Nene and the River Great Ouse.

In addition, moorings were provided within the Wash at various locations to provide convenient and safe mooring points for leisure boaters while travelling around the Wash. The project has also created a brand and identity for the Wash as a leisure sailing destination and renewed partnerships within the funded team, wider leisure providers and harbour authorities.

The project increased both visitor numbers and visitor spend in the area, as well as safeguarding 11 jobs, indirectly creating 23 jobs, and directly creating one full time position. “Sail the Wash” will continue to develop to promote the area and its facilities, and grow the membership of the partnership over time. The development has also helped to attract additional funding to further increase activities in the area.

Kneehigh Theatre Trust Ltd: Kneehigh: New Generation in St Austell Bay

This project developed a ‘centre of excellence’ and provided cultural practitioners and tourism leaders with creative skills and networks. It received £803,236 in CCF funding and ran from October 2018 until June 2021.

The project delivered training programmes, festivals showcasing work, and artwork using innovative technology to create unique digital experiences and attract visitors.

Despite challenges as a result of the pandemic, they were able to continue to employ artists and commission new work. Over 81,000 people benefitted from their project ‘Windows to the World’, 8,000 people watched their film ‘The Neon Shadow’, and stories from The Walk With Me App have been listened to by over 1,500 people.

The project supported the employment of over 100 people, supported 2,185 individuals, 33 organisations and 13 community projects, provided 175 people with vocational training, and generated £73,526 in visitor expenditure.

The local community were involved in many ways including free subsidised training opportunities, story collection, and consultation on various projects.

All digital assets and project information now belong to the artists who created the work funded by CCF, including Kernow Education Arts Partnership who will host the content of the Walk With Me app. The work of the programme lives on through the brilliant artists and the networks and partnerships formed.

Lancashire Wildlife Trust: Lancashire’s Living Seas, Fylde Coast

This project encouraged regeneration and boosted tourism through events, working with local communities, increasing signage and interpretation, and involving local businesses with joint marketing opportunities. It received £71,000 in CCF funding and took place between October 2018 and November 2021.

It delivered 149 new visitor events, improved access, signage and interpretation in a number of locations along the coast, and produced 3 trail story maps. The project increased visitor numbers by more than 5,300, bringing in more than £182,155 in visitor expenditure to the local economy. It supported 42 non-vocational trainees and trained 12 volunteers, with 6 gaining subsequent employment. It has supported 31 private businesses, 64 individuals, 7 organisations, and 10 community groups. The project created 2 direct jobs, 3 indirect jobs, and safeguarded 2 more. Overall, the project exceeded all output targets by a minimum of 33%.

The community were heavily involved throughout, with local community groups taking part in events and volunteering opportunities and local organisations and councils being supported through the training and development of their staff.

The project has left a lasting legacy of increased awareness and appreciation and awareness of nature on the coast. The organisation has secured legacy funding of £880,000 from the People’s Postcode Lottery, of which a third will go towards the continued momentum of this project. The construction of the Eden Project North is also expected, providing a lasting home for engagement activity in the area.

Morecambe Winter Gardens Preservation Trust: Entertaining the Seaside - Winter Gardens Morecambe

The project has refurbished the heating system of the Grade 2* listed Winter Gardens Theatre in Morecambe, Lancashire. The CCF funding of £96,550 funded the purchase and installation of a new gas fired boiler and wet heating system to the auditorium at ground and first floor level, enabling increased usage and all year-round operations. The project created 1 direct and 5 indirect jobs.

The capacity of the building has now increased from 699 to just under 1,000 and Morecambe Winter Gardens Preservation Trust are at the start of a 5-year plan to bring the Winter Gardens back as a full-time 2,500 capacity music venue with an ongoing fundraising strategy alongside their economic business model. The increased capacity has already resulted in 33 days of booking in 2022 with the heating installation being an essential factor of the new bookings.

The Winter Gardens will be celebrating its 125th anniversary in July 2022 with a month of public celebrations and events.

National Trust: The Tin Coast - connecting people with landscape

The aim of the project was to use the principles of sustainable tourism to sustain, extend and create local jobs with £460,360 in CCF funding over 2 years, beginning in April 2019.

The funding was split into 4 main project areas:

1. extend the season and broaden the visitor base
2. create accessible information for visitors
3. improve transport and accessibility
4. improve public realm and signage

The partnership delivered a range of activities, including a year-round programme of events, an improved public transport system connecting activities and heritage sites, improved foot and bike paths, an electric car charging network, new printed materials and information boards, and a web presence.

Over the course of the project 120 local businesses were supported and 2 new ones created, 15 new tourism facilities created, 19 new tourism events supported, and 3,500 public realm spaces created or supported.

Community involvement throughout ensured locals felt empowered by the project. After pandemic lockdowns, the area experienced large spikes in tourist numbers. Infrastructure improvements made the area more accessible and capable of meeting demand.

The partnership always intended on being permanent and will continue to work with local communities and businesses to plan for visitors. Their priorities will be building a sustainable and resilient economy, and continuing to improve accessibility.

Natural Enterprise Ltd: Enabling the Valley, Medina Valley

Natural Enterprise Ltd were awarded £60,000 from CCF in March 2019 to develop a vibrant visitor economy that promotes the Medina Valley’s unique, natural and cultural assets.

The Enabling the Valley project aimed to create a brand that promoted existing events and attractions as well as supporting the surrounding tourism businesses within the estuary. It aimed to improve collaboration and interaction between the Medina Valley’s 2 major tourist attractions.

Two part time positions were created to promote the Medina Valley and attract more mainland visitors. The project launched a marketing campaign, including Facebook advertising, producing content on the brand’s social media platforms, creating advertising banners and launching a Medina Valley editorial page on the Visit Isle of Wight’s website. Local businesses were also encouraged to use the brand to promote themselves and the area, increasing collaborative opportunities around events, activities and attractions.

The project has supported the tourism sector through a difficult period and increased visitor numbers. The marketing campaign has promoted and increased awareness of the Medina Valley’s cultural assets; the editorial webpage has had over 7,900 visits and social media posts on Twitter and Facebook have reached over 11,000 users.

Enabling the Valley will support the return of the Royal Isle of Wight Country show, and will be promoted throughout the event through the show’s marketing campaign.

Newquay Town Council: Killacourt – Transformation of Events and Market Space, Killacourt, Newquay

The project, carried out July 2019 – April 2020 with £499,702 in CCF funding, transformed the events and market space in Killacourt, Newquay into a thriving space for locals to engage in community activities.

Prior to the project, the area suffered from a lack of footfall, under- utilised and ageing infrastructures, unsustainable spending, a lack of facilities for small start-up businesses, and was inaccessible due to uneven ground, steps and a lack of accessible toilets. To address these, the project delivered a range of refurbishments and transformations including 2 new seating areas, path and ground levelling, accessible toilet facilities, 12 Enterprise Units and a café, and electricity and drainage enhancements across the whole site.

The project has transformed site usage for individuals and groups alike. At least 28 people have been employed to operate or work within the enterprise units and café, and 13 businesses have the opportunity to grow by accessing spaces they otherwise would not have had the capital to.

Furthermore, the rent from the units has allowed the site to become self-financing, funding ongoing maintenance and enhancements. It is estimated that £25,200 of income will be generated from the site in the first full year.

Many community events such as live music, stalls, food vendors, family games and poetry session have already been hosted on the site. Organisers are planning to expand their events calendar in the upcoming year as well as welcoming more visitors and continuing to support local businesses.

National Maritime Museum Cornwall Trust (NMMC): NMMC Falmouth Heritage Boat Tours

National Maritime Museum Cornwall Trust (NMMC) were awarded £110,000 in 2018 to introduce heritage boat tours of Falmouth’s historic docks to highlight maritime history, wildlife and enhance tourism. Tour guides present issues such as ship wrecks, rising sea temperatures, marine life and pollution.

The NMMC Falmouth Heritage Boat Tours aimed to make the museum less of a wet weather attraction to incentivise tourism on sunny days to increase visitor numbers to the area, create employment and volunteering opportunities and to support the local marine industry.

The museum’s boat tours were able to operate on 3 boats, including a newly restored steam boat ‘Emma’. A new boiler was purchased to aid the restoration of the 22ft by 5ft steam boat ‘Emma’ to make the boat fully seaworthy again. Three boatmen and 3 tour guides were recruited to run the curated heritage boat tours around Falmouth’s historic docks.

Over the course of the summer seasons, the appeal of the heritage tours led to increased visitor numbers in the area, and NMMC ran 237 tours with a total of 932 tickets sold. Due to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions, the heritage tours adapted and began promoting a new model where family groups could hire entire boats, and a crew, for the tour. Thirty-three jobs were safeguarded as a result of the project.

National Maritime Museum are gearing up to the relaunch of the heritage boat tours, where tours will resume and continue in future once the museum pontoon has been repaired.

North Devon District Council: Barnstaple Deep Water Pool

This project is delivering a “deep water” swimming pool suitable for Surf Life Saving training as part of a new leisure centre. It received £1,500,000 in CCF funding in 2019.

The project will create a competition and learner swimming pool with deep water capabilities as part of the new leisure centre. This will provide new all-weather facilities that can be used for lifeguard training to improve safety on the beaches as well as being a wet weather attraction for tourists. This will safeguard jobs from the closing of the old leisure centre as well as boosting the economy through initial construction jobs and ongoing revenue from tourists and training.

To date, the project has resulted in 27.3 safeguarded jobs and 47.14 construction jobs, with a further 36.26 indirect jobs and a total of 112.32 safeguarded jobs predicted once the facilities are operational. The official opening should be in summer 2022.

Northern Regeneration CIC: Scarborough Construction Skills Village

Northern Regeneration CIC were awarded £896,568 in 2019 to support residents of all ages into apprenticeships and jobs within the construction industry.

Scarborough Construction Skills Village built the capacity of businesses and invested in growing a workforce with the skills required for the newly created jobs. This aimed to tackle local and rural unemployment and the barriers to apprenticeship recruitment that construction businesses faced.

A wage incentive was introduced for the first year of apprenticeships to local micro and small construction companies. The project also provided fully funded upskilling courses for the existing workforce and provided back office support, offering information, advice and guidance on apprenticeships and upskilling.

Over the duration of the project, 178 construction businesses were supported, 151 people were upskilled through training courses and 67 apprenticeships had been created. By creating local job opportunities and supporting sustainable businesses, both local construction businesses and individuals looking to start or upskill their career in construction benefitted from the project.

As a construction apprenticeship training provider, Northern Regeneration CIC will continue to deliver apprenticeship standards and work with construction businesses in the future.

Onion Collective CIC: Unlocking East Quay, Watchet, Somerset

This project in Watchet, Somerset, received £5,000,000 from CCF to create an arts regeneration and social enterprise development, housing interconnect businesses and social enterprises. They have developed and constructed 2 art galleries, 11 artists’ studios, a print studio, geology workshop and handmade paper mill, 5 holiday accommodation pods and a restaurant.

The project has created 15 direct jobs, 2 indirect jobs and 17 safeguarded jobs and have hosted several successful events. These figures are expected to increase in the future. The community have been well engaged in the project, visiting the site since it opened and engaging in exhibitions.

The Onion Collective have exhibitions planned with internationally recognised artists and a programme of events, talks and workshops. The artists’ studio spaces are fully occupied and they will be using one of the spaces as a project space for artist’s residencies, temporary exhibitions and events. The site now provides a cultural hub that benefits social enterprise and tourism in the area.

Suffolk Coastal District Council: Felixstowe South Sea Front Regeneration Project

Suffolk Coastal District Council were awarded £950,000 from CCF to construct an iconic café and restaurant destination on Felixstowe’s South sea front. Construction began in 2020 and concluded in March 2022, ready for “The Kitchen @ Felixstowe” to open in the spring of 2022. The café / restaurant will also include flexible space for use by the local community.

The building adds to the ongoing regeneration of the Felixstowe sea front, and will attract visitors to support the tourist economy in the area, but will also help local residents by providing direct and indirect employment opportunities, as well as a destination on the seafront for the local community.

Local residents will benefit from a new community space, as well as further investment in the area from East Suffolk Council, which includes new beach chalets and other regeneration works to increase footfall and economic spend in the area. In turn, this will attract further investment from both the public and private sector.

SeaGrown Limited: Boosting Yorkshire’s Blue Economy

The project took place between 2019-2021 in Scarborough establishing new, innovative and sustainable industry of seaweed farming on the Yorkshire Coast. The CCF funding of £472,150 created an open water seaweed farm and a Floating Outreach, Research, Seaweed Hatchery and Offshore Equipment (FORESHORE) facility in Scarborough Harbour. The project aimed to boost the local economy, create direct and indirect jobs as well as educating visitors, creating seed material for the seaweed farm and provide a marine research facility for SeaGrown and visiting scientists.

SeaGrown is now established as an open water seaweed aquaculture company, able to produce seeded material in-house to be taken offshore and grown in the open sea. The impact of the funding helped to leverage local growth and supported the employment of 7 full-time and 2 part-time staff, introducing bulk-farmed seaweed into innovative new markets such as bioplastics, biotextiles and pharmaceutical products.

Future plans involve scaling up the farming operation, developing markets, and continuing to spread the word about the benefits of seaweed - in particular the potential to absorb carbon.

SeaGrown plan to offer the seaweed farming system to other potential operators, to promote the development of seaweed farming around the coast of the UK. They are also developing shellfish aquaculture to promote sustainable seafood on the Yorkshire Coast and beyond, as well as developing a bespoke classroom to engage with local schools, youth groups and special interest organisations.

South Lakeland District Council: Experience Morecambe Bay

The project is developing new, immersive and accessible ways to experience Morecambe Bay through a range of projects. It received £2,351,200 in CCF funding and began in July 2019. It is:

• Carrying out a large restoration of the derelict Lido and promenade
• Promoting cycling and walking in the bay through the creation of new routes and improvements of existing ones
• Working with local partners to develop the longest ‘access for all’ route in the Morecambe Bay area. This involves providing Tramper off-road and all terrain mobility scooters to improve the accessibility of the area
• Developing a series of visitor experiences to showcase the Bay
• Delivering digital training to local businesses to enable them to advertise their services.

Moving forward, the project is offering opportunities for tourism, hospitality, cycling and walking businesses to get involved and engage with promotional campaigns in 2023-24. They intend to establish the area as a destination for cycling and walking.

Southwold Town Council: Southwold Enterprise Hub

This project is aimed at delivering new office space – the Enterprise Hub – for small and micro businesses, providing business support and developing the tourism economy to extend beyond the peak months. It received £995,000 in CCF funding and is ongoing since September 2019.

While constructing the office space, the project has delivered 9 open air cinema events with over 1,500 attendees in total. The appointed Town Manager has been in post for the past 2 years and was vital to the regeneration of the High Street and the wider town post-COVID-19. This role supported local businesses, giving them access to local assistance, materials and information during lockdown and through reopening. So far the project has supported 50 existing private businesses and the creation of a further 15 new businesses.

The Town Manager delivered these activities through a Business Association and also launched the Southwold Town App. The app now has over 1,000 subscribers and additional business support has been provided through a regular e-newsletter.

The project is focused on the completion of the Enterprise Hub which will leave a legacy for the town into the future.

St Austell Bay Economic Forum: Reimagining St Austell - A Green and Ceramic Cultural Centre, St Austell, Cornwall

The first phase of this project began in 2019 with £1,093,520 in CCF funding to turn around the economic decline of the town following the demise of its china clay industry. Starting with a rebranding of St Austell based on its unique heritage around ceramics and horticulture, there were 4 pillars of activity:

• Austell Ceramic: Transformed St Austell into a “giant cultural site” where people can learn ceramic art skills and launched an international ceramic prize which achieved 13 public arts commissions.
• Austell Green: Defined the town and surrounding ‘clay country’ as an area of beauty and well-being, delivering 4 new garden festivals, each bringing an approximate footfall of 3,000. Additionally, 10,000 square miles of wildlife corridors were created along the A391 with significant tree-planting.
• Austell Innovate and Austell Active: Complemented these enterprises with a number of socially-focussed projects. These efforts have positively impacted the visitor economy and local sense of pride of place; in an online survey, 67% of respondents agreed that the projects had brought benefits to the area including improving the overall health and well-being of the community.

Moving forward, 3 more initiatives plan to build on these initial achievements:

• Development of a central hub to showcase the new ceramic projects.
• Investment in more public lighting to increase commerce outside daylight hours and reduce antisocial behaviour.
• A commitment to further enhance the town centre experience for residents and visitors, creating a welcoming and exciting public realm to explore.

Suffolk County Council: The Hold – Suffolk Heritage Activity and Events Programme, Ipswich

This project is a comprehensive Heritage Activity and Events Programme, focused on Suffolk’s historical archives. It received £414,763.22 in CCF funding and began in 2018.

Delivery of year-round activities was intended to develop new cultural tourism audiences to visit the Ipswich Waterfront. Despite struggling through the pandemic due to closures and social distancing restrictions, the project innovated and found new ways to deliver content. They hosted a number of exhibitions, both in person and online, and continue to put on online lectures, talks, family activities, interactive how-to events, themed evenings, a cinema club, walks by the Ipswich Tourist Guides Association and special events.

The project has created 11 direct and 58 indirect jobs, 99 construction jobs, 4 vocational trainees and safeguarded 12 jobs. Furthermore, it has supported 6,303 individuals, 68 organisations, and 45 community projects in a range of endeavours.

There has been significant community involvement, including a ‘Takeover Day’ with Outreach Youth’s U16 Trans Group, a webinar for OUTing the Past Festival of LGBT History, and online craft activities associated with the Pride in Suffolk’s Past exhibition. Research is also being carried out by a number of community volunteers on Italian, West Indian and Bangladeshi immigration to Ipswich.

The project continues to engage the community through workshops, online learning resources and watch parties and they have many more exciting events and exhibitions scheduled.

Sunderland City Council: Creating the Future of Sunderland’s Coastal Econony

This project is converting little-used seafront buildings into new cafes and restaurants and to support the continued growth of the city’s cultural sector. It received £819,999 CCF funding and started in February 2019. It has 3 main strands:

1. Capital works on historic buildings
2. A programme of support and skills development for creative small businesses and new entrepreneurs
3. Creation of a sustainable governance model for the Seafront Trust by appointing a Seafront Trust Officer

Work has completed on the Bay Shelter and Former Roker Toilet Block. The Bay Shelter opened in February 2022 as a high end seafood restaurant, creating 10-12 jobs and the Former Roker Toilet Block has tenants lined up to take up occupation in 2022.

Plans are also in place for the Tram Shelter, Beach Huts, and Seaburn Camp.

Eleven workshops attended by 215 people have been delivered along with 23 one-to-one support sessions.

The project has resulted in the creation of 11 indirect jobs, 21 safeguarded jobs, 10.8 construction jobs and 3 apprenticeships, has supported 136 private businesses, resulted in a £577,000 increase in business sales, has supported 27 new businesses to open and has supported or started 28 social enterprises.

A Seafront Trust Officer will take the work forward to ensure a legacy beyond the funding.

The Margate School: Enterprise and Technical Support for the Local Creative Economy

The Margate School received £499,100 in CCF funding to use creative education as the key driver to regenerate the town centre. The town has struggled with deprivation and long-term low-wage employment.

Key activities included:

Renovation of the former Woolworths building

This was transformed into a creative hub providing events and workshops to students and the wider community creating 22 jobs in the year before lockdown.

Studio spaces

Workshop space now provides a creative home to over 40 students and professionals and supports a further 70+ artists. The studios have attracted a footfall of 16,000 visitors thus far.

Creative Education Partnerships

1. East Kent College Partnership

The school partnered with East Kent College to enhance local opportunities for young people.

2. French Art School Partnership

This partnership now offers the only European MA in fine art in the UK raising the profile of this seaside town.

Support from local figures including Hollywood director Arnold Schartzman OBE and artist Tracey Emin CBE has also helped to put Margate on the map.

Moving forward, the School seeks to create more training, apprenticeship and employment opportunities for young people in Margate, through developing course offers and community outreach potential. These goals will allow the organisation to become 70% financially self-sustaining within 5 years.

In the longer term, they aim to develop their research capacity, building academic links with museums and archives.

Torridge District Council: The Burrows Centre, Bideford

Torridge District Council were awarded £1,200,000 by CCF to update the Northam Burrows Visitor Centre between August 2020 and spring 2022. The project successfully overhauled the centre, with a new café offering far reaching views to Lundy Island from the raised outdoor seating areas and glass fronted interiors.

The project has also acted as a catalyst to wider improvements in the local tourism scene through raising the profile of nature tourism across northern Devon. The centre has provided facilities and hospitality for Westward Ho! Beach, which were previously lacking. Local and regional schools are now using the centre far more actively.

The project has created 15 new jobs and stimulated investment in a network of over 8km of new pathways and road improvements in the area. The building design includes a new open air education and community activity space and 130m2 of new learning space within the centre itself. Over 30 businesses have already been supported by the new centre, and the sustainable design of the centre is set to save over 6 tonnes of carbon emissions per year.

The centre will help to drive a local “Nature Tourism Agenda”, aimed at helping local businesses by supporting them in showcasing the region’s abundance of natural assets and adventure activities. A programme of webinars, workshops and support sessions will enable local businesses to maximise their offer.

Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners: Cumbria Coastal Activities Centre, Whitehaven Harbour

The project is constructing a Coastal Activity Centre providing bespoke recreational and storage facilities. It received £2,447,627 in CCF funding and started in 2019.

The facilities comprise toilet, changing, and showering facilities, a classroom, a multi-use space for hire, office space, and hostel accommodation. Additionally, there will be a detached building for use as a workshop/retail unit and a new slipway. Despite the project suffering delays due to COVID-19 and storms, the slipway is finished, and the main contract scheduled for completion in December 2022.

To ensure the project is engaging with the local area, a local community advisory panel is in place and Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners hold quarterly open Forums. A publicity programme also keeps local people informed of any developments.

The intention is to run the facilities through 2 organisations: a commercial operator to manage the centre, and a community partner to devise and deliver community activities. Once complete, the project is forecast to generate 9 direct jobs and a 10,000 increase in visitors, bringing £220,000 of new visitor expenditure.

Wyre Borough Council: Joining Up the Wyre Coastline Economy, Cleveleys and Fleetwood

This project is sustaining and supporting the economic growth of Cleveleys and Fleetwood through a series of interconnected projects. It received £772,085 in CCF funding and ran from April 2019 to September 2021.

They delivered measures that joined up the Cleveleys and Fleetwood coastline, including replacing old signage with digital signage and creating an interactive trail along the coastline. Vacant flats at Fleetwood Market were re-developed into rentable workspace and event space. This includes multi-purpose studio spaces, a small outdoor roof space, a kitchen, and an accessible studio and selling area on the ground floor. The outdoor market has been reconfigured and space created for events.

The Market House Studios are currently occupied by 9 start-up and expanding creative businesses and have employed a Studio Co-ordinator. The Outdoor Market is currently occupied by 7 start-ups and growing food vendors. 254 non-vocational trainees have been supported.

Moving forward, a number of grants have been approved to continue the rejuvenation work in the area: £1.79 million from Historic England to the council to deliver a High Street Heritage Zone, including a delivery plan for the public realm of the historic quarter and a development and investment plan for the market; £480,000 for works at the market; and an application for decarbonisation works has been approved by Salix estimated at £1 million.

1. Coastal Communities Fund progress report 2016. ↩

2. Levelling Up the United Kingdom: executive summary. ↩

3. The figures include direct jobs created and safeguarded plus indirect jobs. ↩

4. Based on reported outputs for direct jobs created and safeguarded, and indirect jobs. ↩