Residents and visitors are asked to complete a short survey to help bolster a major funding bid to The National Lottery Heritage Fund to save and revive Great Yarmouth’s Winter Gardens.
The Grade II*-listed landmark is a national heritage gem, the UK’s last surviving Victorian seaside cast iron and glass winter gardens, and it requires significant national investment to repair and restore, supported by a robust business plan for re-use.
With the project among only 12 shortlisted nationally to apply to the Heritage Horizons Awards scheme, Great Yarmouth Borough Council is working with conservation specialists and a preferred operator to finalise the application to the first stage of this very competitive multi-stage national funding pot.
The ambition is to save, restore and reimagine the Winter Gardens at the heart of Great Yarmouth’s regeneration and daily life, as a year-round visitor attraction that makes the most of the unique building, its seafront location and its horticultural heritage, complementing the recently-restored Venetian Waterways and the new Marina Centre under construction.
To support their application for development funding, the project team is undertaking a survey to find out a bit more about what residents and visitors might want to see and do in the restored Winter Gardens, the sorts of activities, functions and attractions it could be used for.
People can take part until January 15th, 2021 at www.great-yarmouth.gov.uk/
Cllr Carl Smith and Cllr Trevor Wainwright, leaders of the council’s main political groups, said: “Significant work is progressing behind the scenes to realise the community’s dream of bringing our much-loved Winter Gardens back into viable and suitable use, including business case development, architectural work and exploring further funding opportunities.
“We’re at the start of a competitive multi-stage application process for the major national investment needed. Vital work is continuing to ensure we’re in the best possible position against stiff competition and we’re asking you to help bolster our chances as a community by completing our activities survey.
“Imagine yourself in a restored Winter Gardens in a few years’ time. What would be in it? What would you be doing? Perhaps you’d be enjoying a meal with family or socialising with friends, admiring the architecture and planting, maybe enjoying an event, exploring the history of the building, learning new skills, or perhaps volunteering and sharing your own skills and memories. The project team will feed back your views and ideas into our design process, so everyone’s feedback is important.”
Members of the public have been able to try out Great Yarmouth's new £26m swimming and sports centre for the first time today.
The new Marina Centre on Great Yarmouth's seafront Golden Mile, boasts a six-lane swimming pool, learner pool and leisure water with flumes; along with a 120-station gym, four court sports hall, 10m indoor climbing zone, three studios, and community spaces.
Many of the facilities feature stunning panoramic views of Great Yarmouth beach, with a central atrium and café linking the promenade to the beach.
The centre opened to the public on Friday 5th August, following a ribbon cutting ceremony led by Great Yarmouth mayor Cllr Graham Plant.
Mayor of Great Yarmouth, Cllr Graham Plant, has buried a time capsule full of memories relating to the last few years at Great Yarmouth’s new £26m swimming, sports, and leisure centre.
Back in 2021, the council invited members of the community to share their ideas on what they think should be included in a time capsule to be buried under the performance area in the new Marina Centre.
Items which will be buried in the capsule include events on a national such as Coronavirus updates, the Queen’s Jubilee and the 2021 census. There is also local news such as the media coverage for Visit Great Yarmouth Wheels Festival 2022, photos of the Marina Centre from the past, present and artists impressions and a photo of the current Mayor and Mayoress of Great Yarmouth, Cllr Plant, and his wife.
Plans to regenerate a riverside gateway site in Great Yarmouth are expected to take an important step forward next week with a move to compulsorily purchase parts of the site.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council has been working on proposals to transform the North Quay area into an exciting new waterfront quarter, turning the eyesore area into an attractive entrance to the town.
The four hectares of land is currently in piecemeal ownership and negotiations to bring the land together have been slow.
Now the council is proposing to use compulsory purchase powers to buy up the land so that its masterplan for the site can be made a reality.
Spirited fundraisers rallied together to complete an epic walking challenge and raise more than £40,000 for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).
The charity’s Pier to Pier event was a 32-mile trek along the beautiful Norfolk Coastal Path. More than 160 people took part, starting in Cromer and wearily finishing several hours later in Great Yarmouth.
EACH events fundraiser Hannah Forbester said: “It was a huge success and we were delighted to raise more than £40,000. The support was fantastic and I loved seeing everyone rally together. There was a real sense of camaraderie and so much encouragement along the way. Prior to the walk, there had been lots of chatting in the event Facebook group. There was a real sense of excitement and it was lovely for people to meet up and share the experience on the day. The feedback after the event was very positive, too. It’s a huge challenge, both mentally and physically, and, understandably, there were a few nerves. However, everyone looked out for each other and the bigger groups buddied up with individuals and couples walking alone. There was a strong team ethic and everyone was determined to help each other over the finish line.”
Thousands of years ago they roamed the Norfolk coast – now for just 11 weeks you can meet a mammoth in Great Yarmouth market!
Visitors to the town’s new six-day covered market will be greeted by a giant Steppe Mammoth sculpture called Yuuki from Monday 27 June, as part of the Break charity’s GoGoDiscover event.
The colourful creature has been sponsored by Norfolk firm Pentaco Construction, the lead building firm on the market project.
The installation is also being backed by Great Yarmouth Borough Council, which operates the market, and stall owners, who are offering a special discount to people taking part in Break’s GoGoDiscover trail.
People using the GoGoDiscover app on their phones, available for £1.79 on the Google Play or Apple Store, will be able to claim a 5% discount at participating market stalls after ‘collecting’ the sculpture on the app. This works by entering a code found on the mammoth’s plinth.