'Skegness needs a bypass to attract more visitors'
Chris Baron, chairman of Connected Coast, said holidaymakers on the Lincolnshire coast did not want to be "stuck in traffic jams", and a bypass would provide a solution.
Connected Coast has funding for places such as Skegness and Mablethorpe, and currently has more than £130m to invest.
Lincolnshire County Council's executive member for highways, Richard Davies, said the possibility of a bypass had been looked at "quite extensively", but it was not an affordable option.
Speaking during a 'hotseat' on BBC Radio Lincolnshire, Mr Baron said: "The road networks are a problem and we're going to lobby on that as much as possible."
He said a bypass would make it easier to travel between resorts, including Ingoldmells and Chapel St Leonards.
"It's more of an issue getting around the coast, as opposed to getting to the coast. We need a bypass around Skegness to make that traffic easier," he said.
According to Connected Coast, Skegness attracts four million visitors every year, helping to bring more than £800m in economic benefits to the district of East Lindsey.
But Davies said it was unlikely a bypass would be eligible for government funding.
"Alone, we can't fund a bypass for Skegness," he said.
The county council previously proposed to build a relief road around Skegness, but plans were axed in 2023 due to funding.
Connected Coast was formed in 2021 after Skegness and Mablethorpe won a combined £49m from the Conservative government's Towns Fund to regenerate towns.
The money has funded projects including a £7.5m redevelopment of the 1950s colonnade structure in Sutton on Sea and improvements to the Skegness foreshore.
But Mr Baron said more could be done to attract visitors to Skegness all year round, and not just for the "sun, sea and sand" in the summer.
"It's so easy to criticise Skegness, or the coast, but I've lived there most of my life and it is beautiful," Mr Baron said.
"We have to celebrate what we're doing, but concentrate on making ourselves even better."
Candidates vying to become the first elected mayor of Greater Lincolnshire have also commented on the issue as the mayor will oversee decision-making on issues such as housing and transport.
Andrea Jenkyns, the Reform UK candidate, said: "We need a joined-up approach to transport across the whole of the county be it road, rail or buses.
"This is why I would form TfGL (Transport for Greater Lincolnshire)," she added.
Independent Marianne Overton said: "It's important to preserve the attractiveness of places for residents and tourists. We need to ensure traffic is carefully managed."
Conservative candidate Rob Waltham said: "Yes, Skegness does need a bypass, as do many other places in Lincolnshire, but we have to make the coast secure from flooding first."
Trevor Young, the Liberal Democrat candidate, said there were many areas where major road improvements were needed, adding there was a need to have a conversation about a bypass in Skegness.
"Devolution would help those discussions to take place," he said.
Sally Horscroft from the Green Party and Labour's candidate Jason Stockwood have yet to respond to a request for comment.
Nominations for mayor closed on 2 April ahead of the election on 1 May.
Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
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Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Call to close iconic former Crossroads TV motel at centre of asylum seekers row
It was the memorable setting for the iconic Crossroads TV series and in its hotel heyday the Ramada in Sutton Coldfield was a highly rated haven for tourists and business customers, lured in by its pool, gym, gardens and conference facilities. Now there is a clamour for it to be shut down after it spent its recent life as a temporary home for asylum seekers desperate to start a new life in the UK. Local residents and the area's MP Sir Andrew Mitchell wants it closed with immediate effect, claiming it is an unsuitable location. READ MORE: Consultation launched into parking charges at major Birmingham parks and some say 'it's wrong' Mitchell, Conservative MP for Sutton Coldfield, wants the venue to shut amid community tension and protest. He has now announced that a delegation from the Home Office and Serco will join him and immediate neighbours to the hotel for a fact finding visit next month. He says the hotel is in the 'wrong place' for asylum seekers, who he claims would be better off placed 'in inner city Birmingham ' close to refugee support services. Birmingham Live inquiries have revealed the owners raked in more than £4 million in net profits in a year as a result of its contract to host asylum seekers sent to the region by the Home Office. Some local residents agree with their MP, with the local Facebook group full of claims and comments from some neighbours who say they feel 'intimidated and fearful'. One claimed that the hotel residents had 'trashed' the venue and residents were 'wary' of using a new walkway that cuts in front of the venue, with claims of 'loitering', litter and damage. Others say the fears are rooted in misinformation and prejudice. They point out that the residents of the hotel have little choice but to hang around the venue, playing football and chatting, as they receive only a tiny weekly allowance and few have a right to work. In a post shared with his constituents yesterday evening, Friday August 15, he wrote: 'I am acutely aware of the concerns the asylum hostel at the former Ramada Hotel is causing - which is why I have been seeking its closure since it opened. 'I want to reassure Sutton residents that I will soon be taking representatives from the Home Office and accommodation provider Serco on a visit to the site, prompted by questions raised by constituents. 'I will also be meeting a group of local people living nearby ahead of the visit, which will allow me not only to see how the hostel is being run, but also specifically to raise their concerns. 'It is clear that the Ramada is a totally inappropriate location for an asylum hostel; it would be far better for it to be located in the centre of Birmingham, where the relevant services would be located nearby. 'The last government committed to closing it, however I have so far been unable to extract a promise of closure from the current Labour government. 'I aim to persuade the Home Secretary that it should be closed as soon as possible.' A protest was held at the gates to the venue last Friday, drawing a crowd of up to 50 people, with more planned. Critics also claim that the asylum seekers are 'making it more difficult' for people to access health services, get council homes and live in peace and this was concerning. But one resident posted: "I'm just as concerned about how successful the right wing politicians and media have been in brainwashing people. Some of the utter tripe on this post is shameful." They also said it was ludicrous to suggest the asylum seeker population was responsible for local issues like a lack of GP appointments, crumbling infrastructure and a housing shortage. "If someone's causing genuine issues locally, absolutely deal with it so we can all live harmoniously. But let's aim our frustration at the people actually pulling the strings and work together for a community that's fair, welcoming, and strong," they added. Amid fears of more local protests at this and other hotels housing asylum seekers, West Midlands Police urged residents to keep the peace. Assistant Chief Constable Paul Drover said: "We understand the concerns people have about their communities and will always balance the right to freedom of expression with the need to tackle crime. "We have strong relationships with our communities and continue to build trust with them to come and speak to us. We urge communities to carefully consider information that they read, share and trust and if in doubt we would always encourage them to speak to us or their community leaders. "In the West Midlands, we have seen a small number of peaceful protests - (last weekend) we saw very low numbers at two protests in Wolverhampton and Solihull that passed off peacefully. However, we have assisted in providing support to other forces as part of national contingency plans. "Our priority is always to keep people safe and in every decision around policing, public order and protests we must balance the right to freedom of expression with the right to tackle crime so we can ensure public safety. "The right to peaceful and lawful protest is a fundamental element of any democracy, and we are committed to upholding and facilitating this." Who owns and runs the former Ramada venue? The Johal family including directors Iqbal, Balkar, Balraj, Jasbir and Sarnpal, own the hotel through their company Sutton Coldfield Hotel Ltd. In their most recent published accounts, for 2023-24, the company made after-tax profits of £4,583,509, off the back of a turnover of £9.5 million. In their notes to the accounts, the owners say they plan to continue to provide asylum accommodation services and expect to continue to see demand grow in the coming years 'as there is still significant demand to accommodate asylum seekers on a short term basis'. The accounts also note that as a result 'the company is undergoing a period of growing profits. The funds have been invested in reducing a significant amount of the company debt, meaning liquidity risk has diminished significantly.' The report also adds: "Maintaining strong relationships with the government contract provider, whilst maintaining the quality of service, has mitigated the risk of competitive bids who may look to undercut the current agreed rates." We have tried in vain to get hold of the Johal family or their representatives. The Ramada Hotel in Sutton Coldfield, previously known as Penns Hall Hotel, was a hotel and country club situated on Penns Lane, Walmley. It's a Grade B locally listed building, originally a private residence, and later became part of Ramada International. It is located on 14 acres of mature grounds, featuring a tree-lined driveway and a lake. During the 1980s, the hotel became famous as the location for exterior filming of the TV soap opera Crossroads. The hotel filled in as the Crossroads Motel, later known as the Kings Oak Country Hotel, and the entrance to the real hotel's conference facilities was dressed to look like the main entrance to the fictional hotel. A shot of some of the hotel rooms overlooking Penns Lake, which is on the hotel's land, were used as part of the closing credits to the show.
Politico
2 days ago
- Politico
Poilievre's pivot
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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Conservative Rep. Mark Smith launches campaign for SC's 1st Congressional District Seat
State Rep. Mark Smith, R–Berkeley, launched his campaign for Congress Thursday to represent South Carolina's 1st Congressional District, entering the 2026 race to succeed U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace. Smith, who's in his third term as a state lawmaker and local businessman from Daniel Island, kicked off his campaign 10 days after Mace jumped into South Carolina's 2026 race for governor. In a two-minute launch video, Smith aligns himself closely with President Donald Trump, with the voiceover stating, 'Mark Smith's got President Trump's back.' 'The Lowcountry deserves a representative who puts our people first,' Smith wrote on Facebook, accompanying his campaign launch. 'We need a proven conservative leader who will fight for President Trump's America First agenda and deliver results.' His campaign messaging emphasizes traditional conservative priorities and defending 'South Carolina values.' Smith, 55, represents parts of Mount Pleasant, Daniel Island, the Cainhoy Peninsula, Hanahan and Goose Creek in the South Carolina House of Representatives. Before that, he served on the Mount Pleasant Town Council. He also owns McAlister-Smith Funeral and Cremation, which operates six locations across Charleston, Berkeley and Lexington counties. The 1st District, which stretches along the state's southeastern coastline and covers much of the Lowcountry, including portions of Charleston, Berkeley and Beaufort counties, has leaned more Republican in recent cycles. In 2024, Rep. Mace defeated Democratic challenger Michael B. Moore with 58.2% of the vote. Smith's entrance into the race sets the stage for a competitive Republican primary, as candidates vie to define the direction of the GOP in the Lowcountry. As of now, Smith is one of two Republicans seeking the seat. Charleston's Jack Ellison has also filed Federal Election Commission paperwork to raise money for a campaign. On the Democratic side, three candidates have entered the ring, Robert Lee Beers III of Bonneau, William 'Mac' Deford of Mount Pleasant and S.C. Democratic Party Second Vice Chair Mayra Rivera-Vazquez of Bluffton. Official candidate filing with the South Carolina Election Commission does not open until March 2026, but early declarations have already begun to shape what could be a crowded race. Smith is scheduled to have a campaign launch event at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 14, at New Realm Brewing on Daniel Island, across from one of Mace's congressional offices in the district.
