Latest news with #ChrisBaron
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Revealed: The multi-million pound upgrade that locals hope will breathe new life into Britain's 'worst' seaside town
A seaside town, once named the worst in the country, is set for an exciting multi-million pound revamp. Skegness, on the Lincolnshire coast, picked up the unwanted accolade in the 2023 Which? Travel seaside resort survey where it was described as a 'vulgar hellhole with brown sea'. In 2024, it ranked fifth from bottom with tourists awarding it just one star for scenery and noise levels. But things could be looking up for 'Skeggy'. The town's railway station is currently undergoing a £3.3m overhaul, part of a project designed to make Skegness a 'spectacular gateway' to the Lincolnshire coast. Skegness' main station building, known as the old Red Star, is getting a 'full renovation' under the plans. The historic Red Star building 'fell into disuse' in the 1990s and the project is aiming to 'preserve the historic station building and bring it back into modern-day use'. The Connected Coast team behind the project has said that the station's internal concourse and taxi rank/drop off area will also be 'improved'. Exciting new facilities at the station will include a community cafe with an outdoor seating area, a community space which can be booked by the public and commercial units for businesses and offices. Passengers will also benefit from new toilet facilities and refurbished waiting rooms. Connected Coast explained that the station will also have an upgraded security system, WIFI and 'digital customer information'. Chris Baron, chair of Connected Coast, said: 'This is a really exciting project for the community and holidaymakers alike. We're incredibly fortunate in Skegness to have received this funding. 'One of the major projects is the revitalisation of the railway station, bringing it up to the 21st century. 'The current plain brick facade (at the station) will be redesigned to bring in natural light, with new facilites such as a waiting room, cafe space and left luggage area. 'It's fantastic to see these improvements, but we're also focusing on the needs of the community by creating rentable office spaces, offering local business owners a place to establish and grow their ventures. 'An essential part of the Connected Coast initiative is the installation of a Changing Places toilet, ensuring that disabled people have a fully accessible and appropriate facility upon arrival in Skegness.' The Connected Coast team behind the project has said that the station's internal concourse and taxi rank/drop off area will also be 'improved'. Pictured above is Skegness station in 2024 In another exciting development, East Midlands Railway recently unveiled its first fully refurbished Class 170 train. The upgrades are set to enhance and increase to Skegness on the Nottingham to Skegness via Grantham line. The refurbished trains have a range of modern features, including brand-new seating, updated flooring and toilets. Will Rogers, managing director of EMR, has said that the upgrades are 'just the beginning' with more improvements to come. Ever wondered what Skegness used to look like? Dive into the resort's history with this collection of fascinating photos which date back as far as 1900.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Skegness needs a bypass to attract more visitors'
A call has been made for a bypass to be built around Skegness to tackle traffic problems in the resort and 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. Residents invited to name new seaside attraction Rural England under attack, says councillor Chancellor announces £1bn for 45 areas of England Connected Coast Lincolnshire County Council
