Hodgson Elkington - Leisure Development - Skegness, Grand Parade
Date: 01 Aug 2003
Work has started on a multi-million pound seaside development at Skegness that will provide new pleasure facilities for holidaymakers and create 100 full-time jobs with more in the pipeline.
This follows the granting of a long leasehold interest to Pleasure Beach Amusements on the Central Car Park adjacent to the new Embassy Complex by Hodgson Elkington, the Lincoln and Newark chartered surveyors, acting on behalf of East Lindsey District Council.
The £3.5 million development by Pleasure Beach Amusements on a one-acre site on the Central Car Park, bridges the gap between the existing park and Grand Parade frontage.
A new McDonalds Drive Thru restaurant, which has just commenced trading, has created 70 full time jobs and a further 30 new jobs will be created by 12 new sympathetically designed retail kiosks and stalls selling seaside goods, which will be built on a featured boardwalk. This should be completed by next Easter.
"The £3.5 million development of the Central Car Park is a natural step forward in extending facilities for holidaymakers and visitors," said Jim Botton, chairman and managing director of Pleasure Beach Amusements, a business set up 37 years ago.
The new investment will extend the pleasure complex to 5.5 acres. "I have just purchased a log flume ride from France and this will shortly be up and running. Looking into next year we plan on further developments and are looking to employ 200 staff," said Mr Botton.
"We hope that the new facilities will attract more people to Skegness as well as retaining existing holidaymakers, particularly if we continue experiencing the good weather we are enjoying at the moment," said Mr Botton.
"The development on the Central Car Park in effect forms the final piece of the Grand Parade jigsaw which has seen a substantial capital investment backed by EEC grants," said Stephen Bradford, a partner at Hodgson Elkington.
The development programme phased over the last three years has included the complete re-siting of the open-air swimming pool, the repositioning of the surfaced car park, the upgrading and partial re-development of the Embassy Complex and finally the Central Car Park.
"We are also pleased to announce that the final two units within the Embassy Complex have also been let and are now trading as Harveys combined sports bar facility. This now joins the Litten Tree pub catering for businesspeople and families during the day and younger people by night, that has been trading for the past two years," said Mr Bradford.
When East Lindsey District Council decided to open up the foreshore at Skegness for redevelopment they could hardly have wished for a better result.
With the final pieces of the Embassy complex 'jigsaw' completed and leases signed, the revamped section of the seafront will eventually raise nearly £400,000 a year in rents, almost twice what was originally expected.
"This has got to be good news for both the residents and visitors alike. Improved pleasure facilities coupled with increased earnings has produced an excellent result for the whole of our district and holidaymakers, and at the same time created scores of full time jobs," said leader of East Lindsey District Council, Councillor Jeremy Webb.
It has been a long journey since the District Council planted the first seeds for the multi-million pound redevelopment, but three years down the line the resort has a new outdoor swimming pool, upgraded theatre entrance with two new licensed premises on the Embassy frontage, an arts room and new McDonalds drive-thru' restaurant. An exciting log flume ride from France will be added shortly.
Backed by £1.2m of European money, the facelift is the product of years of hard work by East Lindsey District Council officers and the Council's agents Hodgson Elkington, the Lincoln and Newark chartered surveyors.
"Our staff should be congratulated on an extremely good job done," said Councillor Webb.
The District Council invested £1.67m of taxpayers' money into the scheme and when the SFI Group opened the Litten Tree pub they spent £750,000 on fitting out.
The main central car park next to the Embassy was put out to tender and became subject to complex negotiations involving two local companies, Blue Anchor Leisure Limited and Pleasure Beach Amusements (Skegness) Limited.
After a second tendering exercise, Pleasure Beach Amusements and their proposal for a McDonalds restaurant, a boardwalk of 12 shops and a new entrance to the amusement park with a themed log flume ride, won the lease.
In March this year Skegness company Buckingham Developments agreed to take on the remaining two units and have opened Harveys pub restaurant.
"The developments when completed will safeguard the central foreshore, will allow local companies to expand and develop and will provide an attractive feature for the residents and tourists. All those involved in bringing these schemes to fruition should take pride in the results," said Councillor Webb.
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