The tourism sector is still important to us but seasonal low paid jobs is part of the issue, so creating an all year round tourism is a priority, which is where investments like the Marina Centre, the Winter Gardens and marketplace redevelopment come in."
Shelia Oxtoby said; "The tourism sector is still important to us but seasonal low paid jobs is part of the issue, so creating an all year round tourism is a priority, which is where investments like the Marina Centre, the Winter Gardens and marketplace redevelopment come in."
“There is investor interest, whereas five years ago I couldn't even get anybody to pick up the phone,” she said.
"Improved rail links, including a direct London connection are also important."
Among the benefits Great Yarmouth has over its peers are that it owns more property, and has also been prepared to wield that power and do deals.
In terms of tourism, overseas travel restrictions gave the domestic market an unexpected boost during the pandemic and Great Yarmouth was in any case reaching out to visitors.
Cruise ships are now coming into the town – with visits to Norwich Cathedral another reason to improve links between the two.
The profile of the town was given a further boost by a spate of Banksy artworks that appeared in autumn 2021.
A bid (jointly with Gorleston and Lowestoft) to become UK City of Culture, while unsuccessful, has set in motion a cultural push that has so far yielded a residency with the BBC concert orchestra, and opened conversations with the likes of the Royal Operatic Society.
Equally importantly, it has galvanised support locally for promoting culture.
Sheila Oxtoby also said that Great Yarmouth faced up earlier than many towns to a world where even the last department stores are pulling down the shutters for good.
Over the last five years, the council has been putting together plans to reinvent the town centre and deal with empty units, but lacked the financial means.
With Towns Deal support from the Future High Streets fund, that’s now changed. The council was able to buy the former Beale’s department store to develop the learning centre that will make it a university town, working with the University of Suffolk and Trinity College Cambridge.
In addition, a housing deal with Homes England is in the works as Great Yarmouth looks to move forward a number of brownfield sites, with a desire for market housing and an element of social development, while intervening in the private rented sector to improve quality is of great interest.
Compulsory purchase powers have been used judiciously, while the council has also set up its own housing company, Equinox, which is now active in the market.
None of this has come about by accident: setting a strategic narrative is essential.
If you don't embrace the task of setting the strategic narrative, and live that, others will set the narrative for you. Although it can’t be done overnight, accentuating the positives and building that narrative of the initiatives and regeneration efforts will become infectious"
