Hemsby and the great British seaside holiday

In recent years traditional British seaside holidays have taken a knock. The idea of the British seaside is less understood by younger generations, and cheap flights have lured families out of the UK in search of affordable sunshine vacations.

But the old-fashioned values of fun, friendliness and fish & chips, combined with sandcastles and paddling are still alive in numerous seaside resorts around the coast of Britain.

One resort, Hemsby in Norfolk, just thirty miles east of my home in Norwich, is determined to lead the fight back for the British seaside holiday, and has engaged me to help them do just that.

I’ll be working with the businesses and people of Hemsby and its close neighbour Newport, to help them raise their profile in the minds of holidaymakers and day trippers from all over the UK.

For Hemsby it’s not about big budget advertising, but about creating an authentic story about the place which appeals to people. This is a fantastically friendly and enjoyable little resort, with a truly magnificent sandy beach and all the ingredients you could possibly hope for in a family holiday… like they used to be.

I believe there’s still a market for this… as a nation we’ve just sort of forgotten about the idea. Hemsby’s going to remind people.

I plan to help put Hemsby in the public eye through a strategic intervention which might well include the revival of the traditional Longshore Herring Festival and other major cultural as well as leisure events.

Part of the plan is also to let big holiday companies know that Hemsby is a terrific location. Pontin pulled out of the village last year, which I think was a mistake. So there’s a vacancy in the village for a holiday accommodation provider with real imagination and commitment,

I have lived in Norwich most of my life and I’ve long been a champion of all things Norfolk. That’s partly why I’m so excited to be working for Hemsby of course: it’s another Norfolk gem, waiting to be rediscovered. More news later.

Date posted: Wednesday 18th March 2009Back to news home page >