Great Yarmouth Marina Centre rebuild has boosted town - council

The £26m rebuilding of a sports and leisure centre has helped increase footfall in a seaside town, a council's chief executive said.

The Marina Centre, owned by Great Yarmouth Borough Council, reopened in August after closing down in October 2019.

Since its opening it has attracted 150,000 visitors, Sheila Oxtoby, from the council, said.

"We have seen almost a 15% increase [in footfall] compared to 2019," she added.

The old Marina Centre was demolished and a new facility was built on the seafront site, featuring a six-lane swimming pool as well as climbing walls, a gym, a sports hall, water slides, a learner pool and cafe.

Ms Oxtoby said: "The figures for last year compared to 2019, we can definitely see an increase [in footfall] once the Marina Centre opened in August as we moved into the 'shoulder season' - October, November, December, when footfall would normally fall away.

"We have seen almost a 15% increase compared to 2019, and the fact we know almost 150,000 have used the centre and an additional 20,000 who've used the cafe, we absolutely believe it's driving the footfall."

Ms Oxtoby said the council-owned centre, run by Freedom Leisure, had been designed to be fun for adults and children, as well as be a serious sports centre.

"There's nothing else equivalent in Norfolk and I think people will travel [to it] because it's a great offer," she said.

"We believe it's doing exactly what we hoped it would do, as well as financially meeting our business case."

Asa Morrison, chief executive of Visit Great Yarmouth, said: "Anytime you put something on the seafront that is weather tolerant, it helps the footfall on the seafront."

He said the centre was a "positive development" and the redevelopment of the empty Winter Gardens would only help further.

Sandie Menezes has been the owner of the Beach Hut cafe for eight years and said opening each winter had been a "struggle sometimes".

"But now we are noticing more footfall, getting busier through the winter time as there's more cafes opening up and there's more choice for people," she said.

"I think out of the seven cafes [north of the Britannia pier], six are now open all winter, which is great because it brings people down."

Jamie Jones, owner of Magic City amusement arcade and Merlin's Sports Bar, said: "We've seen larger footfall, especially in our sports bar, with snooker players and people watching live sports, and hopefully it's a sign of things to come for 2023.

"The level of investment that's gone on the Marina Centre can only be good for the seafront and hopefully it benefits all the other businesses along it as well."

Mark Allen, owner of Munchies cafe on North Drive, said: "We've stayed open for the winter for the first time this year because we've taken on somebody as a manager to give me a little bit more spare time, and of course we've got to employ year-round.

"However, it's been quite successful.

"It's great to hear more people are coming into town and using it [the Marina Centre] and anything like that is going to be good for the town."

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