58
Object
Southend Central Area Action Plan (SCAAP) - Revised Proposed Submission 2016
Representation ID: 2839
Received: 15/12/2016
Respondent: Stockvale Group
Agent: Stockvale Group
Legally compliant? Yes
Sound? No
This paragraph recognises that tourism is still a significant component of Southend's economy ("While tourism remains a central pillar of Southend's employment base..."). What the Plan does not acknowledge, however, is the fragility of this type of economy and the need to develop clear and positive policies to protect and grow this component. A survey of Adventure Island visitors undertaken by The Stockvale Group in 2016 showed that of 1,481 responses to the question, 54% of visitors, had visited Southend more than five times in the past 12 months. This shows that Southend operates very much like other traditional seaside resorts that rely significantly on repeat visits from people who make regular visits to the resort. This type of visitor can go elsewhere and if the Council does not protect this important component of the economy, there could be serious consequences for the visitor attractions on the seafront. The attached cutting (see Supporting Information below) from the November 2016 edition of theme park industry magazine 'Park World' shows the fragility of this type of tourism business. This page has two separate articles reporting on difficulties at two seaside amusement parks. The first is Pleasure Island at Cleethorpes, which closed down permanently in October 2016 due to dwindling visitor numbers and Dreamland in Margate, one of the UK's largest and longest established seaside amusement parks which has gone into administration and is threatened with closure.
Businesses like Adventure Island need to be able to attract every single person that wishes to attend, including very importantly an ability to accommodate everybody who would like to visit in peak periods. We deal with this issue in more detail in our objections to parking-related policies, but for the purposes of this paragraph, it is sufficient to simply state that the peak summer days subsidise these operations throughout the rest of the year. An inability to capture all visitors during these very short periods mean less investment, fewer staff, and shorter operating periods for the rest of the year. This is certainly the case with Adventure Island, and this will have a local effect, given the source of most of the staff at Adventure Island is local and also the local supply chain (noting the company uses local trades and suppliers as a matter of policy). Over time visitors are likely to go elsewhere if they repeatedly cannot find a parking space.
It is important, therefore, to ensure that there is a more positive statement in the Plan dealing with this point that doesn't only recognise the need for growth in these new industries, but also in the tourism industry.
RPS has prepared the following representations to Southend Borough Council's Southend Central Area Action Plan (SCAAP), Revised Proposed Submission Version (November 2016) The following Headings represent Paragraphs or Policies contained within the SCAAP. These representations should be read in conjunction with the accompanying completed Representations Forms.
Our client operates the largest and most successful tourism businesses in Southend (The StockvaleGroup is the owner and operator of: Adventure Island theme park; Sealife Adventure; Three Shells beach café; Pavilion Fish and Chips; Feelgoods Pizza Pasta Restaurant; Sands Bistro restaurant; Adventure Inside and Radio Essex). We would like an opportunity to explain our client's business aspirations and explain why the policies in the Plan will not provide a firm basis for the growth of tourism in Southend, and indeed will have the opposite effect on tourism businesses to the objectives set out at the start of the SCAAP. It is very important to our client that the Inspector understands the consequences of adopting the SCAAP as currently drafted.