East Lindsey District Council will not extend the holiday season this year, after it has been told by the government not to act on requests from almost 40 caravan parks on the Lincolnshire coast.
The government announced in October plans to allow an extension of the holiday season through to January 5, 2021, and give holiday park operators extra time to recoup some of the losses suffered during lockdown.
But COVID infection numbers in the East Lindsey area are still high and Lincolnshire County Council has concerns over safe mass evacuations in the event of surge flooding — so the government pulled the plug on the season extension plans for this year.
There are approximately 36,000 static caravans for holiday use within the district and around 25,000 of these are within the coastal area.
Mike Gildersleeves, Assistant Director of Planning for East Lindsey, said: “Agreement has not yet been reached with partner agencies, and government has requested that we do not currently agree any extensions to occupancy restrictions under the local development order (LDO).
“Coupled with the local picture regarding COVID-19, it is not considered appropriate to implement permissions under the LDO at this time.
“As a result, we will not presently be supporting LDO applications which would see an extension of the 2020/21 season.
“We have communicated this to all site owners within the LDO area, including the 38 businesses who have made requests to extend their season.
“We will continue to liaise and work with site operators regarding the 2021/2022 season to secure the benefits of the LDO in that season.”
Colin Davie, executive councillor for economy and place at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “In the event of coastal flooding during the winter storm season – one of the highest risks to life in Lincolnshire – we would question the ability to evacuate large numbers of people from multiple caravan sites in the time we would need to.
“Flood evacuation plans at individual caravan sites would not address this as they are produced in isolation simply to take people off-site, not to a place of safety.
“Extra demand on emergency services and local councils while we are under increased pressure from the ongoing COVID-19 response, could seriously put lives at risk.”
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We are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a collision caused serious injuries to a 23-year-old man.
Just before 3.30pm yesterday (2 July), we received reports of a collision on Barholm Road in Tallington. It involved a grey BMW 335D estate, a blue BMW 116D and an orange KTM motorcycle.
The motorcycle rider, a 23-year-old man, sustained serious injuries during the collision and was taken to hospital.
If you witnessed the incident and are yet to get in touch with us, please do so. If you have any other information or dashcam footage available that may have captured the road along the A1175 at the time of the collision, get in touch.
By calling 101 quoting incident 282 of 2 July.
By emailing [email protected] quoting incident 282 of 2 July in the subject line.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can report via the independent charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.
The 2022 Destination Lincolnshire Tourism Excellence Awards are open for applications, and Destination Lincolnshire giving you the rare chance to co-create your application with Nell Barrington, a tourism awards veteran, who has helped hundreds of businesses write winning applications over the last 15 years – including national VisitEngland winners.
The Tourism Awards Masterclass is taking place on Tuesday 12 July at 11am for one-hour online. Laura Freer, Head of Marketing at Destination Lincolnshire said: “This is a golden opportunity, after years of hard work and heartache, to get your business and team recognised and rewarded.
“A well written application is key to achieving a coveted place on this year’s shortlist, and I’d encourage all tourism and visitor economy businesses who are thinking of entering – whether they are seasoned at writing award applications or not – to join us for this exclusive masterclass.
“Nell Barrington has worked with us and VisitEngland on the founding application processes of these awards, and she is perfectly placed to assist in co-creating applications that you can be proud of. This is a great opportunity for business development too – whether you are shortlisted for an award or not – discovering how to effectively apply for awards and talk up your business adds another string to your bow.
“Booking is essential and places are limited to just 35 – so be quick! This year we’ve made our masterclass available to partners and also to those who we are yet to work with for free. Call it an added bonus, after two years away from the awards circuit.
The awards masterclass is focussed on the application process, and it will spell out what the judges are looking for. You’ll learn how to make your application stand out from the local competition, helping your chances of going through to the national VisitEngland Awards in 2023.”
There are fifteen categories open for nominations from visitors attraction, accommodation providers, hospitality businesses and many more.
The deadline for nominations is July 29, with online judging starting on July 30 and mystery shopping from August 13. Finalists will be announced on Monday, August 15.
The awards ceremony will be held at the Engine Shed on October 21, and will be hosted by Lincs FM presenter, John Marshall.
The event is organised by Stonebow Media, publishers of The Lincolnite, to celebrate the best businesses in Greater Lincolnshire, alongside headline sponsors Lincoln College and Destination Lincolnshire.
We would also like to thank our other sponsors Visit Lincolnshire, Heart of Lincs, Duncan and Toplis and LNER, insight6 and EV Camel.
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