Bridlington is a coastal town that is like many, struggling to find traction in the changed world we now live in. Its halcyon days based upon seaside holidays and fishing have waned and it now has an aging population coupled with a very limited offer of opportunity for younger people to find work and live there. These present challenges but also opportunity for the future of the local people.

Move only a little way from the Seafront and Centre and you quickly pick up a view of old streetscapes needing a new reason for being.

The sea front has benefited greatly by the recent interventions of East Riding Council, and the vision in the AAP is commendable, but for the public sectors recent investment to work and spread wider much more is needed to improve the towns offer and tip the scales from decline to renewal. One hopes that the further interventions proposed in the AAP plan will go a long way toward the needed tipping point

I know people are working hard to attract inward investment. There is a need for quality overnight accommodation and a greater choice of places to eat and be entertained. The towns offer needs to be broader and of higher quality. The current barrier to all this is the risk the private sector will see in delivering it. The upside is not obvious nor does it appear significantly great and any private project is inherently risky. Made worse by differing opinions and lack of progress with the harbour and marina project.

Any inward investor will want to see a more progressive united approach being adopted by those who control the town and its component parts.

To me the debate needs to switch to a strong focus on the economy. What is going to sustain this town in to the future, by creating wealth and more jobs? What is Bridlington’s 21st century reason for being? What’s its purpose? New public realm, buildings and infrastructure are one important thing, tills ringing and growing balance sheets are another. One doesn’t necessarily bring the other.

Unfortunately like many plans written with town planning in mind the AAP is short on how a sustainable economy can be rebuilt, one creating the vibrant place it envisions.

So some thoughts for discussion

To me a key point is that a debate should be started to explore the economic future, perhaps to build an economic vision for the town. Central to this should be an open mind, if something is going to create wealth and jobs they should be supported, the best growth opportunities tend not to be planned but respond well to nurturing.

Secondly plans work when people with vision get passionate, believe in something and come together to make things happen. It should be noted also that, passion that works comes best from local people who care; local people are the key to the future success or failure of Bridlington. It is their town and they should be allowed to lead on change. So thirdly to me the local authorities approach should change from one of directing, to one of supporting change, the council should help enable change. The town leaders should be in charge and be assisted and encouraged.

Bridlington can no longer rely on its heritage, valuable though that is, it needs to move forward. To survive it must become a place that encourages local people to set up new businesses, to live, work, and play there, and then attract others from outside to come to it.

To consider the how, you need to think about its current assets and future opportunity’s, the town has both a fishing and tourism industry based around the seafront. In addition to this some indigenous local service providers and traders operate within the town and a few manufacturing and rural industries lie in or nearby. The town also has beautiful surrounds and Hockney

Focus should be placed on making these assets and attributes or something else grow.

An interesting comparison is Howden, not a seaside resort but a town nonetheless where something changed, in its case the coming of one employer ‘The Press Association’ transformed its dying heart and brought about renewal. Today it is a bustling busy place.

In Bridlington the harbour and seafront is a unique asset, one that is now not being utilized to its fullest potential, a progressive strategy for the harbor and seafront bringing in greater economic benefit for the town is central to more prosperity for local people. Fishing though a part of the future economy is unlikely to see large expansion but tourism certainly could grow the towns economy. The Marina idea makes very good sense to be part of the strategy and it should be a win win for all local people.

A key component to the future economy is that there has to be opportunity for young people. Tourism tends to create jobs for younger people and should also offer them new business opportunities.

Leisure will be a big part of peoples lives this century, Bridlington has a greater opportunity than many areas to provide a unique offer for all ages.

Thinking for myself, if I could take my wife over to Bridlington, to a nice hotel or rental apartment, enjoy some great food, easily park my car somewhere safe, visit some contemporary shops, sit, read my paper over a great coffee on the marina, do a bit of walking or cycling, visit a bar with some excellent entertainment. Would I go and spend a weekend – yes I would. Could I get that now?

The town is much loved by many with a wonderful heritage, nationally people need reminding of this, but when they come, the town has to deliver and exceed expectation. Why Bridlington – local people need the big answers to this. Give people a reason to come and they’ll come and more importantly they’ll spend their money. Las Vegas doesn’t have a problem attracting people? Nearer home neither does York or Scarborough – they have reasons to go there.

Not only are people living longer but they are staying active and healthy for longer. Bridlington could create a great offer to the greys among us. This sector has money to spend and time on their hands, so they could offer the people of the town job opportunities in tourism and leisure as well as health care provision or in managing property and rentals.

But its up to local people to define what Bridlington is and what it wants to be and to whom it wants to serve and sell.

I am not one that believes we should right off peripheral towns, or accept north south divides as fait accompli. Thriving pockets of success can be created anywhere, its down to local people and local passion for change. Do the people of Bridlington have that passion, for their town to have a successful future?

Just a bit of food for thought from an outsider and someone who wants to see East Yorkshire thriving everywhere.