Wyre signs off Marine Hall revamp

The local authority has rubber-stamped a £1.3m improvement programme for the Fleetwood venue, also approving a grant to explore a training centre at the Hillhouse tech enterprise zone.

Last week’s Wyre Council cabinet meeting signed off the refurbishment project, which will see the Waterfront Bar brought back into use at the town’s Art Deco 1930s landmark.

Wyre said the project will “transform an underused area into a vibrant, flexible space, creating new opportunities for community use, events and daytime activity on the promenade.”

The investment will deliver:

• A new promenade-facing café and licensed bar with outdoor terrace
• A second performance and community space
• Improved accessibility, including upgraded facilities
• Modern, energy-efficient upgrades to the building
• Increased capacity and improved visitor experience

Cllr Lynne Bowen, portfolio holder for leisure, health and community engagement, said: “This is about taking the next step and delivering real improvements that people will see and experience.

“By bringing this part of the building back into use, we’re creating more opportunities for the community, supporting events and activity, and making better use of a much-loved venue.”

The decision is now subject to the council’s call-in period.

Wyre’s cabinet also signed off a contribution of up to £40,000 from its Enterprise Zone business rates growth reserve for fees to develop proposals for a training centre at Hillhouse, and to enter into a grant funding agreement with Addison Academy, which will commission independent professional services to develop the proposals.

Target sectors for the Hillhouse EZ include chemicals, polymer manufacture, energy generation and management, along with advanced manufacturing and engineering, and low carbon and sustainable industries.

Addison Group, Victrex and AGC Chemicals Europe are currently the major engineering firms occupying the zone – all of which report a severe shortage of skilled engineering and manufacturing workers in the area

Hence the idea for a training centre, with Addison Academy – a sister operation to long-standing family-owned engineering group of Addison Precision, Addison Project and Addison Engineering taking the lead.

Thus far, said the report to cabinet, the organisation has undertaken initial research into the demand for industry-aligned technical skills and employer-led training, with the project now set to take the next step.

The goal is to have a training centre up and running by 2031.