Five BIG new projects in Skegness for 2024

In addition to £24.5 million projects under the Connected Coast Town Deal banner, there are a number of private sector investments.

Scaffolding is everywhere and Lincolnshire World took a tour around the resort to see how they are getting on.

Town clerk Steve Larner donned his high-vis vest to show us how the transformation of Tower Gardens, now run by the Skegness Town Council, is going – and revealed they were surprised by what was lurking in the murky water of the pond.

Mr Larner said he was pleased to report work on the first phase of Tower Gardens was going well and was ahead of schedule. He said: “This is phase one of the masterplan for Tower gardens by Skegness Town Council, which is concentrating on refurbishing the whole of the pond area and getting the cascades going again and improving the pathways.

"While clearing out the pond we found all sorts in there, including bicycles, old phones and shopping trolleys.

“We also found 400 goldfish we had no idea were in there. They are on their holidays at a special storage facility in Ipswich and will be returned when the project is finished, which it is hoped will be before Easter.

"Part of phase one will also include planting around the pond and we have also got planting going on around the bandstand.

"That will be a sensory planting area and it will feature musical instruments which will enhance that sensory feeling.”

The Tower Gardens project is part of Town Deal plans to transform heritage sites in the resort. This also includes grants to improve shop fronts.

Other projects being delivered include Cultural Skegness projects, including the redesign of the Embassy Theatre and improvements to the pier.

Currently the bar at the Embassy Centre is boarded up and as we pondered whether it was part of the overall Culture House proposals, we found Chris Baron, the Chair of the Connected Coast Board overseeing the projects, leaving a board meeting there.

He said he was delighted to see plans coming to fruition. “It takes a lot of planning to get these things done even when we have got the funding.

"Next week work on the new college will start on Wainfleet Road, we have got the railway station redevelopment which is underway, part of the High Street project with Alisons – people will see the scaffolding going up there.

"A side part of that, Wetherspoons joining in with a redevelopment – so all of that area will be a major change this year.

"Work on four more shops will be starting straight after Alisons.

"We’ve got some work starting on the culture house project at the Embassy – most of that will happen next year – and the Tower Gardens.

"So people will the real benefits of the Town Fund now.”