Skegness town centre manager starts new job

Judy Chapman of Skegness Partnership presents a bouquet to town centre manager Lisa Colllins to wish her luck in her new job. ANL-160503-175335001

Lisa Collins leaves her role as town centre manager today (Wednesday) and will  tomorrow start her new job as Coastal Destination Business Improvement District (BID) development manager.

For the past two years she has worked on behalf Skegness Partnership to bring a programme of additional events and activities to the resort and improve trading conditions for local businesses.

Businesses within a Destination BID pay an annual levy normally based upon the rateable value of each business property – usually between one per cent and two per cent.

She said: “I will be working to get the business community across a wider area of the coastal strip beyond Mablethorpe on board. We have to think big if we are not be be left behind because Great Yarmouth recently secured a successful destination BID.

“Lincoln BIG, which is our city equivalent, is working with the businesses in the city to provide additional services, such as marketing, events, street wardens, improvements to the street scene and improved city centre security.”

As well as helping to  secure World Host destination status for Skegness, only one of two UK seaside resorts to achieve this, other success as town centre manager include the Ambassador volunteer project and a bronze in the East Midlands In Bloom competition last year, securing funding and coastal community team status for the town and securing £50,000 of coastal revival funding to kick-start the tower gardens pavilion project. Lisa will carry on in her own time as vice-chair of the carnival committee and working on the waterfall community garden project.

Lisa’s colleagues from Skegness Partnership and friends joined her for a celebration at Wolfies on Friday night. Lisa said: “I have loved every minute as town centre manager and have very mixed emotions moving on. But I am confident the work already started will continue via the thriving Skegness Partnership and I would like to thank everyone for their suppport.

“Securing a successful Destination BID for the coast will maximise the potential of the area through the additional funding. It will allow a business-led group and organisation to take the lead on developing the area, ensuring its future vitality and success and ensuring economic prosperity.”