Grant boosts dream of national seabird centre on East Coast

HOPES of boosting the region’s economy through nature tourism are taking off after the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds was given a £33,000 grant to develop plans for a national seabird centre on the East Coast.
By The Newsroom
Published 12th Aug 2011, 07:00 BST

The Heritage Lottery Fund finance allows the charity to create detailed plans for a major extension of its facilities at Bempton Cliffs nature reserve near Bridlington, one of the biggest seabird nesting sites in the UK.

The aim is to make it an attractive year-round visitor destination with a dedicated learning space and areas for research.

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Keith Clarkson, RSPB area manager for the East Coast, said: “The seabird colony at RSPB Bempton Cliffs is one of the truly unmissable British wildlife spectacles.

“Already around 65,000 visitors every year marvel at this amazing experience. By improving facilities for visitors, we want to make those visits even more memorable.

“And we also want to encourage people from all walks of life to experience the splendour that is England’s largest seabird colony.

“We know that people from all over the world come to Bempton Cliffs but we also want to attract people from just around the corner to pay us a visit as well. This wonderful support from HLF gives us the funding we need to take our next steps towards achieving our dream.”

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The funding paves the way for a full grant application to deliver the project.

A report last year by the International Centre for Responsible Tourism said that investment in infrastructure could see income from wildlife tourism in the area rise from £9.5m to £28.5m.

Related topics:BridlingtonEngland