Marine centre takes shape on coast

East Riding Council is rebuilding a former cafe in South Landing that was destroyed by fire in 2009, and it will be leased to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, which is creating a Living Seas Centre at the site.

The council will spend £137,000 on the construction work, while the trust has secured £30,000 from the Leader programme and £20,000 from the Crown Estate to raise awareness about marine wildlife in the North Sea.

As well as housing interactive displays in the centre, which will be open to the public and schools, the trust is also planning other activities including snorkelling, seashore safaris, living seas safaris, beach art and theme days.

Martin Batt, nature tourism manager at the trust, said:

“This is our first marine visitor centre as part of the Living Seas project, and it is very exciting to be making a start on it at last. It comes at a busy time for us with the launch of the new Puffin mark scheme for tourism businesses, which will enable them to benefit from all the investments we and our partners are making both along the coast and inland.”