£500,000 boost for Morecambe Bay Partnership - 'Great news for local jobs and tourism' says MP

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has expressed his delight that new jobs for our area will be created as the Morecambe Bay Partnership has been named as one of twenty projects which have been selected for funding from the Coastal Communities Scheme. The scheme provides money to 'promote sustainable economic growth and jobs in local communities, and offer training or innovative business opportunities for the local area.'

The Partnership has secured half a million pounds for Bay-wide tourism projects from the scheme. The project will create 33 jobs.

Economic analysis of the impact of the project shows it will make a massive impact: "The project can deliver a 3% uplift in tourism spend and employment by end of 2016. This is an increase in tourism revenue of £15 million, which equates to 268 new jobs around the Bay with a further 8,200 jobs safeguarded."

In addition, the project will deliver 300 training places, connect 200km of cycleway, develop 3 new training courses, support 100 businesses and generate new business opportunities. Further value will come from attracting talent, building skills, improving the image of the area, and making more of the existing assets.

Tim said: "We are delighted to see our project get the go ahead - this imaginative project will bring together much of the good work that the Morecambe Bay Partnership has been developing. It will help to open up the Bay area, not least through the development of a bay cycle route, and also provide visitors with more information and a greater overall visitor experience. This investment comes at a critical time for Bay-wide tourism and should help to revive fortunes and boost trade benefiting the whole area.

"I want to pay tribute to Susannah Bleakley and her team. It was a privilege to help make the case for such an excellent bid