BRITISH SEASIDE TOWNS SEE RESURGENCE IN 2011

UK seaside towns are experiencing a visitor boom as the number of Brits going on overseas holidays fall. The trend, helped by over £100 million worth of public investment in seaside towns, has resulted in 21% more UK holidaymakers staying overnight and spending 23% more money at the English coast this year. British tourists are expected to collectively spend £9 billion at the coast over the summer months, according to motoring and leisure association, CSMA Club.

High-end tourism has seen a particular increase with upmarket boutiques, antique shops, art galleries and Michelin-starred restaurants[6] frequently setting up shop in seaside resorts offering holidaymakers a break with a contemporary makeover. Earlier this year Margate opened The Turner Contemporary Art Gallery on its seafront hot on the heels of the successful Horsebridge Gallery at nearby Whitstable. Rock in Cornwall saw its Restaurant Nathan Outlaw awarded two Michelin-stars this summer and Dover’s The Marquis has been named as one of only four rising stars nationwide in 2011 by the Michelin guide.

57% Brits have already been or are planning to take a trip to the seaside this summer, with Brighton, Torbay, Blackpool, Scarborough and Bournemouth the favourite destinations, according to research by CMSA Club. These towns have also benefited from the most significant investment over the past decade with Brighton & Hove receiving around £23 million, Blackpool nearly £22 million and Torbay receiving just over £11 million worth of public funds.

After the decline in popularity in the 1990s, the British seaside has been reinventing itself. Gone are the days of a donkey ride on the beach and a round of crazy golf – as 16% of British holidaymakers opt for fine dining and afternoon tea (32%) at the seaside, with many UK holidaymakers planning trips to artisan markets (19%), antique shops (14%) and art galleries (10%). According to research looking at the summer months, 40% of Brits are planning a holiday by the UK coast and plan to spend £322 each on average at the seaside.

Although well-established seaside favourites Brighton & Hove, Torbay and Blackpool continue to be the top three most popular resorts, there are a few less well-known destinations that are predicted to see similar growth. Whitstable, Eastbourne and Penzance are now the fastest growing seaside resorts in the UK and have been enjoying a rise in popularity, seeing an 11% increase in tourism-related business, according to the most recent figures.

Despite the recent trend towards ‘seaside chic’ breaks, there are some traditions that UK seaside-goers refuse to break. 62% of holidaymakers say they plan to eat fish and chips and 44% say they will go for a stroll on the pier. In fact, 32% of holiday goers cite the traditional appeal of UK coastal resorts as a reason for choosing their seaside holiday.

Mark Rothery, Group Chief Executive of CSMA Club, said:- "There are many advantages of visiting one of Britain’s coastal towns rather than going overseas. Not only is it often more affordable but you also avoid the hassle of the airport and there’s something to entertain everyone – whether that’s traditional beach fun, waterside activities, coastal walks or fine dining. Today’s research proves that the British seaside is on the way up and with that the quality of hotels and guesthouses has also improved. Our self-catering CSMA Club Leisure Retreats in Devon and Cornwall are increasingly attracting over-night trippers, those on short weekend breaks or week-long holidays, whatever the weather. We’ve also seen increased interest in activity breaks with visitors holidaying and learning new skills such as surfing and kayaking."

CSMA Club was founded in 1923. Since then it has been providing its members with a wide range of motoring and leisure benefits such as discounted breakdown and car insurance, as well as exclusive access to leisure events and holiday homes. General information on CSMA Club can be found at:- csmaclub.co.uk.

Record A-Level success for Liverpool

LIVERPOOL is celebrating record A-Level results, with provisional figures showing the city is exceeding the national pass rate for the first time ever.  The data shows 98% of students achieved A* - E grades in their exams – higher than the reported national average of 97.8%.  It is an increase of 1.4% on last year’s figure (96.6%), and means standards in Liverpool are rising at 7 times the rate of the rest of the country.  The incredible results have been achieved by the same group of pupils who led the city to exceed the national average for five GCSEs at grades A* - C for the first time in 2009.  More than 7 in 10 students have achieved A* - C grades – up 4.3% on last year, while 22% of pupils are getting A* or A grades, up more than 3% compared to 2010. Councillor Jane Corbett, cabinet member for education, said:- "This is a landmark day for education in Liverpool and shows our young people really are the stars of the future. They have truly worked their socks off with help from teachers, parents and carers to achieve such great grades, and their success is richly deserved.  It is incredible to think that our results are above the national average and outstripping the improvement nationally, and shows the quality of teaching in our schools is absolutely first class. No matter what the naysayers claim, there is no doubt that A-Levels are an extremely difficult and thorough test for young people.  Anyone who has got children studying for the exams knows the hundreds of hours of hard graft that goes in to getting the grades required to get into university, particularly at a time when competition for places is harder than ever.  We are working hard with our schools to make sure that every single young person achieves their full potential and goes on to forge a successful career and lead a successful and fulfilling life."   The figures show that 4 schools – Archbishop Beck, Archbishop Blanch, The Bluecoat and Notre Dame – achieved a 100% pass rate.  Other success stories include:-

► A pupil at King David High School in Childwall - Madeline Hirshfield - who got 5 A*s and has secured a place at Cambridge to study law.

► St Francis Xavier’s (SFX) College in Woolton where 53% of all grades were at A*, A and B – up from 41.5% last year; and 27.9% of all grades were at A* or A – up from 16% last year.

Education chiefs say next year’s results look set to be at least as good. Results for Year 12 pupils who have got their AS results show an increase of 3.3% in the number of pupils getting grade A* - C, and a 5.1% rise in those getting A* - C grades.

Students get gigs with a difference!

STUDENTS at Edge Hill University, in Ormskirk are in for a surprise after the University ran out of places at its campus halls! The University has hit national and international headlines after striking a deal to place some of its 25,000 students in holiday apartments at Southport's Pontin's in Ainsdale.

The new dwellings that have been found for them offer, a 3 minute walk to the beach, parking, pub, swimming pool, TVs (with TV licence), fitted kitchen, crazy golf, an onsite supermarket and even go carts! "The site is approximately a 25 minute drive from Ormskirk and only 15 minutes from Liverpool City Centre and just 5 minutes the centre of the holiday resort town of Southport."  Students have been told by Pontin's who are offering new students guided tours of the holiday camp.  Take a look at what the holiday company’s website says about the facilities on offer...

Did you know that the Pontin's group was bought for a reported £20m back in January by Alex Langsam, who also owns the Britannia Hotel Group, after the firm struggled financially?