AN exciting programme of events and festivals to help celebrate Barrow’s proud industrial heritage and its prime natural assets could be created under a proposed new scheme.
The project could also see feasibility work launched to investigate the potential for a major sports, leisure and culture attraction for the area to help cement Barrow firmly on Cumbria’s visitor destination map.
Members of the community are now being urged to share their views on the inspirational proposal - which aims to raise Barrow’s profile as a great place to live, work, study and visit.
The project forms part of #BrilliantBarrow, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure £25 million from the government to transform the town for the future.
Councillor Ann Thomson, leader of Barrow Borough Council and a member of Barrow Towns Deal Board, said: “Lots of us already know Barrow is a fantastic place with a huge amount of untapped potential. It’s a unique location - there’s nowhere else like it anywhere in the UK.
“Some 47 million tourists travel to Cumbria every year. Barrow is on the doorstep of the Lake District with incredible natural assets, a town filled with heritage buildings and architecture and a fascinating history as a shipbuilding community.
“Exciting events and festivals would not only be superb for residents, they would attract people from other areas providing increased footfall for local businesses and helping to retain vital spend in Barrow.”
The scheme would include the appointment of a Place Development Officer to develop a calendar of events.
Increased visitor numbers could in turn support additional employment within local businesses and organisations - particularly those linked to tourism, retail and food and drink sectors.
A detailed business case to support the Place proposal is being drawn up.
People are asked to join the conversation via the #BrilliantBarrow website - brilliantbarrow.org.uk - and by taking part in a survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/BBPPS20
Cllr Thomson added: “We need the community to share their thoughts and ideas on this project so we can build a compelling case for it as part of our funding bid to the government.”
A total of seven projects are being developed as part of #BrilliantBarrow.
They include the creation of a Learning Quarter to provide an enhanced further and higher education offer complete with a new campus facility; a network of community resilience hubs with an outdoor education space at Earnse Bay; support for businesses and the development of Barrow as an active travel town.