Hemsby: Relief for village as beach access opens for Easter

Lorna Bevan said Hemsby's guests and day trippers bring in millions of pounds of income to this stretch of the Norfolk coast every year

A coastal village pub landlady said she is "totally relieved" that access to its "magnificent" beach has been restored in time for the Easter break.

The beach at Hemsby, near Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, was closed when high tides claimed metres of sand from an access point called "The Gap".

Rapid erosion in March also led to the demolition of five properties.

Lorna Bevan said that without public access, Hemsby's holiday businesses "would soon go into decline".

Access to Hemsby's long, sandy beach has now been repaired and restored

It has suffered considerable coastal erosion since this photo was taken in the 1970s - the pillbox seen above is now in the sea

Ms Bevan, who runs The Lacon Arms and an amusement arcade, has about 300 people booked in for Easter Sunday lunch and expects to serve 600 people altogether.

She said: "Ten years ago at Easter 2013, there was a drop to get on to the beach so people couldn't access it and it was detrimental and affected takings.

"If it's not open for Easter, we miss the large family groups who come in for the day - and we lose the chance for them to think about booking a bigger holiday later in the year."

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Ms Bevan, founder of Save Hemsbys Coastline, who employs 20 people all year round and 50 during the holiday season, added that "without people employed in tourism, the village wouldn't have the vibrancy it has now".

Stuart Reeve said the beach "is the focal point of our little resort and if that suffers then the business community suffers"

Stuart Reeve believes Hemsby's family-owned businesses will be "breathing a big sigh of relief that the beach is reopened before the Easter weekend".

Mr Reeve is the director of Seadell Shops and Holiday chalets, which has a convenience store and 21 chalets, employing 12 people during the summer season.

"We've certainly had a considerable number of calls this month and the first question they ask is, 'Will the beach be open?'," he said.

"It's a boost to the wider Great Yarmouth and Norfolk tourism - Hemsby has a lot of self-catering caravans and chalets and the visitors obviously travel out."

James Gray (right) and his family (above) have owned takeaway Madison's and the Lost World Adventure Golf for nearly 20 years

"Our beach is the jewel in the crown for Hemsby, lots of people come here and I'd say 90% head to the beach," said James Gray, owner of takeaway Madison's and Lost World Adventure Golf.

"It's really heart-warming to see how quickly things can be done when the pressure is on," he added.

It is another one of the village's family businesses - employing Mr Gray, his wife, his son, his daughter, her boyfriend and his sister-in-law.

He said: "The weather's stayed fine so we've had a really good week of trading - we're optimistic for a really good weekend."

Justin Ettridge has been impressed by the work and is "pleased and grateful" it was completed in time for the Easter weekend

Richardson's Hemsby Beach Holiday Park has about 2,000 people booked into its caravans and lodges over Easter and employs 82 people at the height of the summer season.

Park and customer experience manager, James Ettridge, said there had been "some concern from regular customers about beach access" so "we're really pleased to get the beach open".

"And the work the contractors have done, with the local people including the life boat crew, has been great," he added.

These Hemsby properties were on the verge of going into the sea in March

Hemsby was battered by high spring tides and strong winds in March.

Five homes were demolished in less than two weeks before they fell into the sea - and another dragged back inland.

An 80m (262ft) rock revetment has been installed as a temporary solution, created from 2,000 tonnes of Norwegian granite.

Work was also completed on a rock defence to help protect the restored access point to the beach and provide a new ramp, so the lifeboat could return to service.

Plans for a permanent defence stretching 0.8 miles (1.3km) have been granted a licence by the Marine Management Organisation - but Great Yarmouth Borough Council needs to find £15m to carry out the work.

Mr Reeve said there are many family businesses on Hemsby Beach Road