New £6.8million seafront attraction planned for one of the UK’s most affordable seaside towns
ONE of the UK’s most affordable beach resorts has revealed what its new £6.8million attraction will look like.
Hartlepool is one of the most affordable places to live in the UK, where homes are less than half the average property price.
The Museum of Hartlepool is being redeveloped, with the Wingfield Castle paddle steamer also being restored.
New images have revealed what the new multi-million Tides for Change project will look like.
The Museum of Hartlepool would have upgraded exhibition rooms and interactive experiences.
The new museum will reopen in 2029.
And the Wingfield Castle paddle steamer will be brought back to life with events and activities offered.
The boat first launched in 1934, and even featured in the 1980 film The Elephant Man.
Local councillor Pamela Hargreaves told local media: “I think it will really redefine that whole area and put the Museum of Hartlepool, which is a bit of a little known attraction, in people’s minds.
The renovation is part of a wider £60million revamp of the town.
This includes a new boutique hotel at Wesley Chapel as well as upgraded shopping centres and transport links.
Capacity is being improved at the Hartlepool train station, with Teesside International Airport station also being upgraded.
A new Eaglescliffe Western Station Gateway train station is also being created, and will open next year.
The coastal town is often overlooked in favour of the nearby Blackpool.
However, there is more than enough to keep you busy during a long weekend visit.
There is The Studio, a liver performance venue with musical tribute acts, as well as the Heugh Battery Museum and Hartlepool Art Gallery.
Golfing, fishing, paddle-boarding and boat experiences are all on offer in the town
Otherwise the nearby beach is Seaton Carew – with one American left baffled by how many ice cream shops there were.
Hartlepool also isn’t the only town getting a huge makeover.
Dover in Kent’s £500million renovation includes a new waterfront and commercial quart as part of the 2050 project.
Brighton is restoring its seafront Victorian promenade, with a £750,000 revamp.
And the pretty city of Carlisle is restoring its historic train station as part of a £27million project.