by Rebecca Hannant
Expressions of interest are now being taken for six new microbusiness kiosks in Withernsea.
Last year, Withernsea Town Council submitted plans for 10 kiosks in Valley Gardens as part of a bid to regenerate the seafront and boost tourism and the local economy.
The original plans were for 10 12ft-by-12ft kiosks to be placed in a semicircular arrangement, creating a coastal market for new small businesses on Valley Gardens. Four units would be sited on the eastern elevation, three on the southern elevation and three on the western elevation.
However, the number of kiosks has been reduced to six because of problems with existing infrastructure. The remaining four kiosks will be reconsidered in the future.
On November 3, the plans were approved by East Riding Council. However, this was met with mixed opinions from residents, some of whom have said that they welcome more businesses into the town, while others expressed concerns that the kiosks could take away business from Queen Street and that they could be unaffordable for startup businesses. Fears were also raised about maintenance and potential problems with antisocial behaviour.
Withernsea Town Council says the kiosks are being manufactured and are expected to be in place from April.
Ahead of the installation the town council is seeking expressions of interest from renters, with rates being offered at an introductory rate of £200 per month, which excludes water and electricity.
A town council spokeswoman said: “Valley Gardens is a very complex site which has been redeveloped many times. Not all the records are accurate and there were some discrepancies in the location of active service pipeline locations in the records.
“Following discussion with Yorkshire Water we’ve amended our plans. However, this made one section slightly more expensive, so this will be considered for Phase 2 in the future.”
Withernsea Town Council says it will create a small community steering group to help the tenant selection process with additional weighting toward applications from residents or those offering in-demand services.
It says the group will include representatives from existing seafront businesses to avoid a duplication or unnecessary competition and achieve the right blend businesses and services.
The tenancy agreement will have conditions to ensure the kiosks are open during core hours so visitors can be confident that the market will be open.
All kiosks will be run independently and can be open seven days a week throughout the year.
The aim is to create a marketable venue, supporting wider events and festivals, so the town council is therefore proposing minimum opening conditions to include five days a week including weekends and bank holidays during the main season (Easter to the end of October), weekends only and bank holidays from the end of October until New Year.
Units will not be open after 10.30pm unless supported by a temporary events license and pre-agreement with the town council.
Custom proposals for short-term and pop-up leases will be considered.
The town council says it is also aiming to develop a series of wider markets and events around the Coastal Market and has also fielded multiple inquiries from pop-up vendors interested in occasional adjacent pitches.
Meanwhile, planning for 28 beach huts was also approved last year for the site of Central Promenade, and will be split into three areas.
The town council spokeswoman added: “In the first phase of works, six units have been purchased by Withernsea Town Council and will be installed and made available for short-term lets, with the pricing schedule is still to be confirmed.
“Groundworks are being completed for up to 10 units, so we’ll have space available for up to four additional beach huts if people are interested in buying a long-term leasehold space for their own private hut. We’ll then look at progressed Phase 2 which again will be available for long-term leaseholds.”
The total cost of the project, including all professional fees and services, is £644,000, and has been fully funded by the Hull and East Riding Devolution Fund.
That total also includes significant funds being invested in the fishing compound to refurbish some spaces, as well as installing solar panels and battery systems to reduce running costs.
Withernsea Town Council has also recently completed refurbishment of two rooms to food safety standards which will be made available to let for a fish monger or seafood processing.
The developments have also been welcomed by local ward representatives.
South East Holderness ward councillor Jon Dimberline said: “It’s great to see something like this happening – it’s something that could potentially improve the town and give small businesses the opportunity to start up. They’re now sending out expressions of interest, so we’ll have to wait and see who applies and what kinds of businesses come forward.
“I do have some concerns about their long-term sustainability, particularly around vandalism, damage and how viable they’ll be once rent costs are factored in. From what I understand, the rent will be charged monthly throughout the whole year. The question is whether there will be enough consistent footfall to support that. Footfall is the key issue here.
“They’ll look great when they’re first installed, but what will they look like in five years? If the current CCTV system is anything to go by, in terms of maintenance, cleaning and repairs, it’s not encouraging. Ultimately, the proof of the pudding will be in the kiosks themselves.”
Ward councillor Sean McMaster said: “I am looking forward to finally seeing the micro-kiosks installed in Valley Gardens. I think they will be a great addition to the town – it’s certainly a step in a new direction for Withernsea.
“It’ll be great to see some new startup businesses using them, especially during the busy summer season when various events are held in the town. I wish them every success.”