With its extensive sandy beach, two levels of promenade, seafront parks and gardens, all flanked by handsome period buildings, it quickly became apparent that Lowestoft was not short of possibility. Everything clearly pointed to a coastal town that was ready to welcome a new generation of climate change aware and thrifty travelers looking closer to home for day trips and holidays.
Fast forward to 2017, following a year of consultation with local stakeholders, creatives, and community groups, and a thorough design period, the Vision for Lowestoft South Beach was published. Happily, several recommendations have since been, and are in the process of being realised. HemingwayDesign’s DNA is at the heart of two of these.
The Vision included the idea of a festival to celebrate sunrise to sunset on the magnificent beach and promenade. This proposal really started to fly when we assembled a group of local creative minds in a seafront hotel and brainstormed the concept. Thankfully within this group was the wonderful Genevieve Christie of Flipside, who had been delivering cultural arts events locally for many years. It was discussed that Lowestoft is Britain’s most easterly town and has Britain’s most easterly beach, leading us directly to the idea of First Light Festival – a free 24-hour multi arts festival, celebrating one cycle of midsummer sun setting and rising over the beach in Britain’s most easterly town.
The latest project to result from our previous visioning work is the reimagining of the East Point Pavilion. Here, HemingwayDesign acted as creative lead on the re-design of the dated and under-performing, faux Victorian building located on Lowestoft’s South Beach promenade. The repurposed structure is now home to assortment of independent street food traders, house bar, and provides flexible space for community and cultural events curated by First Light CIC.
Read more about these projects and our work in Lowestoft here.
“The announcement of funding for the town’s flood defences has followed on from planning approval for the third crossing and plans for the rejuvenation of the town centre also herald a new dawn for Britain’s most easterly town. East Point Pavilion will open in time for First Light 2021 and there can be no doubt that the creative and arts-led ‘noise’ that was amplified massively by First Light is sounding loud and clear nationally and helping the town receive its long overdue share of national infrastructure budgets”
– Kerry Blair, Head of Operations at East Suffolk Council.