A small Norfolk fishing community is celebrating hope of a brighter economic future thanks to the opening of a new quay that will help them cut the time it takes to land their catch, give them a safer working environment and safeguard local jobs.
Brancaster Staithe has been a fishing village since Roman times and its clean harbour waters make it ideal for shellfish, such as mussels, cockles, crab and lobster. The problem for local fishermen was that the old quay had fallen into disrepair in the late 1800s and for just over 100 years they have had to offload their catch across the muddy banks of the shore.
The National Trust leases the quay to the Brancaster Fishermen’s Society and the two organisations have worked in close partnership to secure the funding and complete the project.
Seafood has a strong cultural link to this stretch of the Norfolk coast and there is a thriving local food and drink industry. Now the fishermen can work with greater efficiency it will help to maintain this important part of the rural economy.
As well as constructing a new quay, the project paid for the remains of the historic quay to be stabilised and preserved, a new sluice system to maintain access via a channel across the mud flats, an improved coastal footpath and new information panels to explain the significance of the area.
Simon Garnier, The National Trust’s Area Manager for Norfolk, couldn’t be happier that the quay is complete:
'The project has been a long time in the planning, so I am delighted that the fishermen are now benefiting from the new quay. This may be outside the usual perceptions of what The National Trust does, but this is a perfect example of our role in the local community, helping businesses flourish.'
Simon Letzer, Chairman of the Brancaster Fishermen’s Society, said: 'The quay is brilliant. In the past, loading and unloading our boats was a time-consuming and arduous task. Now, we are much more efficient, and can keep up with demand from local restaurants. We have stopped missing out on valuable business.'
The project is a partnership managed by The National Trust for the Brancaster Fishermen’s Society, funded by generous grants from the European Union, East of England Development Agency and King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council. The quay has the backing of the local community, as it improves the prospects for the local economy.
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