Find out the latest on our sports village plans for Workington, new homes in Maryport, success for our events and Taste Cumbria on the telly and more...

A host of empty properties are being brought back in to use thanks to a partnership between Allerdale Borough Council, the Government’s Future High Streets fund and building owners in Maryport. 

The aim of the Love Maryport Living project is to kickstart the revitalisation of unoccupied spaces above shops encouraging more people to live, spend and socialise in the town. 

Research has shown that around 70% of upper floor properties in Maryport are not in residential use, either because they have been historically used as storage or office space for the businesses below, because shopkeepers no longer traditionally live on the premises, or because residential tenants have moved on and not been replaced. 

Contracts have now been issued for three town centre projects which will see a total of eight flats created or renovated. Plans are also being drawn up for a further eight residential units to be made into modern homes. 

All of the properties that are part of the scheme are either empty residential units, with many not having been lived in for several years, or the vacant upper floors of shops that are being converted into flats. 

Work is nearing completion on the first-floor flat above the former Tidal Reach Gallery. The owner, Maryport resident Scott Lyon, is transforming it into a modern one-bedroom apartment for private rental. He said: “The rooms hadn’t been touched since the 1980s so there was a lot of work to be done.  

“Things were very dated. We’ve soundproofed, fireproofed, and insulated it, installed new heating, done a full rewire, repaired the damaged joists, fitted new double-glazed West Port wooden windows and are putting in a high-end kitchen and a bathroom. It should be ready in a few weeks’ time.”  

Work is also about to get underway on two flats in Senhouse Street where the ground floor shopfronts have just been restored, and the historic landmark building which houses the Betfred bookmakers on the corner of Senhouse Street and Crosby Street will see the creation of five apartments. 

The Maryport Residential Conversion Scheme is being funded by the Future High Streets fund and Allerdale Borough Council and will bring the 16 accommodation spaces back in to use, with grants totalling around £960,000. Eligible property owners receive funding of up to £60,000 per residential unit created but must pay at least 20% of the renovation costs themselves. The refurbished buildings can be used as residential properties or as holiday accommodation under the terms of the funding contracts. 

Councillor Mike Johnson, Leader of Allerdale Borough Council, said: “Making sure our town centres thrive and remain vibrant is a big priority.  

“So many empty flats and upper floors of retail businesses currently lie dormant or are used as storage. This scheme will provide owners with funding to restore them, allowing more people to live or stay in the heart of Maryport and bring new life to the town, particularly in the evenings.” 

All the residential conversion scheme funding has now been allocated. The next properties which will become available will be announced later this year. 

Two events organised by Allerdale Borough Council have received glowing reports as well as generated over £3,450,000 for the local economy according to a report by market research consultancy, Red Research.  

Taste Cumbria Christmas

The Taste Cumbria Christmas event, held on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 December, generated a significant level of expenditure for the local economy, including for local business and Cumbrian producers and vendors.  

It is estimated around 23,000 people attended the event over the weekend, with 41% of visitors surveyed commenting that the festival was a significant improvement on the one held in 2021. 

In addition to this, 99% of the attendees who were interviewed said they would come to another, similar event in the future and 98% would also recommend attending to others.  

The festive event also supported local businesses in the town. Red Research asked attendees whether they were doing anything else on their visit. More than 70% said they would be going for a meal or a drink, 65% would go shopping, 18% said they would do some general sightseeing and 7% planned on a walk.  

These additional activities generated additional spend within the town and wider Cockermouth area. 

Overall, it is estimated that the total economic impact of the 2022 Taste Cumbria Christmas Festival was £3,406,132. This means that for each pound invested in the event, almost £160 was put back into the local economy.  

Workington Hall Winter Light and Sound event

In addition to the Taste Cumbria Christmas event, Red Research also carried out a survey at last year’s Workington Hall Winter Light & Sound event, held between 6pm and 9pm on Friday 2 and Saturday 3 December 2022.  

This saw the hall and parklands illuminated with festive lights with a soundscape of music, created by West Cumbria-based charity, Soundwave playing alongside.  

Visitors were taken on a journey through Workington’s history through projections of images of the town, supplied by the Helena Thompson Museum. These were projected on to the side of the hall by Cockermouth-based Fluid Productions. There were also a variety of food stalls and fairgrounds for children.  

Red Research’s report revealed that the total economic impact of the Workington Hall Light and Sound event in 2022 is estimated at £57,179, almost double £30,806 for the 2021 event. Although a modest amount, the event aims to develop and grow, encouraging a larger audience, and a higher spend in the years to come.  

The report also calculated that for everyone pound spend on the event, there was a £2.32 return on investment. A significant increase on the return on investment of £1.54 in 2021. 

Allerdale Borough Council’s Enforcement Team will soon start carrying out a month-long programme of engagement with holiday let owners in Keswick about on-going trade waste issues. 

The programme of engagement aims to ensure that all holiday let businesses within the area have the correct trade waste contract in place. 

Keswick is home to over 280 holiday lets – all of these businesses have a legal obligation to have an appropriate trade waste contract in place. 

Starting from next week, Monday 6 February, the Enforcement Team will be sending out notices to holiday let owners, providing them with the opportunity to provide evidence of their current trade waste contact. 

Business owners will be asked to provide evidence of their waste transfer notes, a valid waste contract, and duty of care documentation. Further details will be provided within the notice. 

Business owners with a trade waste contract in place will have seven days to provide the requested documentation. 

If business owners do not have a trade waste contract in place, they will be allowed 28 days to implement a trade waste contract for their business and provide the council with the requested documentation. 

Business owners who do not comply with trade waste legislation and who fail to provide evidence within this time frame could receive a £300 fixed penalty notice. 

Cllr Jim Lister, Allerdale Borough Council’s portfolio holder for waste services, said: “Commercial waste, also known as trade waste, is all waste generated as a result of operating a business, regardless of their size or whether they are part of your home. 

“As a business owner, you are free to choose any registered waste carrier to provide your commercial waste collection service. 

“Keswick is home to over 280 holiday lets, so it’s very important to ensure that these businesses are disposing of their waste in compliance with the law.”