Thirty years since the idea was first considered and seven years since the Eastbourne Fishermen formed a Community Interest Company, construction has begun on the quay project
The idea of the Fishing Quay project was to enable fishers to own or lease their own quay in Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne, to give them long-term security and a place where they can store and process their own catch, add value and sell direct to the public. Eventually, the project aims to link this working quay with the local community and businesses, while also providing a visitors’ centre to draw in tourists and customers to find out about local seafood and fishing heritage.
Funding from the Blue New Deal in 2017 and a Community Economic Development Plan with local people, businesses, local authorities and fishers was just the start. At the virtual opening ceremony an unexpected surprise announcement of funding from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership’s Growing places fund, means that phase one (the quay, cold storage, processing unit, smokery and fishmongers), as well as phases two and three (storage and repair space as well as a visitors’ centre) which can now be built in one continuous phase rather than many years into the future.