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Withernsea
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Withernsea is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, and forms the focal point for a wider community of small villages in Holderness. Its most famous landmark is the white inland lighthouse, rising around 127 feet (38 m) above Hull Road. The lighthouse — no longer active — now houses a museum to 1950s actress Kay Kendall, who was born in the town.
According to the 2001 UK census, Withernsea parish had a population of 5,980.
History
Like many seaside resorts, Withernsea has a wide promenade which reaches north and south from Pier Towers, the historic entrance to a 364 metre (nearly 1,200 foot) long pier, built in 1877 at a cost of £12,000.
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Encyclopedia
Withernsea is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, and forms the focal point for a wider community of small villages in Holderness. Its most famous landmark is the white inland lighthouse, rising around 127 feet (38 m) above Hull Road. The lighthouse — no longer active — now houses a museum to 1950s actress Kay Kendall, who was born in the town.
According to the 2001 UK census, Withernsea parish had a population of 5,980.
History
Like many seaside resorts, Withernsea has a wide promenade which reaches north and south from Pier Towers, the historic entrance to a 364 metre (nearly 1,200 foot) long pier, built in 1877 at a cost of £12,000. The pier was gradually reduced in length through consecutive impacts by local seacraft, starting with the Saffron in 1880 before being collided into by an unnamed ship in 1888, again by a Grimsby fishing boat and again by the Henry Parr in 1903, leaving the once-grand pier with a mere 15 metres (50 feet) of damaged wood and steel. Town planners decided to remove the final section during construction of coastal defences in the 1930s. The Pier Towers have been refurbished.
During the mid 19th century the Hull and Holderness Railway was constructed, connecting the nearby city of Kingston upon Hull with Withernsea (via Keyingham and Patrington) and providing a cheap and convenient holiday for Victorian workers and their families, as well as boosting Withernsea's economy. It closed in 1964 and all that remains of it is an overgrown footpath where the track used to be.
Withernsea, like many British resorts, has suffered from a decline in the number of visiting holidaymakers (known affectionately by the locals as diggers) over the last few decades, most likely due to the reduced cost of travel to Mediterranean resorts. However, the town still sees a significant increase in tourists between the months of June and August.
Geography
The weather in Withernsea greatly depends on the time of year: in spring there is significant rainfall. In summer between late June and early July the weather is mostly dry and warm. Autumns are quite mellow but with rain. Winters are characteristically cold and windy.
Economy
Withernsea's economy is mostly focused around the retail of goods and supplies to local residents, but during the summer months more attention is placed on selling souvenirs and beach items to tourists. The amusement arcades also see the most profits during this time. However, the local secondary school remains one the town's largest employers and pumps huge sums into the local economy.
Along Queen Street are many retail stores including Cooplands and Aldi, in place of previous independent supermarket, Proudfoot. The latter, although winner of the Best Independent Retailer Award in 2002, was driven out of business by Tesco. Following the unsuccessful attempt to purchase the Proudfoot Supermarket, Tesco opened a competing store which originally struggled to attract sales. Tesco resorted to a campaign of price flexing, offering customers £8 off for every £20 spent in their Withernsea branch.
This led to an investigation by the Competition Commission. After their market share increased, Tesco prices returned to a level closer to the national average.
There is an 18-hole golf course and leisure centre complex (with a gym and indoor pool) and a variety of pubs and restaurants are situated around the centre of the town.
Landmarks
Some of the town's better-known tourist attractions and landmarks include:
- The lighthouse situated on Hull Road with a museum dedicated to the actress Kay Kendall.
- The Pier Towers leading onto a Blue Flag beach.
- Valley Gardens with a large square and outside stage for local events and celebrations.
- Various amusement arcades (informally known as 'muggies') that line the road opposite the Valley Gardens.
- An RNLI lifeboat museum.
- The parish church of St Nicholas, a Grade II* listed building.
Media
The area is served by BBC Radio Humberside, Viking FM, Galaxy Yorkshire, KCFM & Magic 1161 although these radio stations rarely report any local news or events. Ofcom awarded Seaside FM a community radio licence to broadcast to the town on 105.3 MHz and the station launched on 5 October 2007 from studios at 27 Seaside Road. Weekly newspaper The Holderness Gazette also has offices on Seaside Road.
Education
Withernsea has a large and well-established education sector, with an infant, junior and high school which serves many of the surrounding area's pupils. The High School is a specialist Technology and Humanities College and was judged as "Good with outstanding features" in the most recent Ofsted report. The school is especially strong in terms of Textiles, History, and English.
Public services
Withernsea has its own hospital, which has recently come under service cuts, and ambulance station. The town is served by Humberside Police who have a local police station located in Railway Crescent.
Notable people
Withernsea is the birthplace of jazz musician Kenny Baker, who was born in the town in 1921.
Kay Kendall a famous Hollywood star in the 1950s and 1960s was born here.
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