Amble Seafood Hub – Made in Northumberland

Client:

Northumberland County Council

The challenge:

Amble, Northumberland, suffered from serious industrial decline in the second half of the 20th century. The effect of this regeneration project has been to reposition Amble as a ‘Made in Northumberland’ local food hub.

TEAM was commissioned to provide a feasibility assessment of the Amble ‘Made in Northumberland’ Hub proposal. The idea was to turn a vacant out-of-town industrial site into a hub for local food, drink and crafts.

Services provided:

The Phase 1 investigation showed the envisaged food and drink hub situated on the industrial site was not a viable economic proposition. However TEAM identified another way of delivering economic and tourism growth for Amble using its authentic status as a working fishing port. The team outlined a number of public sector interventions or accelerators required to speed up the process, which resulted in the client commissioning phase 2.

TEAM worked to involve local entrepreneurs and businesses owners in the food and tourism sectors, the fishing industry and the training and skills sector. In addition, TEAM’s tourism consultants held client meetings and discussions to assist with the complex funding application process, which included drafting funding bids as well as providing follow-up assistance for future bids to other funding streams. Throughout both phases the following work was carried out by TEAM:

• study and analysis of food tourism at and in the vicinity of Amble
• drafting of a Seafood Hub Vision
• feasibility study, involving all of the stakeholders mentioned above. Also, an economic development study, to justify investment

Outcome:

• £1.8 million of ‘Coastal Communities’ funding obtained for the implementation of the plan
• opening of Amble’s seafood brokerage and of the Harbour Village