16.05.03
Fistral Surf Centre on the crest of completion

Surfers and visitors to Newquay's Fistral beach, recognised as one of UK's premier surf destinations, will soon be able to take advantage of top-class facilities alongside some of the best waves on the North Coast as work on Newquay's International Surf Centre nears completion.

With only seven weeks until the building opens its doors for business on July 1, the recognisable shape of the £2.1 million centre, in which Objective One has invested £531,000, is now clearly visible. Most of the concrete block work is in place, and the slate-clad, wave shaped roof is complete. The building will be clad in cedar wood before the scaffolding is removed at the end of June.

Once complete, the centre's employees and local organisations will move into the new building in time for the busy tourist season when Fistral receives an average of 2,000 visitors a day.

Open year-round, the centre will provide much needed quality facilities for local residents, community groups, training organisations and visitors. There will be office space and training facilities for the British Surfing Association, the Newquay Surf Life Saving Club and the Newquay Boardrider Club, along with a comfortable competition suite for surfing competition judges and competitors.

The beach's visitors will also enjoy a better visiting experience with access to the centre's café, top-floor restaurant, surf museum, surf retail and hire outlets, creche, changing, toilet and shower facilities.

Being built on the site of the previous facilities at North Fistral by local firm E Thomas, an official opening is planned later in the season, with the new centre being used for it’s first major surfing event at the end of July with the Rip Curl Newquay Boardmasters.

The project is expected to create at least 25 new jobs and attract an additional 15,000 visitors to Fistral a year. Five new international surf events and competitions are anticipated annually, generating an estimated £450,000 in extra income for Newquay.

Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Objective One Partnership said: "The creation of a first class international surf centre at Fistral is great news not only for the local community and resident and visiting surfers, but also for the thriving businesses which support Newquay's booming surf and tourism industries.

"Objective One is committed to projects like this that cultivate Cornwall's distinctive qualities to bring about commercial advantages for our industries and businesses.”

Nick Briant of Britanic Industries, which manages Fistral and a number of beaches in the Newquay area, said: "The development of the International Surf Centre demonstrates what can be achieved from a public and private sector partnership and will enable Newquay to develop as the UK's surf capital. We want to capitalise on the value of attracting top surfing competitions to the town while offering year-round facilities for visitors wanting to make the most of Newquay’s superb beaches.”

Objective One is investing £531,000 from the European Regional Development Fund towards the £1.8 million project, with £350,000 coming from Restormel Borough Council, £100,000 from Cornwall County Council and the remaining sum from the private sector.

Editor's notes:

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

ERDF is one of our four funds that make up the Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, which is making £314 million of investment available for developing the local economy between 2000 and 2006. ERDF exists to:

Help reduce the gap between development levels and living standards among the regions and the extent to which least-favoured regions are lagging behind.

Help redress the main regional imbalances in the European Community by participating in the development and structural adjustment of regions whose development is lagging behind, and the social conversion of regions.

For further information contact:

Nick Briant
Britanic Industries
01209 712651

Angie Rowe
Restormel District Council
01726 223465

Jason Clark
Communications Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Tel: 01872 241379
Fax: 01872 241388
jason@dclark.co.uk

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