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UPDATED: Tennis Courts Closure

14 December 2022

UPDATED: 20/12/2022

The Tennis Courts at Normanston Park and Kensington Gardens have reopened after a surface inspection.  Please be aware that the surfaces may become slippery due to changes in the weather.


 Due to the adverse weather, the Tennis Courts at Normanston Park and Kensington Gardens have been closed.

Please keep an eye on our social media and website for further updates.

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Winter Water Safety

14 December 2022

Following the tragic incident that took place at Babbs Mill Lake in Solihull, there has been increased awareness on water safety, especially during the winter.

With this in mind, Lowestoft Town Council are promoting the resources and advice from the Royal Life Saving Society.  The RLSS are a UK charity who raise awareness of water safety education and training.

Advice for the Winter Months

For the winter months, their advice is to:

  • Teach Children not to go on the ice
  • Not go on the ice to rescue someone or an animal (call 999 in an emergency)
  • Keep dogs on a lead and not throw sticks or balls into water
  • Only use well lit areas - this reduces the risk of slipping and falling into water
  • Keep back from the edge

There are a number of great resources available to download for free from the RLSS website, including an awareness activitiy sheet for children and an information booklet.

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What to do if you fall through the ice:

  1. Keep calm and shout for ‘help’
  2. Spread your arms across the surface of the ice in front of you
  3. If the ice is strong enough, kick your legs to slide onto the ice
  4. Lie flat and pull yourself towards the bank
  5. If the ice breaks, work your way to the bank-breaking the ice in front of you anyway
  6. If you cannot climb out, wait for help and keep as still as possible. Preserve heat by pressing your arms by your side and keep your legs together. Keep your head clear of the water
  7. Once you are safe, go to hospital immediately for a check up

What to do if you see someone fall through the ice:

  1. Shout for assistance and phone the emergency services – call 999 or 112
  2. Do not walk or climb onto the ice to attempt a rescue
  3. Shout to the casualty to ‘keep still’ and offer reassurance to keep them calm
  4. Try and reach them from the bank using a rope, pole, tree branch, clothing tied together or anything else which can extend your reach
  5. When reaching from the bank, lie down to avoid being pulled onto the ice
  6. If you cannot reach them, slide something which floats, such as a plastic bottle or football, across the ice for them to hold onto to stay afloat whilst help is on the way
  7. If the casualty is too far away, do not attempt to rescue them. Wait for the emergency services while calming and reassuring the casualty

What to do after the casualty has been rescued from the ice:

  1. Make sure the ambulance is on its way
  2. Lay the casualty flat, check for normal breathing and begin resuscitation if necessary
  3. Prevent them from getting colder by covering them with warm clothing, blankets etc.
  4. Get them out of the cold under cover or create some shelter around them
  5. Until the casualty is in a warm place, do not undress them
  6. Do not rub their skin, do not apply hot water bottles and do not give an alcoholic drink
  7. Keep them wrapped up so they warm up gradually

All the above information has been supplied by the Royal Life Saver Society.  Please share these safety tips with your friends and family.

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Town Hall Project - Opening Up Works

12 December 2022

Lowestoft Town Council seeks a contractor to undertake a series of opening up works throughout the Grade II listed Lowestoft Town Hall. This work will provide key information to the design team, including architects and structural engineers, during their RIBA3 stage work.

The Town Hall has been vacant since 2015. Due to lack of use, the historic fabric of the building is now in a precarious state, leading to the building being placed on the Buildings at Risk register. The building is a key strategic element within the North Lowestoft Heritage Action Zone (NLHAZ).

This project, which is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Architectural Heritage Fund, Historic England, East Suffolk Council and Towns Fund, will transform the Town Hall into a multifunctioning building that will be in the heart of historic Lowestoft and the Harbour Ward.

The contractor will undertake room-specific opening up works throughout the Town Hall, enabling the design team to understand better the underlying structure and current condition of key elements of the building, currently hidden by modern additions, floor finishes etc. No geotechnical work is required at this stage.

Potential bidders should note that there is asbestos present within the building, and they must manage any asbestos containing materials, or suspected ACMs, that are disturbed as a result of the opening up works, in accordance with the asbestos register recommendations and in line with all health and safety regulations.

The appointed contractor will have experience of work in listed buildings, and must provide details of how they will deal with ACMs in the building. All applicants must hold a minimum of £5m Public Liability Insurance and £5m Employer's Liability Insurance. All quotes must be inclusive of all fees, expenses and other costs, and note whether VAT is applicable.

Suitably experienced contractors should contact Lowestoft Town Council to register their interest and request copies of:

a)    the opening up specifications schedule and accompanying plans

b)    the asbestos refurbishment survey, completed Aug 22.

 

All bids must be submitted by 4 January 2023 at 12 noon.  It is expected the work will be completed by 6 February at the latest.

To register interest and receive the documents, please email admin@lowestofttowncouncil.gov.uk.

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Lowestoft Town Council shortlisted for Keep Britain Tidy's "Love Parks" Award

12 December 2022

Lowestoft Town Council has been shortlisted for the ‘Love Parks’ Award at Keep Britain local authority Network Awards 2023.

The ‘Love Parks’ Award recognises the efforts put in by councils and organisations around the UK to celebrate their green spaces during Love Parks Week, which was celebrated in July-August 2022.

Lowestoft Town Council has been shortlisted for its online awareness campaign which achieved a high level of interest and engagement during the week.  The campaign focused on a number of parks around Lowestoft, highlighting their history and raising awareness of the care taken by Lowestoft Town Council to ensure that the parks can be enjoyed by everyone. Much of the engagement during the campaign fed into the Neighbourhood Development Plan Open Green Spaces document stakeholder consultation which looks to provide protection for the parks and open spaces that the people of Lowestoft cherish in different ways.

Councillor Alan Green, Mayor of Lowestoft said: “I am delighted that our Love Parks Week campaign has been recognised on a national level.  As the Town Council, we take great pride in our parks and open spaces across Lowestoft so to see our efforts being publicised nationally is a great achievement that the who town should be proud of.”

Out of the around one hundred entries that Keep Britain Tidy receives, just three local authorities are shortlisted in each category. So the competition is tough.

A Keep Britain Tidy spokesperson said “Our Network Awards celebrate the most innovative litter, waste and space solutions developed by local authorities, often with the incredible collaboration and contribution of residents. Our hope is that these fantastic initiatives will inspire others to do the same.”

Lowestoft Town Council will find out if they’ve won at Keep Britain Tidy’s local authority Network Awards that take place at the Crowne Plaza, Liverpool on 9th February 2023.

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"Reclaim" plaque unveiled at South Pier

21 November 2022

On Saturday 19th November, a new memorial plaque to commemorate the steam drifter "Reclaim" was unveiled in a short ceremony on South Pier.

The event included a welcome from the Mayor of Lowestoft, Cllr Alan Green, an address from Cllr Andy Pearce, prayers from Amanda Wisher from the Fisherman's Mission and closing remarks from Peter Aldous, MP for Waveney.

In the morning of Friday 19 November 1937, having just left the harbour on its way to the fishing grounds, the Steam Drifter “Reclaim” was run down and sunk in a squall by the Steamer “Hurunui”, just a few miles offshore. In total, nine crew members lost their lives during this tragedy – two from Lowestoft, one from Beccles and six from Kessingland – with only one surviving crew member, the cook Samuel Mortishire, from Lowestoft.  Each of these lives, plus the life of the owner of the “Reclaim”, Robert Utting of Kessingland, are commemorated by name on this memorial.  The plaque aims to recognise each of the lost lives as people rather than statistics.

Lowestoft Town Council would like to thank Associated British Ports and the Lowestoft South Pier Management Committee for allowing this memorial to be placed on the Pier, and also LaserUs and Darren Breeze Woodturning for designing, making, and installing the memorial plaque.  Thank you also for LaserUs for the photos.

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Memorial plaque to commemorate 85th anniversary of sea tragedy to be unveiled

15 November 2022

A new memorial plaque, commissioned by Lowestoft Town Council and commemorating the 85th Anniversary of the loss of the Steam Drifter “Reclaim” will be unveiled on Lowestoft’s South Pier following a short ceremony at 10:30am on Saturday 19 November.

In the morning of Friday 19 November 1937, having just left the harbour on its way to the fishing grounds, the Steam Drifter “Reclaim” was run down and sunk in a squall by the Steamer “Hurunui”, just a few miles offshore. In total, nine crew members lost their lives during this tragedy – two from Lowestoft, one from Beccles and six from Kessingland – with only one surviving crew member, the cook Samuel Mortishire, from Lowestoft.  Each of these lives, plus the life of the owner of the “Reclaim”, Robert Utting of Kessingland, are commemorated by name on this memorial.

Speaking about the memorial plaque to the “Reclaim”, Cllr Andy Pearce said, “Lowestoft is justifiably proud of its long association with the sea, including its fishing history and heritage. There are people in Lowestoft today who spent much of their working lives at sea, or working in one of the onshore industries linked to the fishing. There are others of us who have parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents and other family members whose lives were closely intertwined with the fishing industry. But it could be a hard and dangerous life: down the years many boats were lost, and their crews with them, and in many cases those men have no grave but the sea. But they are not forgotten: local people today still remember and pay tribute to family and friends who lost their lives at sea, and we try to add our own contribution with memorials like this one.

“The “Reclaim” was from an earlier generation of boats and crews, and her sinking occurred less than two years before the outbreak of the Second World War which was to claim many more local lives: but her loss would have left its mark on the families, friends, and communities of those men who went down with her. Those who skippered and crewed the Lowestoft fishing boats did not just come from Lowestoft: many came from the surrounding parishes and villages. On the “Reclaim” alone, there were men from Lowestoft, Kessingland, and Beccles. For Kessingland, the “Reclaim” tragedy represented the worst peacetime loss of life at sea in almost 50 years: some of the families still live in the village and Kessingland will also be holding its own memorial service on a separate date to be confirmed.

"It is important that we remember those fishermen who lost their lives as real people, not just as names and statistics, but as real people with their own stories and families and friends who were left to mourn and remember them. For those who lost their lives on the “Reclaim”, that is what we will try to do in the ceremony on 19 November.”

Lowestoft Town Council would like to thank Associated British Ports and the Lowestoft South Pier Management Committee for allowing this memorial to be placed on the Pier, and also LaserUs and Darren Breeze Woodturning for designing, making, and installing the memorial plaque. With thanks also to the Port of Lowestoft Research Society for use of the photograph of the “Reclaim”.

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Photo of the "Reclaim", used with kind permission from the Port of Lowestoft Research Society

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Triangle Market Improvement Plan

11 November 2022

Lowestoft Town Council is undertaking a Three-Stage Improvement Plan at the Triangle.

 

Stage 1 - Relaying of paving slabs, planting of new trees and removal of green structure under The Sails.

As part of this work, three new established ornamental pear trees will be planted to replace some of the pre-existing trees. These trees will be planted in a way to prevent future damage to the path. The memorial tree will remain in the place.

Stage 2 - Removal of the damaged and aged Sails

Stage 3 - Refurbishment of the Triangle Market Toilets

 

Lowestoft Town Council is inviting members of the public to share ideas for the future development and use of the area.  If you have any ideas, you are welcome to submit them to us by emailing admin@lowestofttowncouncil.gov.uk 

Read more on Triangle Market Improvement Works

Remembrance Sunday Service Sheet

11 November 2022

The annual service and parade for Remembrance Sunday will take place at the War Memorial, Royal Plain, on Sunday 13 November with the parade arriving from Claremont Pier into Royal Plain shortly before 11am.

You can now download a copy of the service sheet to follow along with during the service.

All are welcome to attend this service as we come together to pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in service to our country.

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Lowestoft becomes Earth Protector Town

7 November 2022

Eart Protector TownAt the meeting of the Full Council on Tuesday 25th October 2022, Lowestoft Town Council declared Lowestoft an Earth Protector Town.  Lowestoft Town Council was among the first Councils to declare a Climate Emergency in 2019 and to recognise the escalating ecological catastrophe on earth.  To reinforce this commitment to the environment, the Town Council voted in favour of being an Earth Protector Town and joining Earth Protector Communities growing global movement of towns, businesses, educational establishments and other organisations.

The declaration is both a symbolic and a practical step for the Town Council as it continues to work to protect the land, wildlife, air, soil and water whilst also endorsing the Stop Ecocide campaign which aims to address the lack of consequence for those who perpetuate significant harm to the planet and campaign for a change to international law to stop further devastation.


 

The Declaration:

In declaring Lowestoft an Earth Protector Town, Lowestoft Town Council undertakes to collaborate and cooperate with communities, local government bodies, businesses and other organisations to protect land, wildlife, air, soil and water. The Council considers the repercussions of its decisions and rigorous care is observed to avoid environmental harm in the exercise of its functions.

To protect the Earth, this Council will:

  • Endorse, support and, through the publication of this declaration, raise awareness of the Earth Protector movement which campaigns to amend the Rome statute and declare ecocide* a crime at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
  • Protect the community as best it can from environmental damage.
  • Produce a strategy for the Council’s operations, including a date, to achieve a carbon zero future. Work with the community to guide action on becoming a carbon neutral town and programme awareness raising about climate change into our community work.
  • Promote the movement from sustainable to regenerative living wherever possible across the town, including for households.
  • Campaign with and support the community to achieve single use Plastic Free Community status.
  • Work with the community to minimise the Town’s environmental impact and create a strategy to protect, enhance and connect ecosystems/habitats/species in and around our town.
  • Raise awareness of climate and ecological emergencies through education, promotion of events and providing appropriate information.
  • Pledge that any future investment decisions consider the environmental practices of the institutions involved, as well as existing legal requirements on public investments.
  • Assure transparent and regular reporting of the implementation of the above pledges (including where possible a shared database of participating stakeholders’ specific goals and progress achieved in attaining them).

In declaring itself an Earth Protector Town, Lowestoft Town Council is publicly supporting the campaign to amend the Rome statute and declare Ecocide a crime at the ICC.

 

*ECOCIDE is serious loss, damage or destruction of ecosystems, and includes climate and cultural damage.

 

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Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday 2022

7 November 2022

As we prepare for Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday, the "There But Not There" figures have been installed in the Remembrance Garden in Belle Vue Park. This year is especially poignant as we commemorate the 40th Anniversary of The Falklands.

Armistice Day, Friday 11 November 2022

On Armistice Day (Friday 11 November) there are three opportunities to commemorate the eleventh hour with short services taking place at:

  • War Memorial, Royal Plain
  • Lowestoft Cemetery
  • Belle Vue Park (by the Private David Parr Memorial Plaque)

All are welcome to attend these short services which will all begin shortly before 11am.

Remembrance Sunday, Sunday 13 November 2022

The annual service and parade for Remembrance Sunday will take place at the War Memorial, Royal Plain, on Sunday 13 November with the parade arriving from Claremont Pier into Royal Plain shortly before 11am.

This year, the parade will be led by soldiers of F (Sphinx) Parachute Battery Royal Horse Artillery, 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery who will also mark the beginning of the two-minutes silence with gun fire from a 105mm (L118) Light Gun.

The Deputy Lieutenant for Suffolk, Lord Somerleyton will lead the wreath laying while students from local schools and cadets from the Royal Air Force Air Cadets 469 (Lowestoft) Squadron will read during the service.

Music for the service will be provided by East Coast Sinfonietta with members of the Salvation Army Band.

All are welcome to attend this service as we come together to pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in service to our country.

Tommies 2022

The "Tommies" in Belle Vue Park

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