Withernsea

infobox UK place
static_

static_image_caption = Pier Towers, Withernsea
country = England
latitude = 53.7285
longitude = 0.0382
official_name = Withernsea
population = 5,980 (2001 census)
civil_parish = Withernsea
unitary_england = East Riding of Yorkshire
lieutenancy_england = East Riding of Yorkshire
region = Yorkshire and the Humber
constituency_westminster = Beverley and Holderness
post_town = WITHERNSEA
postcode_district = HU19
postcode_area = HU
dial_code = 01964
os_grid_reference = TA344277
london_distance=

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 The lighthouse — no longer active — now houses a museum to 1950s actress Kay Kendall, who was born in the town.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.cite web
url = http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=791067&c=Withernsea&d=16&e=15&g=391273&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1211404361859&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779
title = 2001 Census: Key Statistics: Parish Headcounts: Area: Withernsea CP (Parish)
accessdate = 2008-05-20
work = Neighbourhood Statistics
publisher = Office for National Statistics]

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 feet) 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 (about 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. [cite web
url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/humber/bus/archives/082003/22/index.shtml
title = BBC Bus - Withernsea
work = BBC Humber
publisher = BBC
accessdate = 2008-07-22
date = 22 August 2003]

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. [cite book | last = Price | first = Peter | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Lost Railways Of Holderness, The Hull Withernsea and Hull Hornsea Lines | publisher = Hutton Press Ltd. | date = 1989-01-01 | location = | pages = | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = ISBN 0-907033-86-5. ]

Withernsea, like many British resorts, has suffered from a decline [cite web
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4799097.stm
title = Reinventing the seaside
work = BBC News Online
publisher = BBC
accessdate = 2008-07-22] 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 Woolworths, 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. [cite web
url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2005/jan/06/consumerissues.supermarkets
title=Shop tactics | Money | The Guardian
publisher=guardian.co.uk
accessdate=2008-07-22
last=
first=] This led to an investigation by the Competition Commission. [cite web|url=http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/inquiries/ref2006/grocery/pdf/main_party_responses_emerging_thinking_no_3.pdf|title=main_party_responses_emerging_thinking_no_3|date= |format=PDF |accessdate=2008-09-19] [cite web|url=http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/inquiries/ref2006/grocery/pdf/main_party_submissions_pareto_retail_app_2.pdf |title=Groceries Market inquiry: Main party submission |date= |format=PDF |accessdate=2008-09-19] 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. [cite web
url=http://www.council.withernsea.com/
title=Withernsea Town Council - home page
publisher=www.council.withernsea.com
accessdate=2008-07-22
last=
first=]

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 105, 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. [cite web
url=http://www.withernseahigh.org.uk/
title=Withernsea High School
publisher=www.withernseahigh.org.uk
accessdate=2008-07-22
last=
first=]

Public services

Withernsea has its own hospital, [cite web
url=http://www.nhs.uk/ServiceDirectories/Pages/Hospital.aspx?id=5NW33&v=4
title=Hospital - Withernsea Community Hospital Managing Trust Information
publisher=www.nhs.uk
accessdate=2008-07-22
last=
first=] 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. [cite web
url=http://www.humberside.police.uk/local-policing/local-police-stations/
title=Welcome to the Humberside Police website/Finding Local Police Stations
publisher=www.humberside.police.uk
accessdate=2008-07-22
last=
first=]

Notable people

Withernsea is the birthplace of jazz musician Kenny Baker, [cite web
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/557384.stm
title = Jazz great Baker dies
work = BBC News Online
publisher = BBC
date = 9 December 1999
accessdate = 2008-07-22] who was born in the town in 1921.
Kay Kendall [cite web
url = http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0447608/
title = Kay Kendall
publisher = www.imdb.com
accessdate = 2008-07-22] a famous Hollywood star in the 1950s and 1960s was born here.

References

External links

* [http://www.council.withernsea.com/ Withernsea Information]
* [http://www.seasideradio.co.uk Seaside FM 105.3]
* [http://www.withernseahigh.org.uk/ Withernsea High School]
* [http://www.whshumanities.co.uk/ Withernsea High School Humanities Faculty]
* [http://www.withernsealighthouse.co.uk/ Withernsea Lighthouse]
* [http://www.withernseaholidays.com/ Tourist Information]
*IoE|166637 - St Nicholas' Church
* [http://www.freewebs.com/withernseatimes/ Local information sheet]