Page 4 - Town & Around - March 2026

4 Town & Around March 2026 Tel: 01485 540620 email: editor@townandaround.net
Hunstanton sinkhole

Dani Crawshaw
Cllr Sandra Squire, Cabinet Member for more extensive intervention is required."
Environment and Coastal, says, "Repair will Since the sinkhole appeared the council has
take some time to fix and organise. had 'people out doing surveys', Cllr Squire
"Recent bad weather and coastal flooding says the hole, "Highlights the urgent need for
have accelerated deterioration of the repairs."
Hunstanton Promenade. For video of the sinkhole go to our website:
"While there is no impact on local businesses townandaround.net
or residents, a section has become unsafe for Update on page 69 of this issue.
pedestrians and must be repaired urgently.
“These emergency measures are only a
temporary fix. This incident further
strengthens our case to national government
that Hunstanton’s sea defences—including the
promenade deck—require significant
investment, and soon.”
The prom surface was built in the 1950s, the
Borough Council received a geotechnical
he Borough Council says a cordon's is report last year that revealed the extent of the
likely to be place 'for some weeks' problems with the road.
Taround the sinkhole on the Promenade. A weight restriction was immediately
The stretch between the Waterside Bar and the introduced, and a feasibility study
Oasis leisure centre remains closed for safety commissioned.
reasons whilst emergency repairs take place. Cllr Squire says, "The report made clear that
Hunstanton Masterplan described as 'pie in the sky'

Dani Crawshaw
carparks as they have done is ludicrous. They’re on about making the
high street pedestrianised, that’s been talked about for many many
years, who is going to monitor that? And losing more parking is
ridiculous.”
Resident Clive Caldicott is deep in conversation with the Borough
Council's Regeneration Programmes Officer, Connor Smalls.
“Are we actually going to be doing anything to encourage the town to
grow?” Clive asks. “I’ve been here for 40 years, and this town is dying.
You sold off parking spaces for flats that haven’t been sold, that is a
real white elephant. There is just nothing to encourage the younger
generation to live here.”
Connor responds, “One of our smaller ideas is an incubation centre, at
our offices on Valentine Road.” A place Connor says would help early-
t’s being described as an opportunity to ‘create a lively and more stage startups and entrepreneurs.
interesting, people friendly space’, but so far plans to pedestrianise He encourages Clive to fill out a feedback form with any suggestions,
IHunstanton High Street haven’t impressed. “We’re here to take those opinions away and refine the masterplan
At the town hall, where the masterplan’s been on display, Gill - who’s before it gets adopted by the council.”(The timeline of which is
lived here for 30 years - tells me, “We’ve been here before, we’ve done unclear).
this before, it’s a bad idea to pedestrianise the High Street, it will kill
it. I ask if she can see any positives. There’s a long pause.
“I’ve been here enough years and we are struggling. I think they should
have a meeting, get people’s opinions that way, and explain it better.”

I leave the town hall to take a walk along the High Street, where
shoppers can currently park for free for up to 45 minutes.
I stop to chat to Peter Gohegan, aka Mr Bun the Baker, he’s also
against pedestrianisation, “I don’t want it - because of losing the
71 year old Sally Parton, who was born here, describes the plans as parking. It’s a bad idea, would kill the high street.”
‘pie in the sky’, “I just think they’re trying to put a plaster over the The Borough Council says the masterplan is to 'guide the regeneration
real issue - I’m quite angry about it all. My family all come from and development of the town over the next 10 to 20 years'. Other
Hunstanton, my husband’s family are from here." suggestions include a new leisure facility, and an events space along
“What we need is investment," Sally continues, "Getting rid of the promenade.