Feb 2024
Lake Lothing – CLOSED from March 8th for 3 weeks.
See here: Final Gull Wing bridge span set to arrive in Lowestoft | Lowestoft Journal
ROTUNDA MAINTENANCEThe Club will be undertaking a restoration of the Parquet Flooring in the Rotunda on Monday 19th February to Wednesday 21st February. The Rotunda area will closed during this period with no access to the Club via the front door, the Members Bar and the main toilets. Please use the Sunlounge door for access and the changing room toilets with access via the west entrance during this short period.The Club will be continue to be open and available for regular operations.
The Lowestoft Flood Project The Lowestoft Tidal Flood Walls were officially opened at the Club on the 20th October 2023 in the presence of Peter Aldous MP, Caroline Topping the Leader of East Suffolk Council and Sonia Barker the Mayor of Lowestoft. The Legacy of the project is excellent to include the new Club main entrance and gate, glass frontage to the marina, main flag pole, quay and slipway improvements and resurfacing together with new drainage to the north and east of the Club. The new awning will be with us in the Spring and Summer.Detailed and complex negotiations on the Tidal Barrier had resulted in Heads of Terms being agreed in principle subject to contract in mid January 2024. These included both a lasting enhanced legacy for the Club and benefits for Members and so I am disappointed to advise you all that on Friday 26th January 2024 I received a letter from Councillor Kay Yule at East Suffolk Council to advise that work on the Tidal Barrier element of the scheme is to be halted.This is due to the fact that as a result of crippling cost increases relating to materials, labour, design changes and inflation a funding gap of £124 million emerged. Year long discussions with Government and the Environment Agency to seek funding have resulted in no decision to date and hence the Council have been left with no alternative in their duty to protect the Authority. They are hugely disappointed and frustrated given that they believe the economic and business case for proceeding is unarguable. The Project is halted not cancelled. Lobbying will continue with Government concerning the benefits of the scheme in securing investment particularly regarding renewable energy and related technologies.The 1.5 km of Tidal Flood Walls will, without the Barrier, join the 1.4 km of temporary defences to help provide protection to vulnerable areas of Lowestoft.The Club continues to work with the Council to conclude both the practical and legal aspects of the initial wall scheme and to bring the Barrier scheme work to an appropriate point. For now, all returns to ‘normal’ and use of the Club and Marina will be unaffected for the foreseeable future.Jeremy R. Ives- Commodore