NORFOLK ABROAD
Venetian waterways of Great Yarmouth restored to glory
IT may lack singing gondo- liers, medieval piazzas and a view of the Doge’s Palace.
But Great Yarmouth has designs on being the Venice of the East... East Anglia that is.
The Norfolk resort celebrated the reopening yesterday of its own version of the Grand Canal – a boating lake known as the Venetian Waterways. The attraction opened in 1928 but eventually fell into disuse. Now, after a £2.7million restoration, the waterways are back to their former glory.
They were built on reclaimed land following the construction of a sea wall. Gardens and illuminations were added and the salt water replaced with fresh to allow skating in winter. Tourists enjoyed rides in large boats carved in the shape of animals.
But their popularity declined and in the 1980s the planted areas were laid to grass. The lake was drained in 2014.
Now visitors will again be able to hire a rowing boat or pedalo and tour the seven bridges, cafe, thatched shelters and gardens. Volunteers helped replant the park, the buildings have been restored and more than 5,000 tons of stone repositioned.
Day tripper Katie West, from Birmingham, said: ‘I didn’t even know this place existed. It’s amazing. It feels like you’re somewhere completely different.’
Graham Plant, chairman of the borough’s economic development committee, said: ‘The Waterways has regained its magical sparkle and will improve further still as the restoration continues. At 91 years old, it remains one of our most beloved tourist attractions.’