Fylde Council is developing detailed costings and design options to fully repair and restore the St Annes Boating Lake, aiming to bring the much‑loved attraction back into use as part of the family‑focused seaside offer in St Annes.
The boating lake, located on The Island site, has been part of the town’s identity for generations. Current work will establish what will be required to return it to a safe, attractive and sustainable facility capable of supporting a concession and enhancing the wider promenade.
At the same time, the Council is inviting expressions of interest from businesses, organisations and operators with ideas for alternative uses that could be a strong fit for The Island and complement the seafront’s visitor offer. Testing the market at this stage ensures that all viable options are understood before any final decision is made about the site’s future.
The Council emphasises that no decision has been made to move away from the boating lake. The restoration work is being actively costed, and any alternative proposals received will be considered alongside this work and assessed carefully against the long‑term needs of the seafront.
The site is not currently connected to drainage or other utility services, and interested parties will be responsible for investigating the availability and cost of any connections their proposal would require.
Councillor Karen Buckley, Leader of Fylde Council, said: “The boating lake is an important part of St Annes’ heritage, and we are working up detailed costings to understand what would be required to restore it as a high‑quality attraction for families. At the same time, it is sensible to test the market to see whether there are other ideas that could complement The Island and strengthen the seafront. This is about making a well‑informed decision that delivers the best long‑term outcome for residents, visitors and the town.”
Expressions of interest open at 12pm on Thursday 15 October and close at 12pm on Wednesday 4 November. Documents are available from The Chest at www.the-chest.org.uk (reference DN832953), and all questions must be submitted through the portal’s messaging service.
The Council will consider all expressions of interest received once the deadline has passed.
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