A seaside town that has recently been given the infamous title of one of the worst in the UK has big plans to turn it around and soon became a tourist destination to rival the likes of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset.
The West Country welcomes millions of tourists every year, so it's no surprise that other areas of the UK aim to replicate our success. Morecambe, in Lancashire, has had a number of issues over the years with retaining a busy high street and pulling in top businesses that will attract visitors, according to Lancs Live,.
Earlier this year, the Telegraph attempted to rank the best and worst in the country - with judges placing Morecombe as the 5th worst in the country. But the town has exciting plans to turn things around, according to Cornwall Live.
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Based opposite the stunning peaks of the Lake District, this beach resort already has a lot of natural beauty to tempt tourists. And within the next few years, the town is also going to welcome a huge new attraction, Eden Project North, reports Cornwall Live.
The impressive £50m conservation complex will resemble the famous bubble buildings at the original Eden Project site in Cornwall. And local businesses now have high hopes for its arrival.
Ray, who runs Edmonson's Fresh Fish which was once recommended by acclaimed chef Rick Stein, has lived in the town for 74 years. The restaurant serves traditional seafood items such as potted shrimp and cockles. Ray is one of the last tow remaining fishermen in the town and he says that the Eden Project will be "good for the local community".
While just down the road, Paulo Brucciani is the current main man at family-run ice cream parlour, Brucciani's, which has been passed down through generations. It has been in business for a whopping 130 years and has served scoops to millions of people, including several high profiles customers including Winston Churchill's daughter to Bob Hope to King Charles III.
Paulo is keen to look forward to the future and says he would like to see Morecambe seen as the same calibre as Cornish resorts like St. Ives, places that currently do "rather well". Paulo added that the town as experienced a "turnaround" in recent years, thanks in part of the introduction of festivals bringing live music, vintage culture and kite flying to the town.
He concurs that Eden would be the "icing on the cake" He said: "We feel that Morecambe has a second wind. We may not be a destination stay, but day-trippers come here now. We're not Blackpool. By that, I mean it's not all fun fairs and kiss-me-quick hats and slot machines. I like to think of it as a bit more sophisticated."
Tourists could also be lured to the town due to its impressively cheap prices compared to here in the West Country. You can rent a double room in a hotel for around £70 in the Lancashire town during August, compared to £150 in Cornwall.
And the cost of a beer will set you back around £2.80, compared to £4 in Cornwall. The seaside town has also had a new direct route built to the M6, which allows visitors faster access.
Morecambe's Eden Project will centre around marine life as opposed to its original big sister's focus on trees and plants Tony Vettese owns the The Old Pier Bookshop and he's a keen bird-watcher too.
