Published: July 12, 2012
Setback for £250k Highbridge arts project as bid for cash is rejected

A bid for £250,000 of European funding to transform part of Highbridge town centre into an 'arts quarter' has been turned down, it was announced this week.

Town councillor Phil Harvey, supported by Cllr Joe Leach, had worked with Sedgemoor District Council to submit the outline bid for funding from the European Regional Development Fund.

As first reported by Burnham-On-Sea.com, the proposals would see a dozen boarded-up shops along Market Street being transformed into workshops, studios and retail outlets to be used by artists and crafts people.

However, Cllr Harvey said this week that the bid for European Regional Development Funding has been unsuccessful, although a second bid is possible.

Cllr Harvey told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "I am obviously disappointed at this outcome but, given that we only had a week to put together a bid, I am not too surprised."

"I would like to pay tribute to the work of the Sedgemoor's officers, especially to Daniel Newman in Economic Development, who has put in every effort to help us."

"Although this is a setback, since I first floated the idea of an Arts Quarter in Highbridge we have seen an upsurge in interest in the regeneration of the area with local people thinking positively about what can be done."

"I hope we can develop ideas in the next few months and that a bid can be made to the Coastal Community Fund in January next year - as has always been our intention."