A NEWLY published flagship visitor guide for the east coast has come under fire for failing to put Skegness in the picture. John Byford, a professional photographer and district councillor, is hot under the collar because the “Skegness and Mabelthorpe 2010″ production from Lincolnshire Tourism has an uninspiring picture of a sandcastle on the front cover.
And The Jolly Fisherman isn’t even mentioned.
Coun Byford: “I was horrified when I saw the front cover. It certainly doesn’t sell Skegness at all.
“The sandcastle looks as though it’s made from play-pit sand and not beach sand. Skegness is one of the top five seaside holiday destinations in the country and we should be reflecting that.”
He claims the guide appears to feature stock pictures that could have been taken anywhere and few people are facing the camera.
Coun Byford said: “The Jolly Fisherman has been promoting this town for the last 100 years and he’s nowhere to be seen.”
The councillor has taken his complaint to the town centre manager and aims to raise it with the district council so Skegness can have a voice before any future publications go to print.
But at least one Skegness hotelier is delighted with the guide. Ash Tyrrell, of the Westdene Hotel in Trafalgar Avenue, emailed his congratulations through to Lincolnshire Tourism and complimented the organisation on the guide’s “strong, vivid photography”.
And Mr Tyrell told the Standard: “I think it is probably one of the best ones they have ever done.”
He believes the guide is a hit because it covers so many activities and therefore has “a wider reach” than previous issues.
Mr Tyrell said the ‘Skegness is so Bracing’ slogan had served the town well over many years but people could also miscontrue that as a claim that the town is freezing cold – so perhaps it could be left out of the town’s marketing.
