Skegness Magazine

Source: Skegness Standard 1996

Photos: artist’s impressions

This news story documents plans for a Weather Experience Centre which was to be Skegness’ latest tourist attraction.

The grandiose scheme never actually came to fruition but it sounded good!

DETAILED plans for the controversial Skegness Weather Experience Centre have been revealed.
The plans have been drawn up for the Skegness Development Company by PLB Design Ltd, of Malton, Yorkshire -a firm which did a similar job for the European award-winning National Fishing Heritage Centre at Grimsby.
The plans have delighted the Development Company, whose spokesman Mr John Chappell says the specialist design firm “have hit the nail on the head” with regard to the company’s ambitions of making the centre a “unique” attraction in the country.
Mr Chappell said the company had spoken to academics. at Reading University, which has trained weather presenters such as Suzanne Charlton and. Bill Giles, and at Hull University, which runs the Hull Observatory.
Although weather is such a strong talking point amongst people, these academics “couldn’t conceive of how to get it over to the public,” said Mr Chappell.
But now PLB Design have come up with a blueprint which he believes will achieve just that.
The Development Company’s aim has been to get away from the traditional “glass case” type of exhibition and use the latest technology to make the centre “user friendly” to visitors.
APPEAL
“We believe PLB Design Ltd have come up with a concept which will appeal to local people
and holidaymakers alike,” said Mr Chappell.
Describing the detailed plans for the Tower Esplanade site, he says the focal point of both the inside and outside of the centre would be the “elemental tower” around which everything else would revolve.
There will be an observation point at the top of the tower and a weather sculpture will be. suspended from it almost from ceiling height to the floor. The tower will be illuminated at night.
Entering the centre at the ground floor, visitors will have the choice of taking the “official” route through the building, to be known as “The Rainbow Trail”, or following whatever other route they wish.