Note for Stourport Town Council meeting 5 September 2023

Heritage Stourport, a group of representatives from the Inland Waterways Association, Stourport Civic Society, The Stourport Yacht Club, Stourport Forward and Stourport Town Council have been working together to achieve Heritage Port Status and we are pleased to say this has been awarded.

David Struckett from the Inland Waterways Association deserves special mention as the driving force behind this successful application.

Heritage Harbours is a joint initiative between the National Historic Ships, Historic England and the Maritime Heritage Trust.

The initiative is intended to help safeguard and conserve our most historic locations including the buildings, quays, shipyards and surrounding environments. It gives support and focus for tourism and underlines the importance of our local heritage when planning decisions are to be made.

The designation Heritage Port recognises the historic importance of Stourport as a key inland port - a title it will share with cities such as Chester and Exeter.

The Town website has been updated to reflect this award and a celebration is planned for the 9th September centred on the Stourport Yacht Club. It will run from 10.00am until 5.00pm and there will be a range of entertaining heritage activities taking place around the lower and upper canal basins.

Now the status has been awarded we would like to plan for some new signage at the entrances to the Town but this will of course be subject to raising suitable funding.

We believe that the Heritage status will further stimulate tourism and focus more attention on the heritage of the town by local planners.

Discussions between the interested parties including Stourport Town Council will continue and it would be helpful if this can be seen as a springboard to develop plans to open up the basins to tourists and residents alike.

Tim Berry