Watersports centre is finally open

lfracombe’s state-of-the-art watersports centre is finally open. The Watersports Hub at Larkstone Cove had its grand opening on 13 July.

The ribbon cutting ceremony saw North Devon Council’s Leader, Chief Executive and Dehenna Davison MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Levelling Up, joined by members of three local watersports clubs and the council’s Harbour and Property teams, to declare the hub officially open.

The centre gives new homes to three local clubs - Ilfracombe Pilot Gig Club, Y-Sail and Ilfracombe Canoe Club. The facility gives them the opportunity to extend their memberships to the wider community and offer taster events, while giving them storage for boats, a slipway for safe and easy access to the water and disabled access and facilities.

For the wider public, commercial operators H2Outdoors, Active Escape and Nick Thorn will be based at the hub, making it a destination for residents and visitors alike who wish to try outdoor pursuits such as stand up paddleboarding, kayaking and coasteering.

The hub is also home to the Lime Kiln Café, which offers locally sourced food and breathtaking views.North Devon Council leader Ian Roome, said: “This is a fantastic day for Ilfracombe and North Devon. It has been a long-standing ambition to have a watersports facility that can be at the heart of the community.

“The centre offers fantastic facilities for our watersports clubs and the wider public, while the Lime Kiln Café gives stunning views of the harbour. This has been a complex project, but thanks to the hard work of our property and harbour teams and Pearce Construction, we have been able to manage those tricky elements to bring the hub to fruition and create a facility that Ilfracombe and North Devon can be proud of.”

The project was funded by £1.5m from Heart of the South West LEP; £1.35m from the Coastal Communities Fund, and £130,000 from Sport England.