Huge new urban beach opens in Stoke-on-Trent City Centre

Families will now be able to enjoy all the fun of the seaside - without having to leave Stoke-on-Trent.

A huge 110sqm artificial beach will officially open to children in Hanley for the first time today.

It has been created next to the Smithfield building using 18 tonnes of washed silica play sand and will remain in place for the next five weeks.

There will also be a tuck shop, a selection of deck chairs, as well as beach huts painted by local artist Chloe Breeze.

On selective days an ice cream van will be parked nearby.

Georgie Bradley-Bourne, a freelance duty-manager for cultural organisation Appetite, said she was delighted to put on a free attraction for the people of Stoke-on-Trent.

She said: "It’s going well so far. We’ve had a few people, who seems to really be enjoying themselves playing on the beach and sitting in the deckchairs, which was lovely.

“We’ve got an ice cream van coming down on some of the days, I think it’ll be fab.”

The 26-year-old added: "It’s a free, friendly and inviting space for families to come and relax and play and enjoy themselves.

“After what we’ve all just been through over the last 18 months I think it’s really nice to have this space.

“We’re here for five weeks, so it’s a really great opportunity for families to get the time to come down and play, especially as it’s the summer.”

Visitors to Hanley were delighted to have the chance to have a play in the giant sandpit.

Alan Smith, 31, from Norton, said: "It’ll get people out and about. I used to live in Milton Keynes and we had stuff like that back there, it’s decent.

“It’ll get people socialising. Of course it's weather dependant, but hopefully it will do alright.”

Makeup artist Neheed Khalid, 50, from Fenton, also welcomed the beach.

“We came here for the first time, so I didn’t know about that place, but it’s looking nice,” she said.

“It will make people sit together and chit chat and provide a social environment.

“There should be more places for people to get together and have a social environment. I think this city is a bit quiet!”

The beach was backed by the European Regional Development Fund’s ‘Welcome Back Fund’ supporting town centres through reopening after lockdown.

Stoke-on-Trent arts organisation Appetite delivered the project, which will also see a programme of events over the five week period the beach is open.

The space will be open daily from 10.30am to 5.30pm until September 22.