10.00 Tea / Coffee

10.30 Welcome
Liz Power, Historic Buildings & Places
Charlotte Tomlinson, Heritage Network

Session 1 – Chair: Liz Power, Historic Buildings & Places

10.40 – What is Seaside Heritage?
Kathryn Ferry, Chair, Seaside Heritage Network

11.00 – The Seaside as World Heritage
Allan Brodie, Bournemouth University and Seaside Heritage Network

11.20 – Understanding the Economic and Tourism Value of Seaside Heritage
Samantha Richardson, National Coastal Tourism Academy

11.40 – Comfort break

Session 2 – Chair: Charlotte Tomlinson, Heritage Network

11.50 – Keynote
The Rt Hon. the Lord Bassam of Brighton

12.20 –AHF: Lessons from 50 Years of Investing in Seaside Heritage Projects

Matthew McKeague, Architectural Heritage Fund

12.50 – Lunch and Networking

13.30 – Adding Value Panel
Chaired by Dr Anya Chapman, Bournemouth University and Seaside Heritage Network

Owain Lloyd-James, Head of Local Government and Communities, Historic England

Alistair Upton, Chief Executive, Creative Folkestone

Christian Skelton, Selsey Pavilion Trust

Catherine Mugonyi, Aunty Social, Blackpool

14.30 – Tea / Coffee

14.45 – Evidence Session
Chaired by Dr Duncan Light, Bournemouth University and Seaside Heritage Network

Derek Leaver, Chair, Saltdean Lido

Rob Kenyon, Ramsgate Heritage Lab

Stuart Wood, The Cleethorpes Promenados

Rachel Lewis, North Somerset Council

16.10 – Questions and closing remarks
Liz Power, Historic Buildings & Places

16.30 – Close
Opportunity to swim at Saltdean Lido or continue networking

17.30 – Chips and Chat Networking event on the beach
Hosted by Heritage Network, supported by Historic England

Please note that timings may be subject to change.

Liz Power, Historic Buildings & Places

Liz Power is the Director of Historic Buildings & Places, one of the National Amenity Societies who give advice on listed buildings to local authorities aiming to get the best impacts for heritage. HB&P is particularly interested in heritage that might be overlooked by other people.

Before leading HB&P, Liz worked in the museum sector for over 25 years. She grew up in Clacton-on-Sea, so has an inbuilt love of ice creams, the pier, and walks along the prom. Today Liz is often found escaping London for the coast of Kent

Dr Charlotte Tomlinson, Heritage Network

Dr Charlotte Tomlinson is Development and Outreach Officer for England at the Heritage Network, the UK’s sector support body for community groups and not-for-profits rescuing, restoring, and reusing historic buildings. The Heritage Network brings together more than 1000 organisations and people who are repurposing historic sites, spaces, and other things for public benefit, from lidos and swimming pools to beach huts and boating lakes.

Before joining the Network, Charlotte was (and still is!) a historian of twentieth century Britain, and a dedicated lover of the seaside. Based in East Yorkshire, Charlotte’s seaside trip of choice is to Scarborough – especially if that includes a 99 at the historic Harbour Bar.

Dr Kathryn Ferry, Chair, Seaside Heritage Network

Dr Kathryn Ferry is Chair of the Seaside Heritage Network, a public historian, author and broadcaster. Her books include two titles on beach huts, the official history of Butlin’s and, most recently, ‘Twentieth Century Seaside Architecture’ published in association with the Twentieth Century Society. Kathryn is passionate about celebrating the often over-looked heritage of our nation’s seaside places and does so in print, podcasts, radio and television.

Dr Allan Brodie, Bournemouth University and Seaside Heritage Network

Dr Allan Brodie is a visiting fellow at Bournemouth University and a founding member of the Seaside Heritage Network. He is the author of many books on the seaside including Seaside Holidays in the Past (2005), England’s Seaside Resorts (2007), The Seafront (2018) and England’s Seaside Heritage from the Air (2021), as well as books on Margate (2007), Weymouth (2008), Blackpool (2014) and Weston-super-Mare (2019). Allan has also co-written a four-volume history of Travel and Tourism 1700-1914, (2014) and Tourism and the Changing Face of the British Isles (2019).

Samantha Richardson, National Coastal Tourism Academy

Samantha Richardson is Director of the National Coastal Tourism Academy, which she has led since its launch in 2013. Sam’s work focuses on national engagement, strategy and partnerships that will help boost the visitor economies of coastal communities, with a particular emphasis on addressing seasonality and raising awareness of key issues impacting coastal tourism in England. Sam also oversees delivery of the ‘England’s Coast’ brand, which focuses on attracting new international and domestic visitors to our stunning coastline year-round.

The Rt Hon. the Lord Bassam of Brighton

Lord Bassam of Brighton began his political career as a Brighton councillor, subsequently becoming leader of the council then, in 1997, a life peer. In 2019 he was Chair of the Regenerating Seaside Towns and Communities Lords Select Committee. He is currently Chair of the Brighton and Hove Seafront Development Board.

Matthew McKeague, Architectural Heritage Fund

Matthew Mckeague joined the Architectural Heritage Fund as CEO in October 2017 and has led the expansion of the organisation in developing and delivering its vision to support community and social enterprises to adapt and reuse historic buildings for the benefit of communities. This recent expansion has included delivery of the £15.4m Transforming Places through Heritage programme and the launch of the £7m Heritage Impact Fund.

Prior to joining the AHF, Matthew was the Director of Regeneration for the Churches Conservation Trust. He led the Regeneration Team in finding solutions for the Trust’s estate of historic churches and in facilitating greater involvement of communities and not-for-profit organisations in maintaining and running them. He also set up the CCT’s consultancy service. His previous career roles were in regeneration positions for the public and private sector.

Dr Anya Chapman, Bournemouth University and Seaside Heritage Network

Dr Anya Chapman is a Principal Academic in Tourism Management at Bournemouth University. Anya’s research focuses on the regeneration of mature coastal destinations and traditional attractions at British seaside resorts, including fairgrounds, piers, and amusement arcades. Anya has served as a Director and Trustee for the National Piers Society and Weymouth Museum and is a founding member of the Seaside Heritage Network.

Owain Lloyd-James, Historic England

Owain Lloyd-James MCIfA is Head of Local Government and Communities at Historic England. He leads the team responsible for providing advice on all matters of historic environment policy relating to places of worship, industrial heritage, wellbeing, devolution and the creative industries.

He started his professional life as an archaeologist, before joining DCMS where he was responsible for developing national government policy relating to the illicit trade in cultural goods, Since joining English Heritage (now Historic England) in 2007, he has been responsible for the co-ordination and development of work with local government and national infrastructure, and undertaking research looking at the impact of development on the historic environment.

Alistair Upton, Creative Folkestone

Alistair Upton has been CEO of Creative Folkestone for the last 14 years. During his tenure, he has played a central role in shaping Folkestone’s cultural landscape, delivering four acclaimed Triennials and overseeing regeneration of the Creative Quarter. Creative Folkestone is now designated as an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation, recognising its sustained excellence and contribution to the arts.

Alistair’s vision and commitment has established Creative Folkestone as a producer of internationally renowned arts and culture and provided a catalyst for creativity across the town’s communities, artists, makers and businesses. Under Alistair’s leadership Creative Folkestone has also become custodian of Prospect Cottage, Derek Jarman’s home at Dungeness, saving this unique example of seaside heritage for the nation and running a programme of residencies and public visits.

Christian Skelton, Selsey Pavilion Trust

Christian Skelton is Chairman of the Selsey Pavilion Trust, the charity restoring and reopening the historic Selsey Pavilion. Built in 1913, the Pavilion is a rare surviving pre-Great War cine-performance venue with a long history as a cinema, theatre and community space. Christian has played a leading role in the campaign to save the building, from fundraising and negotiating its purchase from the previous owner to managing the restoration day to day. Alongside chairing the Trust, Christian runs two businesses and has a young family, bringing both professional drive and personal commitment to securing the Pavilion’s future for Selsey.

Catherine Mugonyi, Aunty Social, Blackpool

Catherine Mugonyi is one of the founding directors of Aunty Social. A long-time resident of Blackpool, she specialises in organising and co-producing events and projects that strengthen engagement between marginalised communities, local history and the arts. Catherine looks after Aunty’s finances, governance strategy and creative programme (including Blackpool Film Festival). She is a Clore Fellow and a member of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, north Committee, making funding decisions, advising on priorities and providing local perspective to the Board.

Dr Duncan Light, Bournemouth University and Seaside Heritage Network

Derek Leaver, Saltdean Lido

Derek Leaver is Chair of the Saltdean Lido Trust charity and Saltdean Lido CIC. Retiring from a career as CEO of an international company providing business management and software solutions to the global construction Industry, Derek decided he still had more to offer. Joining the Lido team a year after the pool was reopened, he led the main building restoration project and has been a full-time volunteer since late 2018. Driving the design phase and balancing heritage and modern-day building requirements, gaining planning permission and agreeing the lease were prerequisites to construction. The finished project has won multiple awards as well as rapturous acclaim from the public and community and has also recently won the individual award of ‘Client of the Year’ from the RIBA for Derek’s hands on involvement and vision. He currently leads the challenge of securing a sustainable future for the whole site while ensuring Saltdean Lido becomes the ‘Community Hub’ the project, and the community who saved the Lido, has always aspired to.

Rob Kenyon, Ramsgate Heritage Lab

Rob Kenyon is the founder and CEO of Heritage Lab Ramsgate. He has over 20 years board and senior leadership experience across the NHS, academia, education, the voluntary sector and local government. His responsibilities spanned economic development, culture, heritage, planning, tourism and health.

Rob was the Director responsible for delivering the £25m publicly-funded Dreamland, Sunshine Café and Menagerie Cages projects in Margate. Previously Rob conceptualised, established and managed the Leeds Integrated Commissioning Board overseeing a revenue budget of c. £2.5bn and co-led the foundation of the Leeds Academic Health Partnership.

A therapist, researcher and trainer by background, previous non-executive director roles have included the Society for Local Authority Chief Executives, a multi-site Academy Trust and a Housing and Education Charity.

Stuart Wood, Cleethorpes Promenados

Stuart Wood is a composer, theatre maker and heritage organiser based in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. He is the founder of the Cleethorpes Promenados, a growing network bringing together historians, artists and community groups to celebrate and explore the town’s seaside heritage. Through his creative practice and his work with the CIC Grim & Gleeful, Stuart develops projects that combine storytelling, music and Cleethorpes folklore. Current initiatives include community research, events and a short film around the historic Empire Theatre in Cleethorpes, exploring its legacy as a place of popular seaside entertainment and its potential future as a cultural and community space.

Rachel Lewis, North Somerset Council

Rachel Lewis is Heritage and Design Manager at North Somerset Council and is the lead officer for the Birnbeck Pier project. Rachel has had a long and varied career in Local Government but has always been involved in delivering capital projects often with multiple funding sources and partners.  She was lead officer for the Weston-super-Mare sea defences and seafront improvement.

Venue
The symposium takes place at Saltdean Lido, one of Britain’s most celebrated Art Deco coastal landmarks. Delegates will have the opportunity to explore the site and may book to swim in the pool following the event (swimming tickets must be booked separately via the Lido).

Venue Address: Saltdean Lido, Saltdean Park Road, Saltdean, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 8SP.

Accessibility

Saltdean Lido offers:

• Lift access (glass lift with handrails)
• Step-free access throughout the building
• Two large accessible toilets (one downstairs, one upstairs)
• Guide dogs welcome
• Quiet space available
• Card, cash and contactless payments accepted (including Amex)
• Free drinking water available

There are no dedicated disabled parking spaces.

The nearest Changing Places toilet is located at Centenary Park, Peacehaven:
https://www.changing-places.org/find

The venue is easy to find and clearly signposted.

If you have specific access requirements, please contact us in advance.

We are grateful to VisitBrighton for supporting this event by providing special accommodation rates for delegates, as well as exclusive offers at selected food, beverage and activity venues.

Links to these offers will be included in the confirmation email sent to delegates once a ticket has been purchased.

On Saturday 27 June, Seaside Heritage Network will host optional walking tours. These are bookable separately via the Seaside Heritage Network website.

Modernism on Sea
Ovingdean, Rottingdean and Saltdean
With Professor Fred Gray
11.00–13.00

Please note: this walk includes a very steep flight of stairs and is not suitable for wheelchair users or pushchairs. Assistance dogs only.

Layers of Seaside Heritage
Exploring the Royal Pavilion area
With Dr Sue Berry FSA, FRHistS
10.00–10.50

This tour explores the evolution of Brighton’s early resort development from the 1750s to c.1820. Notes will be provided.

If you would like to swim at Saltdean Lido during your visit, please check the Lido website for swimming times. June booking slots will be released closer to the date.

Refunds are available for cancellations made before 21st May 2026.