Video: Notts TV’s Kate Chaplin takes a look around the site being built.
Sand has been laid in Nottingham city centre and a bar area is being constructed in preparation for the Nottingham Beach opening next week.
Nottingham Beach returns to Old Market Square for the ninth consecutive year and will open on Thursday July 13.
Builders say lorries dropped off the sand on Thursday morning and are busy propping up the timber frame of a bar area.
And building firm the Natural Play Company started fitting the structure onto wooden decking in the city centre yesterday which will be completed on Friday.
Fabricator Ceri Williams, who works at the company, said: “We only started this [fitting the timber bar structure to the site] yesterday. We weren’t involved last year with this.
“This is our own personal design – we go all over the country to build play areas and things like this. This is our specific design.”
One woman said she would not visit the beach ‘because it’s for kids’.
Another said: “I’ve been to the one in Loughborough every summer but I’d rather go to a real beach. I guess if I was from Nottingham and local then it would perhaps be OK, but I’m just a visitor.”
One lady added: “It’s nice for the city and for everyone to come out and see everything. Everyone always sits outside eating and drinking – it’s nice because there’s the water fountain nearby.
“I think it gives us something nice to look forward to. We don’t have much in Nottingham city centre anyway so it’s nice to see it.”
The beach will be open throughout the school holidays until September 3.
There will be rides and traditional seaside attractions; last year there were bungee trampolines.
The site is being transformed into the beach by the Mellors Group after the company got permission from Nottingham City Council.
And the Mellors Group has commissioned the work of the Natural Play Company.
Councillor Dave Trimble, portfolio holder for leisure at the council, said: “There’s so much to be proud of about our fantastic city – and our brilliant events like this have got to be one of the best things about Nottingham.
“Let’s all get out there with our friends, family and neighbours and be part of a truly fantastic summer in Nottingham.”
