MINEHEAD Seafront is set for a set for a face-lift worth more than £100,000.

The latest batch of funding from the government’s Coastal Community Fund saw Minehead receive £130,696 to go towards the development of the area.

The money will be put towards a £173,463 scheme to enhance the seafront, including the restoration of a number of Edwardian shelters.

Minehead is one of more than a dozen locations to be chosen. The projects all aim to create new jobs, attract tourists and boost economic growth.

Minister for Coastal Communities, Andrew Percy, announced the £15million boost across the South West on Monday.

He said: “We’re putting the wind in the sails of over dozen major projects along the South West coast line. From a new watersports centre in Ilfracombe to a new enterprise hub in St Ives, this funding will help make sure seaside towns in the South West flourish.”

MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset, Ian Liddell-Grainger, welcomed the news.

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He said: “The shelters have been a feature of the sea front for over a century but, sadly, they have suffered in the last few years.

“The higher sea wall and new promenade built 20 years ago have definitely made the sea front a much more attractive area for both visitors and locals – and returning these traditional shelters to something lose to their original condition will be the icing on the cake.”

Alex de Mendoza, chairman of the Minehead Chamber of Commerce, said he was delighted.

He said: “This is excellent news. We’ve been working to get Minehead back onto the tourism trails, which it is hasn’t been part of for some years, as our visitor numbers have been declining.

“The money will be used to develop the seafront, and I’d like to see the railway station part of that. We’ve got such a valuable asset joining us to Taunton, it could be working harder for the whole community.

“The seafront development will see a redesign making the area more user-friendly and more attractive.”