Cumberland Council’s Taste of the Sea event in Maryport has delivered a huge boost to the local economy.
The festival took place on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 August and, for the first time, was held over two sites - one of them the new Harbourside event space, created as part of Cumberland Council’s £12 million regeneration of Maryport, funded by UK Government.
This meant the organisers could add a second performance stage and a dedicated space for the expert demonstrations and also include The Teenage Market for young entrepreneurs.
The Taste Cumbria events are a huge team effort. They are organised by Cumberland Council and Taste of the Sea’s major sponsor is Maryport Town Council. Thank you also to the other 2025 sponsors, Milburns Solicitors, Grants Oak Smoked, Thomas Armstrong Construction and Forth Engineering, and our supporters Maryport Business Group, Maryport Round Table and Maryport Harbour Authority.
This was the fifth Maryport Taste of the Sea event and attracted an estimated 22,500 people, bringing almost £2 million into the local economy. That’s a 29% increase on 2024, and more than double the 2023 event. For each pound invested in the Taste of the Sea Festival, almost £30 was generated for the local economy.
According to independent research, 84% of those interviewed had made their trip to Maryport specifically for the festival. In addition, 18% of visitors were from outside the county, up from 11% last year.
The report said: “The event is a significant draw, motivating people to visit Maryport and spend money both at the event and in the town itself. Fifty five percent of the people interviewed were visiting the event for the first time.”
It added: “The event has grown significantly, almost doubling in visitor numbers from 2022. People were asked if they would be doing anything else - half said they would be going for a meal or a drink, 13% would go shopping and 30% said they would do some sightseeing. These activities all generate additional spend.”
Though it is not the only route to the festival, automatic footfall counters on Senhouse Street showed an increase of 38% through the week before the event, with more than a third of those people passing the sensors doing so on Taste of the Sea Saturday.
Leader of Cumberland Council, Councillor Mark Fryer, said:
“We knew the 2025 Taste of the Sea festival was bigger and better and it is fantastic to see that hard work and investment was all worth it.
“Seeing the footfall in Maryport rising is testament to our efforts as a council. The Shiver Me Timbers play and splashpark, the adventure soft play, gym and improved Clip n’ Climb challenge in Maryport Activity Centre, the skatepark on the Prom, and Shipping Brow Gallery are all new reasons for people to visit the town. There is more to come with the forthcoming opening of Maryport Maritime Museum in Christ Church, and The Carlton cultural and performance hub too.
“As we have invested, others are doing so too, with new businesses opening on the high street. I cannot wait to see what the future brings for Maryport.”
Councillor Anne Quilter, Executive Member for Vibrant and Healthy Places, added:
“Seeing Taste of the Sea get bigger and better is fantastic. I am really looking forward to the next three events - Cockermouth in September, Carlisle in November, and then the Christmas finale in December. Seeing the benefits they bring to the economy is the icing on the Taste Cumbria cake.”
Taste Cumbria is back in Cockermouth for the flagship festival on 27 and 28 September, then in Carlisle on 1 and 2 November, with the final event, a Christmas special, in Cockermouth on 6 and 7 December.
For the latest information on all the Taste Cumbria events visit www.tastecumbria.co.uk
Photo credit: Tom Kay Photographic