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Bold vision for future of Morecambe wins major award and £20K

Tuesday, 22 July 2025 15:53

By Greg Lambert X @greglam72

Dame Caroline Dinenage, John O'Neill (Morecambe BID Manager), and Lizzi Collinge MP, pictured at the House of Lords awards ceremony.

A scheme to help digitally connect Morecambe town centre with the West End has won a major award and £20,000.

The Morecambe Digital Corridor project won the prestigious Connectivity Award in the 2025 Visa Let's Celebrate Towns Awards, at a ceremony held at the House of Lords.

The project will offer a high-speed fibre and solar-powered WiFi link between central Morecambe and the West End, as well as free training and access to technology at digital inclusion hubs.

The project is spearheaded by Morecambe BID (Business Improvement District), who will be working closely with the Morecambe Poverty Truth Commission on the roll-out in the West End.

“Winning this award is a huge honour for Morecambe BID and a testament to the belief and hard work of everyone involved – from local businesses and community groups to the wider BID team," said John O'Neill, Morecambe BID manager, who attended the ceremony to represent the town. 

"This funding allows us to build on our commitment to making Morecambe a connected, inclusive and forward-thinking place to live, work and visit.”

The winning proposal outlined a bold vision to bridge the digital divide in Morecambe’s most deprived areas, while preparing the town to welcome the 760,000 annual visitors expected with the scheduled opening of the Eden Project Morecambe in 2028

“I was delighted to join Morecambe BID in the House of Lords to see them win the coveted Celebrating Towns Connectivity Award," said Lizzi Collinge, MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale.

"It is well-deserved and shows the quality work happening in Morecambe.

"Everyone in the town should be very proud of this achievement, which shows Morecambe's potential is being recognised at a national level.”

David Waddington, chair of Morecambe BID, said: “This is a proud moment for Morecambe.

"The award recognises not just a project, but a growing belief in the town's future. John continues to do an outstanding job as BID manager and has been instrumental in driving these efforts forward.”

Key project elements include:

  • Extending fibre connectivity to key West End locations

  • Installing solar-powered public WiFi access points

  • Creating digital hubs for skills training and technology access

  • Supporting businesses with tools to serve a growing visitor base

  • Promoting sustainability through renewable energy solutions

Morecambe BID said they will continue working with partners to implement the Digital Corridor over the coming year, "ensuring the benefits of growth and regeneration are shared by all".

The committee of Morecambe BID thanked Mr O'Neill for his dedication and leadership in developing and submitting the winning application, saying "his vision and determination have played a vital role in securing this national recognition".

Morecambe BID is a private company that spends money raised from a levy paid by local businesses, on improvements to a specific area of the town centre.

Each business within the Morecambe BID zone in the town centre, pays 1.5 per cent of their rateable value into a funding pot once a year. 

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