Stepping out to a new beat on Morecambe Prom thanks to new audio walks

Promenade (Everybody’s Free) features a choice of two walks along Morecambe’s magnificent seafront accompanied by the stories and memories of local residents and an evocative electronic score.

The tracks, which can be downloaded to play on headphones, enable people to explore their surroundings in a unique way, either alone or with others, while keeping their minds and bodies active with every step.

Community run organisation Creative West End, together with Angel Club (north), who make works of live art, are behind the project.

Angel Club (north)’s Philip Sykes was inspired to produce Promenade after moving back to the bay recently and identifying a need for people to stay well, connected and inspired.

“I walk along the promenade, saying hello to everyone I pass by and commenting on the weather, usually the wind!” said Philip.

“Occasionally, someone will want to tell me an amazing story about living by the sea or something beautiful in the Bay that only happens once in a while. Sometimes a person wants to tell me about something life-changing that will happen here one day.”

Although the Covid-19 pandemic has presented challenges for the company and their fellow creatives, it also gave them chance to gain a different perspective on their surroundings and adapt the way they communicated.

The two walks they’ve produced are from the RE STORE in Yorkshire Street West to the Stone Jetty, which should take 40 minutes and cover 4,500 steps, and More Music in Devonshire Road to Heysham Barrows, a longer, faster stroll of 70 minutes and 8,000 steps.

Promenade allows people to enjoy the walks individually while still feeling connected to each other and experiencing a very intimate performance too.

The walks are timed to the beat of the music and the voice of Angel Club (north) gives instructions en-route so that promenaders arrive at each point of interest correctly and return to their starting point.

The audio walks are designed to keep people fit and active by the pulse set at average walking speed to keep everyone in time with each other.

“We can’t wait to take everyone with us on this journey and share these amazing tales of the bay past, present and future,” Philip added.

Promenade(Everybody’s Free) can be downloaded via the Creative West End website here.Creative West End (CWE) is a partnership comprising the Good Things Collective, West End Morecambe Big Local, More Music, Film Morecambe, the RE STORE and local residents aiming for community-led creative change across the West End for the benefit of the community.

CWE is a growing network of local people and organisations that understand the benefits of the arts and creativity in community life and want to help this grow. It is a friendly group which welcomes anyone to get involved who lives, works or wants to connect with CWE and shares its values.