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A coastal village pub owner said she was “totally relieved” that access to her “beautiful” beach has been restored in time for the Easter holidays.
Hemsby beach, near Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, was closed when high tide washed away meters of sand from an access point called ‘The Gap’.
Rapid erosion in March also led to the demolition of five properties.
Lorna Bevan said that without public access, Hemsby’s tourist businesses “would soon have gone into decline”.
Ms Bevan, who runs The Lacon Arms and a games arcade, has around 300 people booked for Easter Sunday lunch and expects to serve 600 people altogether.
He says: “Ten years ago at Easter 2013, there was a difference in height to access the beach so people couldn’t access it and it was harmful and compromised income.
“If it’s not open for Easter, we miss the large family groups coming for the day and miss the opportunity for them to think about booking a bigger holiday later in the year.”
Ms Bevan, founder of Save Hemsbys Coastline, which employs 20 people all year round and 50 during the holiday season, added that ‘without people employed in tourism, the village would not have the vibrancy it has now’.
Stuart Reeve believes Hemsby’s family-run businesses will “breathe a big sigh of relief as the beach reopens before the Easter weekend”.
Mr Reeve is the manager of Seadell Shops and Holiday chalets which has a convenience store and 21 chalets, employing 12 people during the summer season.
“We’ve definitely had a substantial number of calls this month and the first question they ask is, ‘Will the beach be open?'” he said.
“It’s a boost to wider Great Yarmouth and Norfolk tourism – Hemsby has lots of self-catering caravans and chalets and visitors obviously travel out.”
“Our beach is Hemsby’s flagship, a lot of people come here and I’d say 90% make their way to the beach,” said James Gray, owner of takeaway Madison’s and Lost World Adventure Golf.
“It’s really heartwarming to see how quickly things can be done when the pressure is on,” he added.
It is another of the village’s family businesses: it employs Mr Gray, his wife, son, daughter, boyfriend and sister-in-law.
He said: “The weather has remained good so we’ve had a really good week of trading – we’re optimistic for a really good weekend.”
Richardson’s Hemsby Beach Holiday Park has around 2,000 people booked into its caravans and lodges over Easter and employs 82 people at the height of the summer season.
Park and customer experience manager James Ettridge said there had been “some concern from regular customers about access to the beach” so “we’re really pleased to open the beach”.
“And the work done by the contractors, with the local people, including the lifeboat crew, has been outstanding,” he added.
Hemsby was affected by high spring tides and strong winds in March.
Five houses were demolished in less than two weeks before falling into the sea and another washed inland.
An 80 m (262 ft) rock revetment was installed as a temporary solution, created from 2,000 tons of Norwegian granite.
Rock defense work has also been completed to protect the restored beach access point and provide a new ramp, so the lifeboat can return to service.
Plans for a permanent defense extending 0.8 miles (1.3km) have been licensed by the Marine Management Organisation, but Great Yarmouth Borough Council needs to find £15m to get the job done.
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