The government has awarded £2.7m as part of its Sea Change programme to help reinvigorate a further nine coastal resorts in North England.

South Shields will receive £1m towards the construction of a new theatre space to help improve its year-round cultural activities calendar, while Newbiggin’s seafront will feature a new maritime heritage centre, cinema and exhibition space costing £1m.

The eastern end of Worthing seafront will gain a new cultural area and Speakers’ Corner costing £500,000.

Barbara Follett, culture and tourism minister, said: “Our seaside towns have fascinating histories and unique cultural traditions which we must preserve and strengthen so they can be enjoyed for hundreds of years to come.

“These projects will help to restore people’s pride in their towns and help families of the future to enjoy great seaside holidays.”

Smaller grants will fund feasibility studies into a new theatre and museum in Wells, a centre of creativity in Jaywick and the protection of historical aviation sites in Leysdown.

CABE chief executive Richard Simmons said: “These resorts have all shown that they want to use culture and high-quality design to encourage people to not only live and work there, but also to visit.”

The Sea Change programme has provided more than £29m in funding to 28 regeneration projects in English seaside towns.