The questions most frequently asked by visitors to Nottingham’s city centre tourist information office used to be, “Where is the castle and did Robin Hood live there?”

These days people want to know when the landlocked city’s beach is going to open.

The creation of the “Nottingham Riviera” began yesterday when the first lorryloads of sand were tipped on to Old Market Square. By next week 300 tonnes of slightly reddish playpen sand and rows of decking will have transformed the city’s Victorian focal point into a little bit of Skegness.

“Life’s a Beach” will feature a paddling pool, boating lake, a Hawaiian-style promenade with café, bucket-and-spade stalls, bunting and fairground rides. Waikiki chalets are already in place, as is the sweet shop that will stock sticks of rock stamped with “I love Nottingham”.

There will be Punch and Judy shows, although organisers pointed out that despite Nottingham’s reputation for gun and knife violence, the puppets will brandish nothing more sinister than sticks.

After the Paris Plage was created seven years ago, cities around the world have followed its example. What makes the Nottingham Riviera notable is its ambitious scale.

Its creators, the city council working alongside the Mellors Group, a private company, are convinced that there are sufficient numbers of people who for financial reasons will be staying in this country this summer to make the beach resort a worthwhile investment.

David Trimble, who holds the council’s portfolio for culture, leisure and communities, said: “It takes place during the full six weeks of the summer holidays so that everyone can get a feel of the sand between their toes even if they are not able to leave Nottingham this year.”

As the sand was manicured by a mini-digger, Steve Kane, 35, said that he was deferring the annual family holiday to Spain until next year. “A lot of people will be staying put this summer and trying to save money because of the credit crunch. This is something people can come back to more than once,” he said. Robin Ingram, 45, searching for a job in retail management and who will miss out on a summer holiday, said: “I cannot believe how quickly it has gone up. I think it is a great idea. I am not saying it will rival the Costas or the French Riviera but not everyone can get to the beach at Skegness, so why not bring the beach to the people?”

Sada Dulat, 31, who has settled in the city from Uzbekistan, has embraced the local fondness for a day trip to the sea. She regards a trip to Scarborough or Morecambe as a treat. “Not all parents have the money or can take time to take their kids down to the beach in summer. If we have a little bit of seaside come to us instead, I think it is a great idea,” she said.

Staff in the travel agency Going Places, which borders the square, were more contemptuous. They snorted with derision when asked whether they regarded the Nottingham Riviera as competition. You could see them mentally weighing up the options: “Nottingham, Algarve . . . Algarve, Nottingham.”

“The weather is not good enough for a beach here,” one of the counter-staff said.

From his permanent perch a short distance away, the bronze statue of Brian Clough, Ol’ Big Head himself, seemed to cast a benign eye on the frantic activity below.

“Daft”, after all, was one of his favourite words.

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