Lowestoft's first ever Summer Festival has created a platform on which it can build to become a firm fixture on the town's calendar, organisers have said.

The event - organised by Lowestoft Vision Business Improvement District (BID), Lowestoft Rising, Lowestoft Lions and the town's Rotary clubs - had its great successes, with the street velodrome in the town centre proving popular and more than 200 entrants signed up for Parade on the Prom.

It also gave the town a major event that it has been lacking in recent years, after the popular airshow and carnival were scrapped a few years ago.

But organisers also said they planned to look at how they could improve the spectacle for next year.

Danny Steel, chairman of Lowestoft Vision and a Lowestoft Rotary member, said during the event: 'It's been brilliant and it's great to see everyone down here participating.

'It was a little disappointing Women on Wheels was not supported as well as we'd hoped, but the rugby club had a great time and a lot of youngsters were trying out rugby.'

He also said the perfect weather had been a blessing, although that meant many people chose to go to the beach rather than festival events.

While the sandcastle record attempt on the Saturday and sandcastle competition on the Sunday also brought entertainment to those on the beach, Lowestoft Rising change manager Phil Aves said organisers would perhaps look at doing more on the beach in future years.

'We will have learned a lot from this year,' he said, adding that clashing with the nearby Latitude Festival possibly affected turnout.

The clash was hard to avoid given the limited availability of the Street Velodrome, which was designed as the main attraction of the festival - but organisers had believed the Summer Festival would cater for a different target market.

Lowestoft mayor Stephen Ardley said: 'With a little bit more 'people power' advertising, next year I think the knock-on effect should mean a lot more people.'

Summer Festival round-up - pages 64-65.

Street Velodrome - pages 66-67.

What did you think of the Lowestoft Summer Festival? Write, giving your full contact details, to: Journal Postbox, 147 London Road North, Lowestoft NR32 1NB or email andrew.papworth@archant.co.uk