King's Lynn is the heart of West Norfolk, and as the 21st Century dawns, the ancient town is facing some major redevelopments.

The South Quay area of the town is currently undergoing a £4.12 million programme which promises to revitalise the waterfront. This North Sea Haven Project includes a new museum dedicated to the history of The Wash and its inhabitants, while other elements of the Lottery-funded scheme include dredging the town's old inner and outer Purfleets so that they can be filled with water and used as a dock for historic ships and other vessels.

The town centre is also awaiting a £20 million redevelopment. Under the town centre redevelopment scheme, which is not expected to start until at least 2001, shops will be knocked down, renovated and refurbished to make the town more attractive to both retailers and shoppers.

Key entertainment attractions in town are the impressively-refurbished Corn Exchange and the King's Lynn Arts Centre which both host a variety of concerts and plays. There area also three museums, two night clubs and a cinema.

Although badly damaged by 1950s and 60s development, Lynn still has a charming Old Town. This cluster of old buildings, including many medieval structures, centres on the twin-towered St Margaret's church. There is also a lovely range of Georgian buildings on King Street and Queen Street, which link the Saturday Market Place to the site of the town's main civic space, the Tuesday Market Place.

Jonathan Hartley