A delegation from Annan made the visit last Friday, in a bid to share ideas and experiences around ways of regenerating the towns, and creating ongoing ties.
Chairman of Annan Regeneration Steering Group Councillor Sean Marshall was one of the five-strong group who made the trip, and he said: “People on the town council and the councillors in Maryport felt that Annan High Street was getting things right — that is was a busy, vibrant high street.
“They wanted to come along and have a visit to Annan.”
And he added: “After they came to visit us, they then extended the offer of a reciprocal visit to Maryport.
On Friday, Councillor Marshall joined by Annan Harbour development officer Alan Thompson, Chapelcross site programme officer Steve Szostak, Martin Armstrong from the Federation of Small Businesses and community councillor Joyce Wylie.
The Annan group was greeted by town council members, regional councillors and county councillors.
Friday’s visit took the group to The Wave, to Maryport Harbour and Marina, to the Lake District Coast Aquarium, the town hall, and Senhouse Roman Museum.
Councillor Marshall said: “We agreed that Maryport and Annan are a similar size, with Maryport about 12,000 and Annan about 10,000.
“And we looked at a lot of the similarities and where we can help each other — where we had weaknesses.
Councillor Marshall notes both towns had relied on the nuclear industry, and that both face issues with being bypassed.
He said: “From a tourism point of view, they are trying to tap into the millions of people that go to the Lakes, and they’re finding that difficult, and we always want people to turn left at Gretna and come along through Eastriggs and Annan.”
Both towns are coastal, and both have harbours, which was a focus of interest.
Ongoing links between the two towns is planned, with the possibility of boat links being established between the two harbours.
