Ideas to help local businesses profit from working together lie at the heart of the agenda for a new business forum to be held at Stokenham in March.

The Slapton Line Business Forum is open to all businesses that use the coast road and will offer an opportunity to share experiences and ideas for trading on the changing coast line.

Project Manager for the Slapton Line Partnership (SLP), which is supporting the forum, Alan Denbigh, said: "We aim to help residents and businesses to prepare for the longer term implications of road closures.

By starting now businesses can benefit through lower costs, diversification or working with other businesses in the area.”

A study by an independent engineer predicted that as a result of natural coastal erosion the road would suffer increasingly and was likely to have to close in the next 30 years.

Joint Owner of Britannia Shellfish, Anita Hutchings, said: "This forum is a good idea - we can't be sticking our heads in the sand and while there's time we should be looking at ideas like this."

The business forum is being created by the SLP as part of its Living with a Changing Coast project. The SLP exists to support the communities around the area now, during the future temporary road closures and when the road is closed finally.

The first Slapton Line Business Forum opens its doors to businesses on Tuesday 18 March at Stokenham Village Hall at 5:30pm for a 6:00pm start. Attendees are invited to confirm their attendance by calling Alan Denbigh on 01803 861246 or email alan.denbigh@slaptonline.org.

More information is available on the SLP's website - slaptonline.org, through your SLP newsletter or from individual SLP partners direct - email enquiries@slaptonline.org or call 01803 861246.

If you're concerned with how you're going to manage the road loss when it happens, please contact the Slapton Line Partnership.