THE Duchess of Cambridge's visit to Grimsby cost the council £3,856, it has been revealed.
And the visit has been branded as "great value for money", after the information was compiled following a request from a member of the public under the Freedom of Information Act.
The money was spent like this:
£2,051 on a jet wash and sand block paving outside the Fishing Heritage Centre.
£275 on removing graffiti.
£435 on repairing the cafe's stainless steel splash back.
£528 on decorations inside the centre.
£478 on the cost for the closure of the heritage centre car park.
£72 on civil enforcement officers.
£17 on security patrols, with the palace picking up the bill for their own security staff.
Councillor Chris Shaw, the leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said: "Grimsby got international coverage that day and if anyone can find me that for less than £4,000 anywhere else then I will be very interested.
"The work we did to prepare for the visit was stuff that needed to be done anyway – we just brought it forward a little so Grimsby looked its best while the world's eyes were watching."
As reported, pregnant Kate's visit caused international speculation that she'd let slip she was having a daughter.
Later, video footage obtained by the Grimsby Telegraph proved that Kate had kept tight-lipped.
Telegraph reporter Lucy Greensmith was outside the centre when the Duchess arrived.
She said: "We all knew the visit was a monumental occasion for Grimsby, but the national media coverage it received was unprecedented.
"It certainly helped put Grimsby in the spotlight.
"I think the cost of the visit is a small price to pay for the national publicity the town received and the lasting memories Kate's appearance will have on the lives of hundreds of local people, myself included."
Trawler owner Kurt Christensen met the Duchess on her visit, and agrees it was great value for money.
He said: "If it cost £100,000 I would still say it was worth the money. To be given the chance to talk to one of the most influential women about the fishing industry was a huge privilege.
"The outside of the heritage centre looked like the Oscars. Grimsby ended up in Hello magazine and all the nationals. Then with the whole 'babygate' being put to rest, it went on for a week. To buy that kind of publicity would cost £4 million at least."
Grimsby businesswoman Wendy Wood waited outside the Heritage Centre to meet Kate. She and the Duchess shook hands and had a short conversation.
Mrs Wood said: "I thanked her for coming to Grimsby and said we are very proud of her. She replied 'Thank you, it's lovely.' I asked if she was cold and she said, 'No, not as cold as you, I haven't been waiting here for hours to see you'.
"There was excitement and anticipation in the air all morning; it was a lovely occasion for Grimsby."
A spokeswoman for Humberside Police was unable to confirm how much the force spent on providing officers for the royal visit.
She said: "Humberside Police provided a policing operation on the day of the royal visit to ensure its success and the safety of all those involved as well as to prevent any crime and disorder.THE GRIMSBY TELEGRAPH SAYSNO one could argue with the cost of the council's preparations for the recent visit by the Duchess of Cambridge to Grimsby. In fact many will be quite surprised at the little that was spent in making sure things were ship shape and correct in time for the Royal arrival. There is one thing for sure – the town and surrounding area received plenty of publicity from the engagement, thanks to the international interest as to whether or not Kate revealed she was having a boy or a girl. Now, in the end, it was proved that she did not indeed reveal any such thing – however that did not stop the media going mad and of course Grimsby was at the centre of that. The question is, has North East Lincolnshire capitalised on that – or how can it do so in publicity material going forward? Or indeed, was the visit just a one-hit wonder – quickly forgotten, not only by the local area but also on a national and international level? Time, of course, will tell and let us hope that this extremely successful visit can leave a lasting impression on our area. *Did you go to see the Duchess of Cambridge and do you believe our Royal Family offers value for money. Follow the editor on Twitter @michellelalorOUR POLL ASKS YOU: Was it worth the £3,856 of public money spent on cleaning up the Fishing Heritage Centre to bring the Duchess of Cambridge to Grimsby? See Latest Poll on the home page to take part.
