PORLOCK is hoping to revive one of its heritage industries with a project that would celebrate the village's shellfish tradition.

Work will begin in the spring to plant a series of trial oyster and mussel beds near the harbour entrance at Porlock Weir.

And if successful, an industry that died out more than 80 years ago could be back in business.

Porlock Futures, a Porlock Parish Council sponsored group of community and business leaders, is behind the ambitious plan and has secured £22,000 of funding to test whether its hopes can be turned into a viable reality.

Alan Wright, a member of the group and chairman of the parish council, said historically Porlock had been famous for its oyster beds and part of the old structures still remained.

"We will not be dredging for them, as they used to in the past, but growing them," he said.

If the results of a feasibility study over the next year are encouraging, the business could create between two and three jobs but also regenerate the Weir area and provide a vital boost to local tourism and restaurants.

It could also be something of a record-maker.

Once established the business would be operated and managed by some form of social enterprise, such as a Community Interest Company, which would see its profits ploughed back into local initiatives to benefit the community.

"We believe we would be the first in the country to establish a social enterprise to do something like this," said Mr Wright.

The group has been carrying detailed research into the project for a number of months.

Mr Wright said the Shellfish Association of Great Britain (SAGB) believed Porlock was a good site and was keen on the idea, while the Porlock Manor estate, which owned the area, was very supportive.

The scheme has also won the backing of the Exmoor National Park Authority whose partnership fund has just awarded it £10,000.

A further £5,000 has come from SAGB and Porlock Parish Council is contributing £2,000 while the shortfall will be met from 'in kind' donations.

"It's quite an innovative thing for the parish council to back because it is risky," said Mr Wright.

"But this scheme ticks a lot of boxes in terms of regeneration, heritage and fitting in with the surrounding landscape and environment.

"Porlock Weir is an iconic Exmoor location but it is suffering from decline. This project would bring year-round activity to the area and in addition require on shore facilities which once operational would help safeguard the historic local infrastructure and architecture."

However, Mr Wright said setting up a shellfish industry was a complex matter, requiring a raft of regulatory and other approvals, from detailed testing of water and maritime consents to product shipment controls.

The funding secured will allow a feasibility study to be carried out to prove both the technical and commercial viability of the project and to develop detailed plans for its ongoing operation and management.

Organisers estimate this will take around 12 months and involve setting up, seeding and growing small beds of oysters and mussels and monitoring their health and development, together with detailed administration and measurements.

Mr Wright said that, at the end of the trial, a decision would be made on whether to proceed but the advice was that the chances of success were high.

"Our goal is not to deliver a multi-million pound business - our goal is to create something that will make a difference and that hopefully will be viable."

Alan Wright is pictured against the backdrop of an area that could soon be supporting a thriving shellfish industry.

Photo: Steve Guscott