Calls to scrap new Hastings restaurant plans as Tories label it a ‘lunatic idea’

Design of proposed new restaurant in Harold Place, Hastings

A project to build a restaurant in Hastings town centre will see its budget increase, despite concerns from opposition councillors.

On Wednesday (October 13), Hastings Borough Council agreed to increase the budget of a project to redevelop the former public toilets in Harold Place from £1.2m to £1.7m.

The project will see a purpose-built restaurant constructed on the site, which the council intends to lease out to as-yet unnamed operator.

Cabinet member for finance Peter Chowney said: “We are not debating whether the project should have been supported in the first place, we have already agreed that as a council, some ago it is true, but we have already agreed it.

“The recommendation here in front of us tonight is just about approving the increase in costs.

“That seems kind of inevitable, because building costs have gone up a lot since we agreed this, due to shortages, shortages of labour and various other things that have happened over the last couple of years.”

Even so, Cllr Chowney said the rents would still cover the costs of the borrowing.

Commercial partner announcement ‘imminent’

He went on to say a planning application for the redevelopment had now been submitted (although it was not validated and publicly available at time of publication), with the council’s commercial partner due to be announced ‘imminently’.

Should this application be approved, he added, the council may be able to secure additional funding from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), to the tune of around £400,000.