IT has been confirmed by Rother District Council that attracting budget and boutique hotels to Bexhill town centre is among key targets it hopes to achieve in the near future.
At a special breakfast meeting held recently by Bexhill Chamber of Commerce, they announced the launch of its new regeneration strategy for 2024.
The guest speakers were Rother District Council chief executive Lorna Ford and head of regeneration and housing Joe Powell who both outlined their vision in front of a selected audience of the most influential business leaders in the area.
The meeting was hosted by Bexhill Chamber President Howard Martin and Vice-President Tracey Love, who outlined the three tiers of Government funding that will deliver up to £60million of new Government investment into Bexhill and the surrounding area over the next decade.
Mr Powell, when asked about the prospect of more hotels being established in the town, responded: “We have a real opportunity thanks to the funding which must not be squandered.
“We are all committed to making Bexhill a major tourist destination and having a thriving retail sector and successful night time economy. Everyone is being listened to in order to ensure the right decisions are made.
“As a council we are committed to listening. A collaborative approach is vital. Of course hotels are a priority and we need to identify potential uses for empty bank buildings in the town centre. One of those future uses could certainly be converting them into hotel accommodation.
“We know what the key objectives are and we need to meet the challenges ahead to accomplish our vision.
Meanwhile, Ms Ford did stress to Chamber members the difficulties and challenges faced by Rother as all councils struggle to address balancing their budgets against high inflation, high interest rates, static business rates and lower council tax revenues.
“While Mr Powell, as head of regeneration, presented a more optimistic picture of how Bexhill Chamber can be a partner in delivering the very real economic benefits and growth promised by the Government funding.
Ms Ford said: “We acknowledge these are tough times and we have to adapt accordingly. Costs are going up all the time and there is not much wriggle room. We need to find solutions and all work together.
“It is all about taking pragmatic decisions when it comes to raising income but tough decisions will also have to be made in order to address the budget deficit we face. Despite that, however, there is every reason to feel positive about Bexhill’s future prospects.”
The pot of money is part of the Government’s “Levelling Up” initiative to help and support towns they feel have been “left behind”.
The money is split into three different grant funds each with their own criteria and eligibility but all devised to work in co-ordination with each other to deliver long term and sustainable regeneration for Bexhill over the next decade.
In essence there are three categories designed to boost Bexhill which are firstly £20million capital that has been allocated to the De La Warr Pavilion for full renovation and new development work and Sidley Recreation ground for facility improvements.
Secondly, a share of £400million giving Rother as a whole £20million to target significant capital investment projects. The Secretary of State will decide which group of proposed projects will get funding.
Finally, there is the long-term Plan for Towns which is a special fund allocated to 55 towns across the country, bringing £20million as an endowment style fund of £2million per year for ten years.
This fund will be administered by the Town Boards made up of local stakeholders with the special brief that they should be led by business and community leaders rather than politicians.
Mr Martin said; “We are very pleased that Lorna and Joe came to meet so many of our members.
“It is a really important step as we start to set up new working relationships to ensure that we are all heading in the same direction with co-ordinating the extraordinary investments from the Government.
“Bexhill Chamber is now working together with other stakeholders like Rother District Council, East Sussex County Council and the Town Council to bring together a new long-term strategy for regeneration of Bexhill and the surrounding area.
“It has been recognised by the Government consultants who are working with us on our strategies that the a key factor in regeneration of Bexhill is addressing the shortage of hotel visitor accommodation and it is great to hear that Rother now see this as a vital part of our ongoing plans.
“Hotels are the lifeblood of coastal towns and we want to see not only development of a national chain budget hotel but the creation of a business environment that attracts boutique hotel investment rather than deterring it as has happened in the past.
“We are now in a position to develop with Government support a real joined up visitor accommodation policy that encompasses budget hotels, boutique hotels, traditional and Airbnbs so that people coming to the area have a real choice and will properly consider Bexhill as their base to explore the wider area.
“The meeting also raised other important matters that will become essential elements to an ongoing regeneration strategy for the town like the Sovereign Light Maritime Centre project and substantial investment in tech facilities and new light industrial spaces to create jobs and wealth for the area that is sustainable beyond tourism.
