Council set to take back control of Brewers Fayre site after pub closure
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Council officers are reclaiming the site from Brewers Fayre owners Whitbread, amidst plans to make creative use of the space over the Summer period to come.
Use of the building marks the second stage of the regeneration of The Regis Centre site. The first involves the multi-million pound expansion and refurbishment of The Alexandra Theatre, plans for which were largely well received by residents in the wake of a public consultation earlier this year.
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Hide AdThe Brewers Fayre site has been vacant since last month, when the pub closed and furniture, fittings and leftover stock was removed. The council are well aware of the interest in the future of the site, a spokesperson has said, and hope to put it to good use in terms of Bognor’s long-term regeneration. An announcement is expected in the weeks to come.
In the meantime, the council is hard at work with the Bognor Regis Business Improvement District to produce attractive window graphics for the pub site. These have been designed in accordance with the BID’s Welcoming Town Initiative and they are expected to be used shortly.
Nail Taylor, regeneration lead at Arun District Council, said: “We appreciate the importance of the Regis Centre site to the Bognor Regis community. We are therefore pleased to be working with the BID to potentially enhance the outside of the building and create a welcoming community space over the summer in conjunction with Place St Maur . At the same time, the theatre rejuvenation plans are moving forward at pace, with our planning application expected to be submitted in the next few weeks.”
The transfer comes as part of a land-swap deal agreed between Arun District Council and Whitbread PLC which set the former back by £750,000. As part of the agreement, Whitbread PLC have given up their longlease on the Regis Centre site, allowing multi-million pound Levelling Up Fund Plans to move forward and are now hoping to build a 116-bedroom Premier Inn on the seafront.