Now plans have been submitted to Eastbourne Borough Council to turn the vacant site into a B&M store with garden centre.
The design and access statement explains the store, which specialises in household goods, will include a garden centre at the back of the unit – contained within a 4.8-metre-high fence.
The store is expected to employ a total of 55 people, 14 full-time and 41 part-time. The plans say all roles would be ‘recruited locally’.
The plans say B&M is ‘wishing to make a significant investment in Eastbourne’ and the store would ‘deliver a raft of benefits’.
It says, “This will be achieved by enabling the company to re-occupy and refurbish the vacant cinema in the Sovereign Harbour Retail Park.
“In order to enable beneficial occupation full planning permission is sought for the change of use to class E as well as the erection of a garden centre.”
The target determination date for the application is February 18 (application number: 211058).