'It's a big eyesore' - Readers on which derelict buildings in Eastbourne should receive new funding
Our readers have been weighing in on where funding to tackle derelict buildings in Eastbourne should be spent.
On Wednesday (October 28), MP Josh Babarinde announced that he had secured £1 million for the town from the Derelict Buildings Fund.
The fund will see 60 local authorities across England, including Eastbourne, receive support to bring disused and neglected buildings back into use.
And readers of The Herald have shared which buildings they think should receive the bulk of the funding in our town.
Responses overwhelmingly favoured the former Debenham’s building, which closed in 2020.
Some readers like Daphne Kane described the building in Terminus Road as an ‘eyesore’.
The other main suggestions included the former TJ Hughes in Terminus Road, which closed in 2019 and the Curzon Cinema in Langney Road, disused since 2020.
Another popular suggestion was The Redoubt – the circular coastal defence fort built in 1805.
It followed a theme that readers were inclined to see the money go to more publicly owned buildings rather than privately owned ones.
But many readers doubted whether the allocated funding would be enough to transform the town’s vacant buildings.
John Murphy wrote: “£1m is nowhere near enough for one of these buildings.”
Danny Sprinks added: “Got so many, a million quid will barely scratch the surface.”
Andy Baker commented: “£1m really won't go far. I'd be surprised if one building doesn't swallow the whole pot and more.”
Tilly Gismo also raised concerns around the interior conditions in these vacant buildings, suggesting the necessary repairs would likely exceed the town’s allocated funding.