We hope this town is beating the crunch

Plans to upgrade the seafront under the Next Wave scheme have received another change in focus, with Rother District Council voting to revise ideas for the Colonnade to ensure the overall project doesn't go over budget.

It is clear something needs to be done to smarten up the seafront, and it is good to see the council trying to manage costs while still having the aim of producing a workable idea for enhancing this grade II listed building.

The Next Wave project is of course fiercely controversial, with many sections of the community feeling, quite rightly, that the Edwardian nature of the seafront needs to be preserved.

With the appointment of the architect HTA, the old 'concept' designs have been thrown out and the architect has said in the past that Bexhill is lucky to have such architecture and this should be reflected in any new plans.

However the council still needs to listen to the views of the people who live here, and come up with a final design that is both a crowd-pleaser and a hook to attract more businesses and visitors to the town.

There has been a palpable lessening of tension between the council and the community on this issue over the last few months, and it is hoped this will continue.

The recession is a major stumbling block to any regeneration project '“ but this week Bexhill has thrown up a few shoots of growth.

Devonshire Place already feels more vibrant and less shut-down, with the opening of the new Iceland store and nearby Poppins, which is part of a national chain of restaurants.

And optimistic local businesswoman Stacey Tidd has opened a new venture, Tiddlywinks Toys, in Western Road.

Things might be tough at the moment, but this just goes to show that where there's life there's hope.