Demolition works begin on former Frankie and Benny’s and Blockbuster building in Eastbourne

The building at Sovereign Harbour Retail Park will be demolished and then will be turned into drive-thru’s for both McDonalds and Costa Coffee.

In March, Eastbourne Borough Council (EBC) conditionally approved to knock down the two units within The Crumbles in Sovereign Harbour Retail Park which is made up of 11 units and a petrol station.

According to the proposal, unit 1 will become a Costa Coffee drive through, and unit 2 will be a McDonald’s. The closest Costa Coffee drive-thru is currently in Hampden Retail Park, and there’s a McDonald’s drive through in Lottbridge Drove.

Plans say the objectives of the proposal are to ‘enhance the existing uses of Sovereign Harbour Retail Park by providing two new drive through pod units’ and ‘provide employment opportunities for local people’.

38 full-time jobs and 69 part-time jobs will also be created according to the plans.

Writing ahead of its approval, Mr Paul Lewry had objected to the plans due to concerns that the McDonalds would encourage anti-social behiaviour.

He said: “I would like to object to the proposal of McDonalds being built on the Sovereign harbour site. My concerns are that it would encourage unsocial behaviour by boy racers and generate more litter around the area, my other concern is this would increase more traffic in and out the retail park."

Resident Tony Lee however backed the plans and said in a letter to the council: “[The space] desperately needs utilising rather than having empty buildings.”