Hastings MP calls for Owens 'fun factory' government funding to be investigated - 'taxpayers' money was wasted'

She raised the issue in Parliament on Monday (March 10), saying taxpayers’ money had been ‘wasted’ and added she would be referring the matter to the public spending watchdog.

Owens opened at the former Debenhams building in Robertson Street in October 2022. It was awarded money from the Towns Fund investment after being added to the Hastings Town Deal programme in summer 2022 with the aim of creating 35 new jobs.

The Towns Fund was announced by the Government in 2019 and set up to support an initial 101 places across England to develop a Town Deal proposal for regeneration.

However, in September 2023 Owens put out a statement saying the attraction was closing ‘due to unforeseen circumstances’. And at the end of November that year, Owens said the venue was expected to remain shut for ‘up to a year’.

In September 2024, wooden boards were placed all across the rear and front of Owens.

On Monday in Parliament, Ms Dollimore said: “Under the Conservative Government’s levelling-up plans, Owens received £150,000 of taxpayers’ money.

“Owens closed shortly after opening, and the deserted, boarded-up building now dominates our town centre in Hastings. The staff were laid off with no notice, and many people who supplied the business and helped with the building work have said that they have not been paid for their work. The closure of Owens, which is now covered in wooden boarding, leaves a stain on our community.

“There are also serious questions to answer about what due diligence was done before taxpayers’ money was handed out in this way. The money was part of the town deal fund under the last Government.

“The plans for spending that money were meant to have been scrutinised by a board that was representative of the local community, but when I have spoken to local businessmen and women who sat on that board, they have told me they were given very little information about the projects and pressured into signing them off.

“Never again should taxpayers’ money be wasted in this way. For that reason, I am referring the case of Owens to the National Audit Office, and I ask it to investigate. The lessons from Owens must be learned.

“Under this Labour Government, we have a brilliant opportunity to breathe life back into our high streets, sort out our empty units and get our local economy moving.

“I am really grateful that Hastings will be one of the 75 towns awarded £20 million in funding toward those aims over the next decade. The Government have rightly said that that money should be spent on the priorities of our community, whether that is broken pavements, broken bus shelters, or opening up important community venues such as St Mary-in-the-Castle.”