Tour of the Old Observer Building in Hastings with Jay Simpson, Tenants and Spaces Coordinator WRNV.Tour of the Old Observer Building in Hastings with Jay Simpson, Tenants and Spaces Coordinator WRNV.
Tour of the Old Observer Building in Hastings with Jay Simpson, Tenants and Spaces Coordinator WRNV.

Old Hastings Observer building to reopen - here's what's planned for inside

The Old Hastings Observer building will begin to reopen this summer as a permanent asset to the town.

The landmark building was built in 1924 as the offices and print works for the Hastings & St Leonards Observer.

Since it was closed in 1985 it has had 14 owners and a number of different planning applications have been submitted.

White Rock Neighbourhood Ventures, which occupies the building next door, purchased the building for £1.15 million in 2018.

Current plans to turn the building into homes, workspace and hospitality venues are being carried out using funding provided by local groups and grants from organisations such as Big Issue Invest, Castlestone Investments, Hastings Borough Council, and the East Sussex County Council.

A spokesperson for Jericho Road Solutions, a property consultancy company, said: “Since it closed in 1985 the building sadly became increasingly derelict, with various owners over the years buying and selling at profit without doing any repairs.

“Thanks to the efforts of local organisations and many funders since 2019, the Observer Building is currently undergoing development and will begin to re-open in August 2022.

“Eventually the building will include homes and hospitality venues as well as all kinds of workspace, but in August the first floor will open which has 12 light and modern studio and office spaces, meeting rooms and shared amenities as well as a co-working space in development.

“All our rents are capped to remain affordable for the long term.”

To see details about the sizes and prices of the properties on offer, visit the Observer Building guidebook.

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White Rock Neighbourhood Ventures, which occupies the building next door, purchased the building for £1.15 million in 2018.