Retailers could benefit by £28m

The town's retailers and firms should start planning now about how they are going to cash in when the town's regeneration is finished.

The outcome of the ambitious projects '“ if all the planned proposals come to fruition '“ will see 275 office jobs created in the town centre and an eye-catching seafront leisure complex which puts Bognor back on the map as a place to visit.

Work could start towards the end of next year on the 100m transformation of the two main sites of the Hotham Arts Centre/Regis Centre and the Hothamton car park.

But Bognor's regeneration task force boss Richard McMann warned that companies, who waited until the schemes were finished, risked losing out on the boost to trade which would result from the upswing in Bognor's fortunes. The presence of hundreds of permanent office staff in the town centre '“ for the first time '“ and an influx of visitors to the new seafront leisure attraction gives Bognor a real chance to, at last, match its counterparts around the British coastline.

For years, the spending power of those who visit the town has lagged well behind the amount which benefits other similar resorts. Arun District Council figures show that each of the town's staying tourists parts with 34.43 during their stay compared to a national average of 43.60. The economic picture is similarly bleak for day visitors '“ 9.90 compared to 17.10.

Given that the council's latest statistics for staying tourists, from 2004, put the number at 682,000 a year and just over 3m day trippers, if each them spent just the national average it would amount to another 28m a year going through the tills of Bognor's businesses.

Mr McMann explained: 'We have got to be aiming to bring visitor spending in Bognor up to the national benchmark figure. If we can, it will provide real opportunities for the town's businesses.

'It is not unreasonable to say at the moment that Bognor misses out on a lot of retail spending because of leakage of shoppers to other places, especially Chichester.

'But with the new office jobs in the town centre, it will provide a constant footfall through the area each lunchtime. But will the workers find anywhere to spend their money?

'The regeneration provides some marvellous opportunities for Bognor's businesses. They have to make their decisions now about where they want to be when the regeneration has taken place.

'We could be having 500m invested into the town in the next few years. What excites me about that is the real opportunities it provides for firms in Bognor.

'They have to be looking at how they get a part of that now or do they want to wait until something has been completed before they begin their plans. By then, it may be too late and they have missed their biggest chance because someone else has got there first.'

Town centre retailer Paul Wells, who is a deputy chairman of Bognor's chamber of commerce, said: 'There is clear evidence that Bognor is moving in a fresh direction than was the case ten years ago.

'Businesses should be looking to see where they fit in with the new projects which are taking place in the town centre.

'From what we are being told, there are some exciting times coming up.

'But, until we see some firm evidence of what is going to happen, it is difficult to know exactly how firms will benefit.

'However, it is clear that extra retail space will be available around the town centre and that is something we are short of. It will either enable existing businesses to expand or attract new ones in, which has to be good.'

l TOURISTS WELCOME '“ page 2