Campaigners Call For Eastbourne Bandstand Repairs

Campaigners have reiterated calls to repair Eastbourne Bandstand at a meeting this week.   

At a full council meeting on Wednesday (May 18), Eastbourne councillors considered a petition from the Save Eastbourne Bandstand Group. 

The petition, which had amassed 2,319 signatures, called on the council to “prioritise” the bandstand above any other projects should appropriate funding arise and to set up a “planned, ongoing, increased and realistic annual maintenance budget” for the seafront landmark.  

Lead petitioner Gaynor Sedgewick, chairman of the Save Eastbourne Bandstand Group, said:

“We all seem to agree that the Bandstand is important to the people and businesses of Eastbourne and the closure of it will have a detrimental impact on the tourist economy and the enjoyment of residents. We all agree that we would like to see it reopened early next year or even sooner. 

“We know that the Grade II listed Bandstand is of historic and national importance. Eastbourne Borough Council has a duty and responsibility to ensure heritage assets are protected for generations to come.”

Ms Sedgewick went on to say that her group felt the council should do all it could to seek grant funding to repair the Bandstand.

Before the debate began, however, councillors were given legal advice that they could not take the actions requested by petitioners as it relates to a budgetary decision recently made by the council.

That decision, which saw the council set aside £750,000 for repair and refurbishment of the Bandstand, had seen significant criticism from both campaigners and Conservative opposition councillors at the time, who argued the budget should be increased to £3m — the figure previously earmarked for the ‘most urgent repairs’.

In light of the legal advice, it was agreed that the petition be treated as a bid for funding next year rather than an immediate call for action. Despite this, senior council members reiterated promises that the Bandstand would be reopened in time for summer next year.

Liberal Democrat council leader David Tutt said:

“We have competing priorities: we have people who are homeless, we need to build houses, we have people who need care and charities to support. We have economic development aims for the town, which bring in revenue streams. 

“That doesn’t mean we don’t see the Bandstand as important, we do. We put £750,000 into the budget this year and I am pleased to say we are on track to reopen the bandstand and I want to be at that first concert in 2023.”

Cllr Tutt went on to talk about the council’s bid for Levelling Up funding to restore the bandstand and other heritage buildings in the town.

Liberal Democrat councillors also highlighted the council’s strained finances and made criticism around the level of government funding the council receives.

A similar argument was made by St Anthony’s ward councillor Helen Burton (Lib Dem) who drew attention to her group’s previous calls on government to establish a fund to assist with the maintenance of heritage buildings. 

This saw criticism from Conservative councillor Tony Freebody (Con), who said:

“Cllr Burton said this is a national disgrace about heritage assets. This is a local disgrace, okay. You guys have been in power since 2007. You have let the Bandstand fall into a state of disrepair.

“We’ve got a motion later [on the agenda] about the cost of living crisis and the impacts on families, welfare and jobs. Well this town relies on tourism. If our seafront, the jewel in our crown, is left to rot and ruin we won’t have any tourism, people won’t want to come to Eastbourne.

“Eastbourne is set apart from Hastings, it is set apart from Bexhill and Brighton. We are unique. We have a fantastic seafront, but it needs looking after and it is not being looked after. It is still failing to be looked after, I think that money needs to go and be spent now.”

Other Conservative councillors argued the council should sell off some of its assets to pay for the repairs. 

Following further debate the council agreed to treat the petition as a bid for future funding as part of next year’s budget. This was passed on a majority vote, with three Conservative councillors abstaining.