Hotelier has plans for a modern plaza on Hastings seafront
Exciting plans could see the derelict White Rock Baths transformed into a bustling, continental style seafront plaza.
A local businessman has approached Hastings Borough Council with a view to giving the promenade opposite White Rock a complete make-over.
And he believes that by spending a small amount of cash sprucing up the area, the area could be made more attractive to tourists and help protect local businesses.
Laurence Bell, who owns the nearby White Rock Hotel, wants the boarded-up eyesore torn down and the adjoining 'pits' covered up.
In their place the hotelier plans to build a fashionable decking area, flower beds, shrubs and benches to create what he says would be a perfect seaside spot for locals and visitors to enjoy.
Speaking outside the empty White Rock Baths, Mr Bell said: "Obviously it would be great for someone to take over the whole building, including the part underneath, but I just can't see this happening in the near future - especially in the current economic climate.
"We are proposing to do something positive with it in the meantime.
"We are not necessarily asking the council for a lot of money - this is something which we hope will be business led - and the whole project could be done for less than 100,000.
"In fact, early costings have put the figure at around 75,000. For that we could transform the site into an attractive plaza which would be an asset to the town.
"It would also help join up the different areas. From it people would be able to see down to the pier, the theatre and Marine Court one way and up to the Fishing Quarter and down Robertson Street the other.
"We could even make it into a sort of virtual tourist information spot, with displays signposting people to other areas of interest like the museum and Norman Road in St Leonards."
Another idea is to include signs which not only told people how far away other attractions were, but listed the number of calories people would burn getting there.
Mr Bell, who is working on the project with his wife, said: "We want to see a return to the old days of people walking along the promenade and enjoying the sea air. Hopefully this can help bring that about."
The area, which has been given the early name of International Friendship Plaza, is opposite the site where Qatari teen Mohammed al-Majed tragically died, and Mr Bell hopes it can become a symbol of inclusiveness and be somewhere perfect for foreign visitors to sit.
He also hopes to get local schools involved with the scheme and possibly commission a local artist to design a centre-piece.
Council spokesman Kevin Boorman said: "We are always interested in proposals to improve the seafront area, which of course is very important to us.
"We have spoken to Mr Bell and look forward to continuing to work with him. It is great when local people take up the initiative like this and we applaud Mr Bell."
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Weather for Hastings
Monday 28 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
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Wind direction: South west
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