Felixstowe's Spa Pavilion.
Felixstowe: Seven options put forward for future use of Spa Pavilion
Friday, March 22, 2013
10:30 AM
SEVEN options will be offered to community leaders as they consider relaxing restrictions on the future use of Felixstowe’s closed theatre to help find a buyer.
It is now 15 months since Suffolk Coastal announced it was withdrawing the £250,000-a-year subsidy for the Spa Pavilion and started looking for new operators.
Two bids have so far been rejected because the organisations did not have viable sustainable business plans.
On April 2, the council’s cabinet will look at a new approach for the venue.
Geoff Holdcroft, cabinet member for economic development and leisure, said the council’s agents Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) had a few organisations interested in the site, but the majority have concerns regarding the restrictions on its use.
He said: “What April’s cabinet meeting has to address is the range of options now facing us and to make a decision now that will allow us to press ahead with the marketing of the site with the best chance of finding a solution that will benefit both the town and the district’s council taxpayers.
“We have done the best we can do in terms of attracting interest in the Spa, and JLL have been promoting it to an international audience. It may be that we continue trying the same tactics as before for a bit longer or try a new approach so as to make it more appealing to potential investors.
“I would emphasise that JLL’s recommendation is just one of seven different options to be discussed on the night which range from just continuing to market it in the same we have been, all the way through to demolishing the site and incorporating it into the seafront gardens renovation.”
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2 comments
Can we please stop all the hypocrisy from Suffolk Coastal and stop wasting £ thousands on consultants. SCDC want to demolish the place, walk away from all their responsibilities for 20 years of mismanagement of the Spa, let a new developer put whatever they want on the site and pocket the cash to spend anywhere but in Fsxtw. It's been obvious for over a year that that is their aim - just do it fgs.
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paul
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Personally, I don’t think it should be allowed to be converted in to flats which will only be available to the wealthy. Unless it can continue in some form as a public venue I think it should be taken down and the area used as some sort of public space. How about a very large band stand (covered area) where performances can still be put on like they do in Rendlesham Forrest. It could still be a meeting point for services held by the likes of scouting groups on occasions such as St Georges Day. It could even be transformed during winter months in to an outdoor ice-skating rink. Seasonal markets, French market, art on the prom etc etc. There are 101 uses for that sort of structure that EVERYONE could benefit from, if its turned in to flats then only a small handful will see the benefits such as the recent sell-off of the Bartlett site. Yes, it will cost money to take it down and put something in its place but I think the town is due some of the money from the sale of the Bartlett, isn’t it???
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Homeofstowe
Friday, March 22, 2013