FELIXSTOWE: Community leaders are set to make a significant cash contribution to create an open-air performance arena in Felixstowe town centre, it emerged today.

FELIXSTOWE: Community leaders are set to make a significant cash contribution to create an open-air performance arena in Felixstowe town centre, it emerged today.

Work is set to take place in the next few months to demolish the toilets on The Triangle in Hamilton Road, and build a new block 50 yards away in the corner of the Crescent car park.

The �220,000 project is the first stage in a multi-million revamp of the area, which will include a pedestrian-priority shared-space shopping street, and changes to junctions and parking to take traffic away from the area and make it more attractive.

Suffolk Coastal wants to use the space left by the loos on The Triangle as a venue for music and performance.

This summer the chamber of trade held a successful day showcasing how the town centre could be used for such entertainment and next summer wants to expand this into a series of weekend events.

Felixstowe Town Council is now set to give a �15,000 grant towards the work to create the events space.

Andy Smith, chairman of the town centre management committee, said the council's support was essential to boost the cash available for the toilet scheme.

“The district council's budget allows for demolition of the toilets and no loos is better than loos when it comes to the look of the area, but with the support of the town council we can do a little bit more than just put some topsoil down,” he said.

“If we leap forward we have aspirations and reasonable hope of a quite significant project on The Triangle to create a substantial centrepiece for the town.

“At the moment we want to do something half-decent in the interim to provide an area for stalls and a performance space for bands and others to play and entertain.”

Will you be glad to see the Triangle toilets moved? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk