Private investor looks to revive Brighton’s Madeira Terrace with hotel and restaurants
A private investor wants to revive the rundown Madeira Terrace on Brighton seafront with a hotel and restaurants.
Boxpark founder and chief executive Roger Wade aims to use the scheme as a way of restoring the crumbling Victorian architecture of his hometown.
The company said that it had submitted plans to turn Madeira Terrace into an “internationally renowned leisure destination showcasing the vibrancy and creativity of the city”.
The plans include a food and beverage offer, which would extend on to Madeira Drive in good weather, and a hotel, according to the specialist Propel newsletter.
It reported plans to “augment” the arches with a new building that would “substantially increase commercial performance” in the area.
The newsletter said: “The plan also includes new green spaces along Madeira Terrace and the road above, Marine Parade, while tourist attraction Volk’s Railway would be integrated into a ‘shared landscape’.”
It said that Boxpark had requested a 12-month exclusivity period to explore design, funding and management options with Brighton and Hove City Council.
Mr Wade is believed to be looking to unlock the entire Brighton strategic development programme by “linking key development sites along the seafront”.
A company spokesman told Propel: “Our proposal will restore Madeira Drive to its former glory as Brighton’s premier all-year leisure and event destination and an internationally renowned visitor attraction.
“This proposal will create a dynamic and active retail parade with a sustainable, year-round food and beverage offer, extending on to the street in good weather to animate and enliven the entire beachfront.
“The retail offer will be carefully curated from our extensive database of leading UK operators and within our existing relationships with leading hospitality businesses.
“The upper levels of the new buildings are to be hotel accommodation of circa 160 suites, with potential for one of the blocks to be converted to office space.”
Soho House already has permission to create a £60 million members’ club on the seafront that would include restaurants, bars, an open-air plunge pool and terraces.
Both projects are close to the Palace Pier, which is now owned by the entrepreneur Luke Johnson.
Boxpark is working on a site in Wembley and has other London sites in Shoreditch and Croydon.
The company is also collaborating with Adur and Worthing councils on a project called Shoreham Beach Box in partnership with Fatboy Slim and chef Danny Stockland.
They hope to create a destination for tourists and the community, with an annual calendar of talks, workshops and events.
The partnership was developed in April last year and the scheme is due to be built in the spring and summer next year.
Carphone Warehouse founder Sir Charles Dunstone is chairman of Boxpark.
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I am not against the development of the arches with a hotel, but more restaurants? There is already a Harvesters, and soon to be another 3 or 4 restaurants being developed as part of the SOHO House project, what is needed in addition to the hotel, are more boutique shops, exhibition space, galleries etc as proposed by Brighton Council, NOT simply a hotel and restaurants which most Brighton locals I would guess won’t visit.
Also the existing uses of Madeira Drive need to be maintained, especially the Brighton Marathon, Brighton Speed Trials, and all the other motoring and non-moting events, this should definitely NOT become an exclusively hotel and restaurant area!
Gosh if there is a Harvester, who would possibly want anything else…..
Harvester is for chavs. Soho house for cool people. We need more trendy places. Harvesters should be saved for portslade. Worthing etc to match the demographics
I think it is a wonderful idea clean up the area have some where for people to go in the day and evening like abroad creates more jobs for people get on with it I say me being a Brighton born and bred love to see it alive again