I am really excited that after two years of construction work, the new Shelter Hall is emerging from behind the hoardings.
The original building has been demolished and the historic King’s Road arches and upper promenade have been strengthened to prevent the seafront road from collapse.
I am sure that nearby businesses will breathe a sigh of relief when the scaffolding is finally removed and replaced by another iconic building to draw local people, visitors and customers to the area.
Can I thank them for their patience and forbearance while this work has taken place.
The hall is larger than the previous building, with two internal floors, a rotunda on top and a roof terrace.
It includes a new restaurant and venue for the city with stunning seafront views and the roof terrace on the upper prom will house a new café.
There will be much-needed public toilets on the lower promenade, where a new walkway and seafront wall has already been created.
The busy West Street junction is also being remodelled to help people and traffic flow more smoothly.
This multimillion-pound project is part of the council’s Seafront Investment Programme and is being funded from government grants including a £9 million investment award from the Department for Transport’s Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund, borrowing and council money.
The renovated heritage building not only represents one of a range of projects the council is undertaking to regenerate our seafront.
But it also reflects our commitment to community wealth building – creating opportunities for independent local businesses, jobs for residents and ensuring that money spent in the city stays in the city.
This is going to be the city’s first food hall, on our seafront and I welcome the commitment from ethically driven Sessions who will run it to using locally sourced produce and working closely with many local groups including the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership and food waste company Karma, along with its support for our Living Wage campaign.
It will benefit our local economy, reduce our carbon footprint, generate 100 new jobs and offer the best of Brighton and Hove cuisine.
The future of Shelter Hall represents community wealth building in action, and I cannot wait to support our local businesses when it reopens.
Councillor Nancy Platts is the Labour leader of Brighton and Hove City Council.
It looks amazing and I look forward to going to the newly updated hall. Given that this project is nearing its end will the council now concentrate on the rapidly deteriorating Madeira terraces before its too late. They are an icon of Brighton and everyone will regret the loss if nothing is done to save them. The time for action is now, it may be too late if we wait for ideas and funding to come and go.
How can something that has been demolished be renovated?
Great idea for a foodhall though.
Of course the credit for this project must go to former Labour Leader Gill Mitchell.
“after two years of construction work” – I thought this started in October 2015 which is 4 years 4 months ago, seems way over schedule which was supposed to have been completed spring 2018 I believe. In other news, China builds a 1,000 bed hospital in 10 days. God knows that B&CC have been doing for 4 years. Can’t wait until the unsightly hoardings are removed from seafront.