Plans to turn historic seaside shelter into restaurant and bar scrapped

A historic seaside shelter has been saved after plans to replace it with a restaurant and bar were blocked by a slew of resident complaints.

The new restaurant and bar had been proposed to be built on Worthing seafront in place of the public shelter dating back to the 1920s.

The scheme has now been blocked by a planning committee with residents expressing their delight at the decision.

Louise Trinder, who lives opposite the shelter, said: “We had four people speaking in favour of keeping the shelter. We could not understand how it had been put through in the first place.

“It was an amazing night. I’m so glad that we went, people spoke so passionately about it.”

Worthing Borough Council blocked the new plans at a planning committee yesterday evening which also saw new plans approved for the old Debenhams building.

Plans to replace the shelter were originally approved in 2019 which would have seen the site replaced by French restaurant chain Bistrot Pierre.

However, the chain went into administration in 2020 and the plans were scrapped.

Under the new scheme, a new unit would have created a two-storey complex on the promenade comprising a restaurant and bar.

MOST READ:

• Dental clinic in row over hedge offers 'reasonable proposals' to save it

• Top Indian restaurant chain to launch 'special' venue in city

• Luxury lakeside lodges to open at grounds of Sussex hotel from £1,200 a night

Residents had previously complained that any new development would spoil the seafront view with mock-ups of the plans described as “cheap looking”.

Images of the potential site included a white exterior with wooden slats on the bottom of the building.

Concerns were particularly raised about how the new building would affect the aesthetics of the promenade.

The development would have also included an outdoor seating area and a first-floor balcony.

The site was originally put out for tender by Worthing Borough Council in 2017 with Bistrot Pierre launching the winning bid.

However, the business was no longer involved in the plans.

The shelter was previously identified as being of local interest in a previous council survey in 2003.