Next Wave Construction - The Colonnade
Work to excavate and regenerate the Colonnade, create a new Rowing Club boathouse and re-landscape the Metropole Lawn started in October 2010. With the exception of some outstanding items such as the on-going commissioning of the water feature, and of course the snagging, which is the final process of any construction project, "Contract B" is now open for the public to enjoy.
The Colonnade has been given a new lease of life and is ready for a new restaurant business to take on the space and fit it out to their requirements. This is likely to be ready for spring 2012. In the meantime, a temporary pop-up winter weekend fair is putting the new-look seafront building to good use and is proving popular for festive shopping sprees. For more details, please visit www.madebythesea.co.uk. The Metropole Lawns have bedded well and we have received so many positive comments about the lush, green grass. It provides a beautiful contrast between the whiteness of the Colonnade and the yellow/stone colour of the shingle beach. The last section to be laid, closest to the Buxton Ice-Cream kiosk, is still protected by Heras fencing to allow its roots to take hold properly.  Access to the seafront from all directions has now been reinstated and improved. You can now access the promenade directly from the Sackville Roundabout with a wide, sweeping path that takes you to the water feature, adjacent to the Coastal Office and western kiosks. The new steps between the Rowing Club boathouse and the eastern kiosks provide quick access to the beach from the De La Warr upper terrace and car park. For those unable to use steps, a gently sloping path takes you along the upper terrace, to the promenade by the water feature.
The promenade surface used in this area of the scheme matches that of 'Contract A', which runs alongside the new garden rooms, play equipment and shelters, providing a continuous link between the western prom and the Colonnade. Here are some photos from the opening weekend, 22/23 October 2011: Please download the Public Update below, created in September 2010, for information on various elements of the project.  September 2010 Update [2.6Mb]
With the exception of one area of lawn, still bedding in, the area is now fully accessible. There is currently not a café operating in the Colonnade although the completion of works will see the provision of a new larger retail space for a café / restaurant and seven new kiosk outlets. Refreshments can be purchased along the seafront at the De La Warr Pavilion, Sovereign Light Café, Buxton Kiosk to the west of the site and the kiosk near the Sailing Club.
These works complete a +£5 million pound investment in Bexhill on Sea's primary asset, it's seafront. The proposed designs can be seen here. A map of the scheme can be viewed or downloaded here. The Site Explained - June 2010 [665kb] (updated June 1st 2010)
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