St Leonards residents demand action over 'eyesore' disused cafe building

The building, which housed the Alpha Cafe in St John’s Road, has been empty for several years and has fallen into a state of disrepair.

Graffiti now daubs most of the exterior and residents said the site was an ‘eyesore’.

Peter Price said: “The building is in a dangerous condition and locals are concerned and Hastings Borough Council have given us a link for us to report the building for them to take action.”

Rebecca Price added: “It’s an eyesore and it’s very disappointing that it’s being left in this state.”

A sign has gone up near the empty premises, which said Network Rail sold the Alpha Cafe and the surrounding land up to the playground, including the taxi office and yard to London-based property developers The Arch Company in February 2019.

The sign reads: “The cafe closed down in early 2018 and is now in a state of total disrepair and would need to be completely rebuilt.”

The sign also states a claim that The Arch Company has ‘put on hold’ any plans for the empty building and surrounding land but will be ‘reviewed again in the coming year’.

The Arch Company submitted a planning application to the council in November 2021, seeking permission to refurbish the buildings that housed the cafe and taxi office.

The authority granted the company planning permission in October last year.