Tidy up shabby shopfronts, owners warned

Rother’s Town Centre Steering Group, the body tasked with providing a vision for the regeneration of Bexhill’s main shopping area, has ordered a zero-tolerance policy on unsightly retail buildings.

Owners will be faced with a simple choice, ‘tidy up your shop front or Rother will serve a legal notice requiring you to do the work.’ Failure to comply with the notice is a criminal offence.

The steering group is at an evidence gathering stage and will shortly be engaging with residents and businesses about what they want to see in the town centre.

In the meantime, they have identified ‘quick wins’ that can make the town centre a more pleasant place to visit in the short term.

Councillors noticed there are shops, both vacant and occupied, which present a poor image to the public. Some are in need of maintenance work or repainting.

Town centre steering group chairman Cllr Brian Kentfield said: “Unsightly shop fronts damage the look of the town centre and present an unappealing image for both residents and visitors. This detracts from the good work of the majority of owners and it is just not fair on them.”

Rother will now take a hard line with owners in order to improve the aesthetics of the town centre

However, the council has said it will work with people who are willing to cooperate and will provide support to improve shop fronts where necessary.

Cllr Kentfield added: “Although the steering group will be drawing up much more detailed regeneration plans using public feedback in due course, we felt this was something that could be done right away to improve the feel of the town and encourage investment.

“We are happy to work with the owners of these buildings where we can, but the Council won’t be a soft touch on this.

“If the shop front doesn’t come up to scratch they will improve it or we will force them to act.”