Pavilion revamp shock setback

A complex series of financial blows has put refurbishment back in the melting pot.

With little more than a month before work was due to start, problems are piling up.

* All tenders received are well over estimate.

* Rother council may have to find the full 985,000 in match-funding.

*Last-minute cost-cutting could see key elements like the new community-use room "deferred."

* The pavilion's re-opening could be put back nearly six months to Spring 2005.

* South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) encouraged Rother to bid for 1.9m aid.

But it is now clear that SEEDA will only consider helping fund the pavilion project if it is complemented by another major regeneration scheme - such as the 60-bedroom four-star hotel project revealed last week by the Hastings and Bexhill Taskforce.

Councillors will be told on Monday that SEEDA's action has "raised questions over the viability of the project."

But SEEDA says current pavilion plans are not value for money in regeneration terms.

Construction costs were estimated at 6.121m out of a total cost of 8.829m. The lowest tender is 6.643m and the highest 8.456m.

Rother is keen to keep parts of the building open but none of the potential contractors is willing to allow access to the building during work.