Eastbourne Borough Council are transforming the Devonshire Park area of the town into a leading cultural destination.
The Devonshire quarter is home to three cultural buildings; the Devonshire Park Theatre, The Wintergarden and The Congress.
A far reaching restoration project will see these buildings all restored back to their former glory delivering a great experience for visitors and economic benefits for the area.
The project also includes the international lawn tennis facilities at the Devonshire Park which will benefit from new changing and locker room facilities, a new show court and new modern irrigation system for all courts.
Economic benefits
This £54 million transformation will put Eastbourne on the map as a top cultural, sporting and conference destination offering first class facilities for both residents and visitors.
When completed in March 2019, the new cultural, conference and sporting complex will deliver 100 additional full time jobs for the economy and will generate an additional £4.6 million in consumer spend, on top of the current £18 million spend per year. It will also deliver £10 million per year in conference business.
The scheme will deliver:
- improved conference facilities – to compete more effectively
- Improved arts venues – attracting more visitors
- New tennis facilities – for the prestigious Aegon Tournament
- Distinct gateway and public realm
Through this investment, Devonshire Park will be a major contributor to the future economic vibrancy of Eastbourne town.
The “Welcome Building”
Will be the vital first step of the £44 million project. It will provide:
- Two new large conference spaces with full HGV access
- Central box office/conference delegate reception
- Lift access addressing the access issues of the Congress Theatre
- Coffee / wine bar
- Breakout / hospitality space
- Visitor/Delegate information
Addressing long standing issues
The Welcome Building will address a long standing problem – the conference spaces are outdated and insufficient to meet modern needs, resulting in over £800,000 of lost business last financial year.
Overcoming this will make Devonshire Park again a leading venue – securing top delegate day rates, generating significant revenue for the local economy. It will also It will be the catalyst for the long term development of the site.
Background to Devonshire Park
Devonshire Park is a sports and arts complex founded in the late 19th century hosting an internationally renowned Tennis Centre supported by the Lawn Tennis Association, the Winter Garden, the Devonshire Park Theatre and the Congress Theatre.
The site is architecturally renowned, with two of the theatres being Grade II Listed Buildings and the third Grade II* Listed. It is also highly contemporary with a recent Art Gallery completed to great acclaim, and major events and conferencing services.