Skegness Magazine

Future of Historical Skegness Building in Doubt

Do you recall the Festival Pavilion off Tower Esplanade, Skegness?

In October 2000 discussions were underway regarding the future of the dilapidated Festival Pavilion:

THE future of an important Skegness seafront entertainment centre is to be considered by town and district councillors at a meeting on Monday.
A special meeting of East Lindsey’s Skegness area committee will consider options for the future of the Festival Pavilion, following a decision by the district’s executive board not to accept tenders received for the site.
The pavilion had been advertised nationally as a potential development site and Blue Anchor boss Mr John Woodward had expressed an interest in taking it on as part of a hovercraft ferry service between Skegness and Ingoldmells.
Deliberations over the site were held by the executive board in private, but minutes of the meeting revealed there were two tenders. The board voted to note the options contained in the tenders, but not accept them.
They also voted to seek the views of Skegness town council and Skegness area committee on the refurbishment/demolition of the building before considering a ‘ further report.
The executive board resolved to authorise negotiations with Mr Walt Sheeran of Teen Spirit, regarding the possibility of a long term letting of a site for a multiplex cinema.
Monday’s meeting has just one item on the agenda and is open to the public.
Councillors from the coastal area will be told that the Festival Pavilion needs substantial investment to bring it up to modern day standards.
It had been operated by the district council, but under compulsory competitive tendering a private contractor secured the catering and bar contract.
With it being in a prime position on the Festival car park, district councillors are keen to avoid the site being boarded up when visitors arrive at the resort next season, but a number of safety issues need addressing if the premises are to reopen.
The options to be considered are: lease the site as it stands; demolish the building and market it again; take no action at the moment and board it up.
Councillors will be told that discussions are continuing with an interested party, who submitted a tender to “explore all opportunities”
Meanwhile the Skegness and District Chamber of Commerce area will be told that the Festival Pavilion needs substantial investment to bring it up to modern day standards.
It had been operated by the district council, but under compulsory competitive tendering a private contractor secured the catering and bar contract.
With it being in a prime position on the Festival car park, district councillors are keen to avoid the site being boarded up when visitors arrive at the resort next season, but a number of safety issues need addressing if the premises are to reopen.
The options to be considered are: lease the site as it stands; demolish the building and market it again; take no action at the moment and board it up.
Councillors will be told that discussions are continuing with an interested party, who submitted a tender to “explore all opportunities”.
Meanwhile the Skegness and District Chamber of Commerce believe the Festival Pavilion must be developed in accordance with the rest of the town’s foreshore.
The proposal to bring the site into line with other areas in the town was made by Coun Dick Edginton when the chamber met on Monday and was carried unanimously.
Coun Edginton told the chamber the district council had been “wrestling” with the problem of the Festival Pavilion, saying they were unsure whether to demolish the site, board it up or try and get someone else to run it.
He said that whatever was decided it should be consistent with the aims and attraction of Skegness foreshore.
Mr John Parkin criticised East Lindsey for what he called their “lack of maintenance”, saying they couldn’t be bothered to spend any money on it because they wanted to ensure the site went to ruin.

Pavilion’s future is still uncertain
THE Festival Pavilion should be demolished and the site redeveloped, says the district council’s new Skegness area committee.
At a special meeting a majority of members agreed the site should not be turned into a car park or be boarded up.
Town councillors have previously criticised East Lindsey for not maintaining the site during the recent development of Skegness foreshore.
No official report was given to the committee on the pavilion’s exact structural condition but Mr Tony Lascelles, East Lindsey’s head of personnel and training, told members it needed a tremendous injection of cash, saying the dry rot would be expensive to repair and the electrics needed overhauling.
There was a feeling a consultation process should be undertaken, with members objecting to the lack of information available.
But district council leader Coun Mick Capes warned time was of the essence, saying the point of the meeting was to get ideas for what the site should be used for.
Members, though, could not agree about what the people of the town actually wanted. Coun Neil Pimperton said those he had spoken to didn’t want the pavilion to go. But Coun Michael Clark said the majority of people he spoke to wanted have some new attractions.
A community based media centre with youth facilities was proposed by Coun Mark Anderson.
Coun Brian O’Connor suggested splitting the site into three sections for a multi-role development including a retail area and a main building for exhibitions and other events.
He said he took quite seriously the town council’s view of proper consultation but stressed time was of the essence.
Both Coun John Shaw and Coun Ken Holland said the site had potential and wanted to see an amenities area developed.

Research source: Skegness Standard.