A £1.1 programme of repairs to Eastbourne’s bandstand will start this autumn
The roof areas of both the south facing shelters and the supporting columns will be removed and each space opened up, exposing areas that have recently been closed off with hoarding.
When the work is completed, these areas will again be available to bandstand audiences.
Eastbourne Borough Council is undertaking the work, following its £750,000 investment in repairing and restoring the stage within the bandstand.
The bandstand is nearly 100 years old and has been exposed to the worst of annual winter storms over that time.
The impact on the steel supports (pictured) and other infrastructure has been severe, with lumps of plaster and metal in the most badly affected areas regularly coming loose and falling off.
Councillor Jenny Williams, cabinet member for heritage, culture and seafront, said: “We continue to maintain the Bandstand for our residents and visitors, and I’m delighted the summer season of shows will continue this year and next year as planned.
“We have allocated £1.1 million in the budget to safely remove the shelter roofs and columns during the off-season and reopen the bandstand for the 2026 season.
“Councils across the UK, including Eastbourne, are dealing with the greatest financial challenges in generations, but our commitment to maintaining the bandstand is as strong as ever.”
While there won’t be access to the lower and upper shelters in 2025, up to 530 people will still be able to sit or stand within the ground-floor main arena viewing area, which is a similar number of attendees as the most popular shows in 2024.
Usual access will also be maintained along the middle promenade and through the Bandstand during the summer.
The outer colonnade will remain closed to the public due to previously identified structural issues with the ageing fabric of the building.
Over 100 shows are planned for the 2025 summer season, with only four events in October now not taking place to ensure the works are completed in time for 2026.
Work will begin next week erecting safety screening around the areas concerned.
