Business could be returning to the vacant upper floor of Worthing's Guildbourne Centre.

The upstairs units at the Seventies mall in the town centre have been empty for years.

Now plans for a fitness suite have been unveiled, and traders are delighted.

Borough councillors will now have to decide whether to support the loss of retail units in the town centre.

But they will be influenced by the fact that there is little prospect of the units being let in the future.

Gary Shapland, vice-president of Worthing Chamber of Trade and Commerce, runs the Wax Workshop at the entrance to the centre.

He said: "My view is, retail units won't survive upstairs unless they are very specialised. The important thing now is to get this health centre up and running."

The Guildbourne Centre has already been boosted by the arrival of a new household goods store employing 65 people.

The Wilkinson shop was due to open last year but workmen were delayed after asbestos was discovered during the refit.

It is now expected to open in March and job adverts have been placed on the hoardings outside.

Mr Shapland said the managing agents of the centre also planned to improve the South Place entrance with a new fascia and lettering.