One of Sussex's most famous landmarks and arts venues, the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill, is set to be taken over by pub chain JD Wetherspoon. Councillors meet on Monday to decide whether to allow the takeover, which has sparked outrage from many residents and arts groups. But others say the Thirties venue is a burden on the taxpayer costing millions of pounds which would be better spent elsewhere. Joe Lepper reports.

When Spike Milligan was stationed in Bexhill during the war he famously referred to the East Sussex retirement resort as God's waiting room.

Its sleepy image and large elderly population has prompted a host of jokes in which even the shop windows have bifocal glass.

What the town is not known for is political protest and direct action.

But that image is changing fast as thousands of residents and theatre lovers are set to stage the biggest protest campaign the town has seen over what they say is the theft of their most valuable treasure.

Options

For months, speculation has been mounting about the future of the Rother Council-run De La Warr Pavilion.

The ruling Conservatives, concerned with the burden on the local tax payer of running the venue, conducted a review last year.

Options considered incl-uded setting up a charity to finance repairs and running costs through lottery and arts grants and a bid by comedian Richard Digance's Write Good Company to run it is a corporate entertainment venue.

However, the Conservatives back a bid by pub giant JD Wetherspoon to run the venue and on Monday councillors are expected to formally award Wetherspoon a 125-year lease. Despite the pub chain pledging to keep the theatre and its arts and community use, thousands in the town fear for the future.

The Pavilion Trust, which advises on the running of the De La Warr, has gathered a petition of more than 3,500 signatures against Wetherspoon's plans.

Before Monday's meeting, hundreds of residents are expected to join staff at a demonstration outside the Town Hall in Bexhill organised by public sector union Unison.

Mike Brown, union regional organiser, said: "We are concerned for our staff, for their jobs and working conditions. But this is bigger than that. This is a much loved, unique venue and the town has every right to be fearful of its future."

Arts funder South East Arts says Wetherspoon's plans could cost the pavilion millions of pounds in grants. It says The Arts Council has earmarked £4.1 million but only if the venue stays in public hands.

A grant of £30,000 from South East Arts has also been set aside providing the De La Warr remains a contemporary gallery.

South East Arts chief executive Felicity Harvest, said: "We have deep concerns relating to this course of action, not least of which is the assumption that the De La Warr would be a profitable investment for a commercial chain."

Unprecedented

Jan Wicks, chairman of the De La Warr Pavilion Trust, said: "The De La Warr is a very important building architecturally and we want to see it preserved. I do not think an operation like Wetherspoon is the best way forward."

Former Bexhill mayor and fellow trust member Margaret Jones said: "The residents of Bexhill paid for the De La Warr in 1935 through their rates and people still see it as very much theirs.

"There was a public meeting about it recently and we had 300 people turn up. There were unprecedented scenes from people upset at the idea of handing it over to a pub chain."

But council leader Peter Jones says Wetherspoon's plans will not deprive the town of an arts venue. He said: "We have sought to allay those fears. JD Wetherspoon will have to have a series of discussions with English Heritage, who safeguard the nation's historic buildings, to ensure the architectural importance of the building is maintained. Certain people seem to think the whole venue will become a theme pub but that is not the case. Areas on the second and first floors will be for exhibitions and Wetherspoon are getting in professional managers to run the

theatre.

"The De La Warr Pavilion costs us a tenth of our entire budget. A whole range of other projects across the district, particularly involving regeneration, will now benefit from this money. Wages in the district, because we rely so much on tourism, are just two thirds of the regional average. That is something we will now be able to address."

Wetherspoon has also pledged to let amateur dramatic groups use the

theatre on 50 days a year.

The steel-framed De La Warr Pavilion was built in 1935 by architects Erich Mendelsohn and Serge Chermayeff. It is regarded as one of the best architectural designs in the world.

A spokeswoman for JD Wetherspoon said: "We are aware of the importance of the building. If this goes through we will be looking to build a bar in the style of the building. The art and theatre will remain."

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