Bexhill's Colonnade restaurant to reopen this week

The Colonnade restaurant is set to reopen under new management.
The Colonnade Cafe and Restaurant, Bexhill SUS-180726-115106001The Colonnade Cafe and Restaurant, Bexhill SUS-180726-115106001
The Colonnade Cafe and Restaurant, Bexhill SUS-180726-115106001

Wingrove House Ltd has been granted a 25-year lease by Rother District Council to operate the eatery and staff will welcome visitors from Friday (January 4).

The firm was given the keys to the new premises just before Christmas, so has yet to carry out any work on the decor. But keen to start trading as soon as possible, Wingrove House Ltd has opted for a soft opening with a limited hot food menu, which it plans to develop over the next few weeks.

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A spokesperson for Wingrove House Ltd said: “We already operate several leisure businesses, one of which is The Beach Deck in Eastbourne. That does not mean we are going to replicate the Beach Deck in Bexhill, but it does mean we do understand seaside food and beverage operations.”

The firm also runs Wingrove House in Alfriston and Treasure Island in Eastbourne.

The spokesperson said: “We would have liked to have been open and operating through the busy Christmas period, but nothing was in place to allow us to do that.

“So we have decided to go for a soft opening on the 4th to allow us to get going and developing the business over the next six or seven weeks, ready for the busier period when the sun comes out.”

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He added: “We want to make it a success, not only as a business, but as somewhere people can come down and enjoy. We just want to make it a fun place to be.”

The Colonnade will open its doors at 10am.

A Rother District Council spokesman said: “We’re pleased to be able to confirm we have agreed a 25-year lease with Wingrove House Ltd to operate the Colonnade restaurant.

“Following our investment in the back of house and running the business temporarily during the summer, we received a number of expressions of interest from various companies who could see the potential of the site.

“Wingrove House Ltd provided the best match and business offer in terms of their proven track record in delivering a catering service in a coastal location and their ambitions for the future of the Colonnade.

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“We are confident that with the extensive refit carried out last year and the new tenant now in place, the Colonnade will go from strength to strength and will be a real asset to Bexhill for many years to come, providing a destination for food and drink in an iconic seafront setting for residents and visitors alike.”