Eastbourne nightclub owner praises Government covid response

Gino Forte is a local property developer who owns Embassy on Pevensey Road.

Nightclubs were set to be able to open from Monday, June 21, before the government pushed back ‘Freedom Day’ until July 19.

Mr Forte said, “I think the government has been tremendous.

“I think the vaccine programme has been world-class and due to Brexit we were able to pioneer our own vaccination programme and have left Europe and pretty much all of the world in our wake.

“I believe a four-week delay is a price worth paying to go back to normality and I believe we are ahead of everybody and I think it is fantastic.”

The Embassy owner also applauded work from officials to help businesses throughout the lockdown.

He said, “In terms of being shut in that time the government has been fantastic in the support it has given in terms of grants.

“I think those that have used what is on offer correctly, I think it has been okay.

“It is those who abuse the system that perhaps find themselves in troubled waters.”

The nightclub owner also praised the work of the council.

Mr Forte said, “During the lockdown we have been able to diversify the offering in the actual property so we have a floor above the club which we have let to Southcoast MMA, which now trades seven days a week.

“It is an MMA gym and we have converted the basement into a free weights gym.

“We were able to put in those planning applications during the lockdown period for us and Eastbourne Borough Council were fantastic in the speed and efficiency in which they dealt with the planning application and as a result we have two further business trading from the site.”