Eastbourne’s new town centre brings to mind the tale of The Emperor’s New Clothes

To Eloise Turner, who considers the modernisation of the town centre an improvement Eastbourne’s town centre looks absolutely amazing, I would say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and not to comment adversely on something of which one disapproves brings to mind the tale of The Emperor’s New Clothes!

Eastbourne is a Victorian seaside town with elegant architecture and Bankers Corner could have been transformed into a picturesque piazza with wrought iron benches and street lamps bedecked with hanging baskets complementing the surrounding architecture and furthering a holiday atmosphere much like Truro.

Cordeline palms which grow so well on the seafront and need little attention could have been planted along Cornfield Road instead of the pathetic little saplings now in place and the scrubby tufts of grass. We miss the glorious horse chestnut tree resplendent every spring outside Barclays and the Victorian planters.

However, Eastbourne Council have provided some amusement by initiating a game to be played at Bankers Corner. No rules are on display yet but it consists of two teams – buses and pedestrians – the latter must try to cross from one side of the course to the other safely.

An unsuspecting pedestrian is in imminent danger of being caught by a bus unless making a frantic leap onto a steel cube strategically placed. Only one pedestrian per cube! The game should be in full swing come the summer visitors!

More ugliness with the refurbished Congress Theatre now resembling a Soviet-bloc conference hall with the depressing black painted decor and rows of wooden seats uncomfortable as they look with armrests too short and backs at an uncomfortable angle. At least with the external overload of steel bollards an audience is guaranteed protection should there be an armoured tank invasion. The Welcome Building is no less ugly. As we made our way down to subterranean levels the walls I thought were unfinished but was assured that the concrete walls resembling up-ended paving blocks was the intended result! No plaster just bare cement as we trudged down to the depths!

Improvement? What improvement? The Duke of Devonshire must be spinning in his grave at the desecration of his elegantly designed town. Ugliness in the name of modernisation!