Top names for summer spectacular?

The Observer believes promoters of the music extravaganza hope to pull in big name musicians and young chart bands to attract crowds in their thousands.

The 72-hour outside event at the De La Warr Pavilion in July will feature projected images onto the building during and after performances. It is believed music will be vetoed during the night but the light show will continue non-stop.

By day revellers can join music and light workshops. An area around the pavilion will be fenced off for 4,000 each day with seating for 300.

Concert tickets are expected to be around 20 and Rother residents will get priority for the first two weeks of sale.

The show is being promoted by Rother Council and arranged by a top London impresario. The idea for the event came from Bexhill and Battle MP Greg Barker, who wanted a summer event to raise the district's profile. Consultants were asked to explore the viability of an event, paid for by Mr Barker, personally, and South East Arts.

The show, we believe, is designed to cater for all age groups and tastes, though some Rother councillors feared it might be a pop festival.

It is set to be staged annually over the next three years and put Bexhill on Britain's outdoor entertainments map.

In next Friday's Observer we expect to have full details of this year's performers.