A GROUP of small business owners say they were left disappointed and ignored after handing in a petition with nearly 5,000 signatures to Rother District Council — only to find no councillors were allowed to attend and no staff came to receive it.
The petition was delivered to Town Hall recently after a campaign which saw residents and shoppers from across the area sign it, in an attempt to allow the shops to continue trading after essential maintenance works.
The traders, who run five small shops on the seafront, say they’ve been left in limbo after being told they must vacate the premises by September, so the council can carry out essential repairs costing more than £660,000.
While the businesses accept the need for maintenance, they have been told they must reapply to return once the works are complete — a move they fear could leave them permanently displaced.
The campaign to save the shops gained rapid public support, with more than 1,500 signatures collected in just two days when it was launched in April. The petition has now grown to over 4,800 signatures from shoppers and residents supporting the businesses.
Supporters gathered outside the Town Hall as the petition was handed in, urging the council to offer the traders a clear path back once renovations are completed.
Outside the Town Hall, Charlotte Arundell, who headed up the petition and runs a business at the Colonnade, told Bexhill News: “We now hope that Rother will see some sense and realise that we actually are important in the Regeneration of Bexhill.
“When we went inside to hand it in, no one bothered to come to accept the petition. The receptionist was trying to ring through to Lorna Ford and her Secretary, and nobody answered. They knew we were coming and nobody from Rother has turned up, or even been willing to come downstairs from the Town Hall to accept the petition. We were told by a local councillor that they were advised not to attend as it’s against the council’s policy.”
However, a strong group of supporters did arrive, including the President of Bexhill Chamber of Commerce, Howard Martin.
He told us: “Bexhill Chamber of Commerce fully support our members’ businesses in the Colonnade. They are exactly the type of business that should be encouraged and supported rather than deterred. They are brilliant craftspeople working together to create unique gift collections that bring a real sense of Covent Garden by the Sea to our seafront.
“Our Chamber has worked with them in negotiations with Rother as the state of disrepair of the Colonnade premises grew worse post-COVID.
“There are leaks in the roofs and decorative deterioration that certainly need fixing, and the refurbishment is long overdue. We really don’t understand why RDC will not make a commitment now to the businesses to extend their current leases for three years with a refurbishment break clause. That would give the businesses security of tenure and allow them to plan for their futures.”
East Sussex County Councillor for Bexhill South, Ian Hollidge, the only councillor to turn up, signed the petition just before it was handed in.
He said: “Businesses are the beating heart of Bexhill, take that away and nothing flows. It’s vital we repair our ageing assets; however, Councils have a public duty to help small shop owners grow and bring vitality to our great seaside Town.
“Connecting the seafront Colonnade small businesses with the excellent larger Town Centre shops must be supported, encouraging a two-way exchange of people staying and investing in Bexhill. Security of tenure is all they are asking.”
Bexhill News asked Rother District Council why Councillors were advised to stay away and why a representative was not able to collect the petition from the shopkeepers.
A spokesperson told us: “All petitioners have the option to present their petition officially at a full council meeting. Alternatively, a petition can be delivered to the town hall, where it will be received by a member of our reception staff and passed to the relevant officer.
“It is not the council’s policy to arrange official handovers of petitions outside of council meetings, or for councillors to take part in ‘handover’ photo opportunities, and this policy was shared with councillors who sought advice when asked to attend by the petitioners.
“Petitions that have received more than 1,500 eligible signatures are debated at full council, where the lead petitioner can speak to present their petition.
“We are currently validating the signatures on the petition to ensure they are from individuals who live, work, or study in Rother. We will be in contact with the petitioners as soon as possible to advise if the petition will be debated and if so, when.”
As Bexhill News went to press, we were advised that the petition will be heard at the next Full Council meeting scheduled for 14 July at 18:30.
