Bridlington-based hospitality group Harrison Leisure has bought a key feature of the resort’s seafront, sparking a multi-million pound regeneration project.
The Old Floral Pavilion Leisure Complex has been acquired by the long-serving tenant from East Riding of Yorkshire Council. It is a move described as securing the future of the Grade II listed building, kickstarting a major refurbishment.
Michael Harrison, founder and owner, said: “This is a significant investment for us after 36 years as a long-established tenant of The Old Floral Pavilion. We have spent many hundreds of thousands of pounds over the years and now that the council has sold us the freehold we are in a position to put in the investment to secure the building’s future.
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“The Old Floral Pavilion is an amazing site for us to have secured on prime seafront and is the lynchpin of our future plans as we look to continue to invest in the whole of the seafront area.”
Refurbishment plans, brought to the drawing board by North Yorkshire’s Townscape Architects and currently with the local authority’s planning department, will give a complete makeover to the front facade, which is described as “very tired and cluttered”.
A new £250,000 imitation Edwardian wire polycarbonate and aluminium roof to replace the aged cast iron and wire glass roof is a first step. The inside ironwork for which the 1904 pavilion is listed will be subtly reflected on the front with a modern fitted ironwork colonnade coupling with the restoration of the front wall that will transform the pavilion looking out to sea.
Plans also include a full renovation and refurbishment of the rear, western elevation facing the town, with new backlit signs fabricated to match the new ironwork, and glazed canopies with aluminium colonnades. The old Burger King unit at the north end will also be restored to its original state and become a single restaurant.
“There are other parts of the building that we’d like to renovate as we go forward,” added Mr Harrison, who was very optimistic about the future for the business and the town.
The group is behind Salt, which opened on the harbour after a £250,000 investment last year, and The Brunswick Hotel. Mr Harrison, from a funfair background, moved to ‘Brid’ from Slough with his family in 1984. Starting out with a food kiosk and a couple of holiday rides, theygradually grew the business, taking on a small seafront amusement park, then leasing The Old Floral Pavilion Leisure Complex as he developed bar, restaurant, ice cream parlour, children’s play area amusement arcade, fish and chip shop, restaurant and takeaway opportunities.
“When I first came here the pavilion was closed and there was little or nothing in the way of amusements,” he recalled. More than a decade ago he introduced the 40-metre, Eye on the Bay observation wheel and its 24 enclosed gondolas.
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