Already the Council is investing in improving its own Colonnade House digital and art space by upgrading the current facilities, installing ultrafast broadband and creating new studio units for micro-entrepreneurs by bringing back into use two redundant buildings in High Street. Six new homes, a cafe and further meeting and exhibition space could also be created.


The outline vision, called Driving Creative and Cultural Industries to Worthing, to be submitted to the government also sees the creation of more community spaces and green spaces to attract more people to spend time in the town. For the creative industry the plan is to identify enhanced and increased studio availability, meeting environments, ultrafast broadband and first class exhibition space.


Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Cllr Kevin Jenkins, said, ‘We are already pushing on with reinventing our town centre and producing plans for post-pandemic recovery but this bid would give us fresh impetus and the money would, of course, be extremely helpful.


‘We really believe that, alongside existing and new independent retail, the mix in our town centre should include new digital and creative industries which bring jobs and income as well as better community spaces for all to enjoy. And yes why not space for e-sports taking advantage of this Council’s early adoption of ultrafast broadband into the borough.’


‘My message to the government would be that despite the appearance that the Levelling Up Fund is targeted to northern communities the need for support in places, such as coastal towns like Worthing, is just as acute. Levelling Up also means a level playing field.’


The Government will now assess bids for the £4.8bn Fund before making decisions in the Autumn.


At the meeting with Mr Jenrick Cllr Humphreys will press the case for investment in Worthing urging the government to back its bid to lead a creative, cultural and digital economic renaissance of the borough post-pandemic.