Pavilion a stage closer to £1.9m

The Heritage Lottery Fund announced that Rother s bid for help in restoring the Grade One Listed Modernist building had been given a 1.9m Stage One Pass.

But this does not mean that after eight years of bidding, Rother will actually receive any grant aid yet - though a final announcement is expected early next year.

The Heritage Lottery Fund says a Stage One Pass means that the applicants "may progress to the next stage of their grant applications. A Stage One Pass does not guarantee that the applicants will be awarded a grant but it is a positive indication that, provided their project is developed further along agreed lines, it is likely to receive support..."

The announcement said: "A Stage One Pass, with earmarked funding of 1.9m, has been awarded to restore the De La Warr Pavilion.

The grant would allow urgent works to be carried out so the building could be transformed into a major centre for visual and performing arts, playing a significant role in the regeneration of the seaside town.