A popular seaside cafe will reopen this summer after an extensive refurbishment.

Whitecliffs Beach Cafe in Marine Drive, Saltdean, has been closed for a year following the death of its previous owner John Robinson, aged 70.

Its new owner Amanda Francis has bought the lease and plans to spend up to £100,000 transforming the cafe - and bacon, sausages and eggs will be off the menu.

Ms Francis, 43, wants to create a coffee shop serving baguettes, toasted sandwiches, jacket potatoes, tortillas and crepes.

An ice cream parlour, a juice bar and a craft cafe, where children can try their hand at pottery, jewellery making, painting and sand sculptures, are also earmarked for the venue.

She also plans to hold theme nights, from music to bridge, for older people.

She said: "Our idea is to make it something for the community all year round, not just aimed at tourists in the summer season.

If mums and dads are sitting with a cup of coffee, the kids can do something creative in the corner.

"It's such a popular place for walkers, cyclists and people with dogs. We want to turn it into a leisurely place for people to spend a few hours at the end of their trip."

Although the cafe's interior will change, the art deco look of the building will be retained.

Ben Pettett, of Crickmay Chartered Surveyors, Kingsway, Hove, negotiated the sale.

He said Crickmay received between 200 and 300 enquiries for the lease in one month.

He said: "The cafe has always had a good reputation in the town but the amount of interest we had in it was phenomenal. It was unprecedented.

"It has been sitting in a dilapidated state so it will be a good challenge for someone to make good use out of it. The traffic flow is phenomenal. If people see a nice cafe there it will attract a bit of all-year trade."

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council, the leaseholder of the site, said:

"The facility will be a welcome addition for both residents and visitors to Saltdean seafront and we wish the new owners every success."

Duncan Ward, chairman of Saltdean Residents' Association, said he would like to see detailed plans but welcomed the refurbishment in principle.

He said: "We don't like to see empty buildings."

Wednesday, January 11, 2006