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| How the proposed Sea Road building might look after dark |
A DEAL is due to be signed for a well-known "national hospitality company" to take on the lease for most of the proposed new amenity building on the site of the former Waves pub off Sea Road, Cleethorpes.
The name on the lips of many is "McDonalds" but this is unconfirmed. At this stage, the identity of the interested party remains in the realms of speculation.
News of the prospective deal comes just over four years after North East Lincolnshire Council approved demolition of the single-storey Waves pub site in favour of redevelopment of the land which sits opposite the pier and enjoys high footfall, particularly at weekends and during school holidays.
Documents seen by the Grimsby News state: "Renewed publicity has generated further interest in the site and the council's officers and its marketing agents have been in dialogue with interested parties for some while.
"This has now culminated in what is viewed as an acceptable offer for a material element of the building.
"Proposed Heads of Terms have been agreed with a leading national hospitality company for most of the ground floor and all of the first floor of the building.
"The council’s agents will continue to market the remainder of the building."
The likelihood is that the agreement will be signed off by NELC - probably before the end of this month - after which the council and the company will issue a joint press statement.
It is unlikely however that the amount of rent payable per annum will be revealed.
The document continues: "It is expected that this lease agreement will attract similar operators to the building, but the council will carry out appropriate due diligence into all prospective tenants.
"The successful confirmation of the lease agreement will provide market confidence regarding this project and the opportunity to attract other tenants into the remainder of the building.
"In addition, the proposed tenant and its investment in Cleethorpes will also provide wider market confidence in the town, supporting both existing and prospective new traders and attracting additional footfall, expenditure, investment and pride in the area."
The prospective arrival of a national hospitality company will delight some, especially younger residents and visitors, but it might alarm existing traders who will be nervous at being squeezed out of business by a larger competitor with super-strength brand recognition.
At a tourism scrutiny panel meeting last October, a letter of concern - thought to be from Darracotte's coffee shop and ice cream parlour -sparked sympathetic comment from councillors.
"We certainly don't want to see the McDonaldisation of Cleethorpes seafront," declared ward councillor Cllr Malcolm Morland who went on to note that some West Country seaside resorts had sought to safeguard local independent cafes and restaurants by barring a well-known coffee chain from opening up premises.
Similar misgivings were sounded by Cllr Bill Parkinson who warned that, if the council were to invite in a large-scale operator, it would be seen as a form of "aggressive competition" that would be "to the detriment of existing traders" and reflect unfavourably on the authority's reputation.
Cllr Henry Hudson welcomed any input from local businesses, especially those in touch daily with the challenges of the market place.
But he was less concerned than his two colleagues, noting that the arrival of Papa's on Cleethorpes pier had not led to the closure of other fish and chip shops - it may even have brought in additional trade.
Of the misgivings, NELC's inward investment and growth manager, Daniel Jaines-White, declared: "These sorts of developments invariably prompt different views."
Whatever transpires, it seems the council seems, alas, to have quietly dropped its original intention to include a much-needed Tourist Information Centre in the new building.
However, expect more news on this before the month is out.
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