Popular Littlehampton cinema won’t reopen this year following serious Harvester incident next door

A cinema and arts centre situated next to door to a Harvester gutted by fire will not reopen this year.

Council bosses say they share the frustration of the community after confirming the progress of works to get the public venue back up and running.

The Windmill suddenly closed in August when a fire ripped through the restaurant on The Green in Littlehampton, West Sussex.

The blaze, which started in the kitchen, completely destroyed the roof of the eatery which shares a wall with the entertainment centre.

Asbestos from the facility has been removed but a report from the fire risk assessor has told Arun District Council that the facility is not ready for visitors.

In a statement, the local authority said “We can confirm that following the report from the Fire Risk Assessor and the scope of work that needs to be done to make the building safe, means that a partial reopening will not be possible.

“The following information comes from that report and shares some of the challenges ahead.

"In the meantime, it is safe to say that we will not see the centre opening before the new year when we will be in a better position to provide an update on timeframes.”

Meanwhile, work is ongoing to prepare for the Harvester to reopen with the popular chain suggesting it could be some time.

Demolition of the Harvester site is “imminent’ according to the council, with operators, Mitchell & Butler releasing an earlier statement which read,

“We are currently supporting all team members at this difficult time as we navigate the damage that was caused and the impact that this has had on our team members.

“The business will be closed for the foreseeable future as we assess looking at the next steps for Harvester, Littlehampton.”

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