Funding sought to make cliff lift more accessible

Hastings Borough Council is seeking funding to make the West Hill Lift fully accessible

Councillors in Hastings, East Sussex, will consider bidding for cash to make the town's West Hill Lift more accessible to people with disabilities.

The lift links the Old Town and the Castle with West Hill.

The money, which could come from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, would be used for surveys and feasibility studies, with further applications needed if work went ahead.

The Borough Council's cabinet will discuss the application on Tuesday.

The same meeting will also discuss the plan to redevelop the West Hill cafe, which sits on the roof of the lift station at the top of West Hill.

Council leader Julia Hilton said: "The proposals to redevelop the West Hill café and Hastings Castle mean it is even more important to make sure the lift is accessible to all and that it can be used by an increasing number of visitors.

“If we are successful in this funding bid, we will be able to commission full condition surveys to establish what is needed to make the lift fully accessible and fit for the future."

If the bid for funding is approved the application would be made in October, with a decision expected by January 2025.

Meanwhile the East Hill Lift is expected to reopen shortly, after delays to renovation work.

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