Appointment of partner to deliver the redevelopment of the West Hill Café and Hastings Castle

Hastings Borough Council selects partner organisation to deliver the West Hill Café and Castle Project. Troika Projects will work alongside the council to revitalise the café, including an interpretation centre for the castle.

The proposal includes a café, restaurant, new interpretation visitor experience to retell the story of Hastings Castle, retail and community space. Additionally, a new platform lift provides step-free access from the West Hill Lift top station to all spaces. The ambition is to transform Hastings Castle and West Hill Café site into a significant cultural destination with a focus on heritage, sustainability, and community engagement.

Troika Projects, who are a local consortium and based in Hastings, working alongside architects Poroban, and Heritage & Planning Consultants Purcell, and contractors Colbran and Wingrove, emerged as the preferred partner following a competitive evaluation process.

The selection process began in March 2024 when the council issued a Request for Proposals (RFP), which concluded on 3 June. Developed in collaboration with Blue Horizon Ventures, an independent assessor, the RFP attracted three strong submissions. The council in partnership with the independent assessor, a specialist culture, heritage and arts consultancy, facilitated the evaluation process to identify the winning proposal.

Cllr Julia Hilton, Leader of Hastings Borough Council, said: "I am delighted the panel has appointed Troika Projects to deliver this transformative project. Their exciting plans and proven expertise in hospitality and visitor experience are set to elevate the café and castle area into a leading destination in our town. I am looking forward to seeing them engaging the wider community in developing their vision into reality, making this site a must-visit for both locals and tourists."

The RFP followed an initial Expression of Interest launched in October last year. To ensure wide participation, the council hosted two open days for prospective bidders in April and May, which led to the three full submissions. The two-stage evaluation process involved a thorough assessment by council officers from asset, finance, legal, and regeneration departments, followed by a final review by an expert panel. This panel, composed of Town Deal Board members and independent specialists with backgrounds in culture, tourism and heritage, conducted interviews and presentations with all three contenders before selecting Troika Projects as the lead partner.

Celia Farrar, Troika Projects, said: "Troika Projects are thrilled to have been selected to work with the council to develop the iconic site of the West Hill Café and Hastings Castle, the flagship project of the Town Deal Programme. We understand the historic importance of the site to the town and we can't wait to get going on developing our carefully thought-out plans into a reality."

This redevelopment is poised to be a cornerstone in Hastings Town Fund Programme, blending history with modern amenities to create a vibrant, engaging space for all with an immersive interpretation centre that celebrates the rich history of Hastings Castle.

Artists' impression of the Hastings Castle and West Hill Cafe site, courtesy of Troika Projects

You can read more on the evaluation process in the Cabinet report.

Up-to-date progress on the project going forward will be published on the Hastings Castle World Heritage Destination - Hastings Town Deal page.

This is subject to Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) approval.

Notes:
The Town Deals programme aims to regenerate towns and deliver long-term economic and productivity growth. This is through investments in urban regeneration, digital and physical connectivity, skills, heritage and enterprise infrastructure. As of July 2021, MHCLG have offered Town Deals to all 101 places that submitted proposals, committing over £2.35bn of investment across c.700 projects nationwide. See the press releases associated with Town Deals on gov.uk
If you have any questions, please contact: TownDeal@Hastings.gov.uk

Acknowledgement regarding the exceptional quality and commitment of all bidders: 
Hastings Borough Council would like to extend its gratitude to all the parties who expressed interest and participated in the procurement process for the West Hill Café and Castle Town Deal project. The council received an outstanding response to both the Expression of Interest (EOI) and the subsequent Request for Proposals (RFP), reflecting the deep commitment and enthusiasm for revitalising this historic site.
We were particularly impressed by the high quality of all bids submitted and the time and effort invested by these teams in attending open days, preparing submissions, and engaging in the interview process, this is all greatly appreciated.
The council would like to thank all interested parties for their professionalism and the passion they brought to this project.