A call is today going out to businesses to seize a unique chance to take over an iconic building and breathe new life into Lowestoft seafront.
East Point Pavilion, on the town's Royal Plain, is currently unoccupied by firms as the current lease approaches its end on April 1.
And owner Waveney District Council has thrown down the gauntlet to local businesses to move in and give new impetus to ongoing efforts to attract more visitors to the coast.
The glass, Edwardian-style building, which has space for retail, restaurant and café facilities, was in the past home to the town's tourist information centre as well as an indoor children's play area.
A district council spokesman said: 'The East Point Pavilion is an iconic building in the heart of the seafront and, as the lease held by Keable and Flowers comes to an end, this presents a real opportunity for a leisure, catering or retail organisation to establish themselves in a well-known and much admired site.
'The council is inviting interest from restaurants and café businesses to lease the whole or part of the building and at this stage we would hope to speak with a number of prospective tenants in the weeks to come.'
The tourist information centre closed at the site in April 2016. The building has been most recently occupied by Eros coffee, which closed in November, Fri-day Keables Fish and Chips, which closed in September and SaltGrass Mexican restaurant, which closed a year ago. All were run by Keable and Flowers.
Lowestoft mayor Nick Webb said: 'I think it is a real focal point for Lowestoft, for the seafront and for the tourist industry.
'We need to be doing everything we can to promote the building and attract more businesses to that area.'
The council is also advertising seafront concession opportunities and is keen to attract interest from operators in cycle hire, children's entertainment, deck chair hire, novel catering, water sports and more.
Billy Wilson, who works at South Pier amusements opposite the pavilion, said: 'It's a lovely looking building and lots of people keep asking what is happening with it.
'The main thing people have missed is the soft play area for children. It would be great if they could bring that back.'
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