Plans to Move Hastings Register Office to Library to Save £100,000 a Year

A proposal to relocate Hastings Register Office from the Town Hall to Hastings Library is set to be discussed by a senior county councillor next week.

East Sussex County Council says the move would save around £100,000 per year, although the relocation itself is expected to cost about £125,000.

The plans, which will be considered by Cllr Claire Dowling, the council’s lead member for transport and environment, aim to make better use of space and reduce the cost of leasing rooms from Hastings Borough Council.

Fewer ceremony rooms, smaller capacity

Currently, the Town Hall offers three ceremony rooms, accommodating between 15 and 60 guests.

However, officials say these rooms are “underutilised”, with fewer than 300 ceremonies taking place each year — far below their total capacity of more than 5,000 ceremonies annually.

Under the proposal, the new register office at Hastings Library in Claremont would include one full-time ceremony room for up to 10 people.

The library’s ground floor could also be used for larger ceremonies — up to 60 guests — but only during times when the library is closed, such as Sundays and Wednesday afternoons.

“Value for money” and improved facilities

Council officers argue that the change would provide “value for money” while creating an improved and enhanced library and registration office within the same building.

If approved, the move would mean the loss of all three existing ceremony rooms at Hastings Town Hall, where the register office has been based for several years.

The proposal is due to be discussed by Cllr Dowling at a meeting on 10 November.