The show can't go on!

Already one major show has been lost and two other shows moved to later dates.

The De La Warr Pavilion Trust announced on Wednesday that delays on the 8m-plus restoration project mean that it will not be possible to meet the Saturday, September 17 re-opening deadline.

Information officer Sally-Ann Lycett said it was hoped to re-open the pavilion in October but said the trust would not be announcing a definite date at this stage.

A major art exhibition had been planned for September.

The trust has been taking bookings for an advertised programme of stage events. These are now subject to re-scheduling.

The Porgy and Bess costumed concert "direct from New York" on October 7 has been diverted to the White Rock Theatre, Hastings.

The concert by renowned French jazz pianist Jacques Loussier - planned for October 9 - has been put back to May 4, 2006.

And an appearance by the BBC Big Band has been switched from October 15 to December 3.

Other early shows that could change include: *October 13 - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra with Royal Marine drummers

*October 14 - The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

*October 28 - Opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa with the English Chamber Orchestra in a private booking in aid of the Chichester Cathedral Restoration and Development Trust.

Local organisations have been looking forward to getting back into the pavilion, which has been closed for two years.

The Association of Bexhill Citizens had been due to launch its autumn / winter lecture series there on October 11. Both the BLODS and the BATS have autumn productions planned at the pavilion.

In an advertisement placed in today's Observer headed: "De La Warr Pavilion opens October 2005, the trust says: "It is of paramount importance that the De La Warr Pavilion opens to the public as soon as possible. After such a thorough and extensive refurbishment, our visitors must be guaranteed a safe building and enjoy the highest quality environment, artistic programme and visitor services.

"To this end, and due to circumstances beyond our control, the De La Warr Pavilion has had to reconsider its opening date in the light of professional advice from the contract team."

The advertisement simply says: "The new opening date will be in October" without specifying when.

It adds: "Details of our opening events will be available shortly" and invites readers to visit the www.dlwp.com website for "up to date information."

There were audible murmurs from his audience when pavilion trust director Alan Haydon in an address on the project to last month's Chamber of Commerce working breakfast confirmed: "We re-open in mid-September."

During a hard-hat tour of the building work on July 1, he had assured the Observer that the trust had "complete faith" in its contractors to complete the project on time.

At that stage the foyer was bare concrete walls as was the new ground floor art gallery and the first floor bar and restaurant area.

The theatre, the subject of major refurbishment six years ago, is being left largely untouched.

The trust announced during the tour that the new wings being built at the west end of the building to house staff offices and a meeting hall to replace the ground floor area taken up by the new gallery would not be ready until November.

Since these are virtually self-contained, this was said not to affect the schedule re-opening date.