attended by 200 members of the public, options were discussed concerning the Winter Gardens' future - including the proposed demolition of all or part of the building. Other ideas included building a seven-storey hotel on the site of the pavilion or keeping the Winter Gardens and developing part of the Italian Gardens to extend the High Street. Over 7,000 people signed a petition to save the building, and it was decided that the council should pay the deficit using a percentage of the council's tax rates.

In 2013, it was reported that