this May.

Beach It will operate, as its name suggests, on the beach at St. Catherine's Bay, St. George's. The spot was the former Club Med hotel beach house and plans are to have it open on May 1 to allow locals and tourists to enjoy an array of water sports, food, drink and live entertainment.

The new beach hut concession has been undertaken by Progressive Labour Party MP Wayne Perinchief and St. George's businessman Chris West.

Mr. West runs the landmark White Horse Tavern in the Town square, but he said Beach It will be "the night spot of the east''.

The partners invested some $150,000 in the new venture, with much of the money used to upgrade the old building.

Mr. West said complete electrical rewiring and extensive plumbing were necessary because the building had deteriorated substantially.

He said plans were to keep a "crazy funk'' style of decor.

"We will feature live entertainment four nights a week,'' he said. "There will be a Bermuda band, a calypso band, a reggae band, and a steel band, and on the nights they play we'll have barbecues.'' An application for a liquor licence has been made with the owners hoping to offer a full service bar.

A full slate of water sports and beach recreational activities will also be on offer. According to Mr. West parasailing, snorkelling, scuba diving, sailing and possibly party boat fishing are all on tap.

Plans are to operate Beach It for at least seven months out of the year and although hours have not been fixed firmly Mr. West said plans at the moment are to open at 9 a.m. and when there is live entertainment, shut at midnight.

"This is sure to be the night spot of the east,'' he said.

Meanwhile, in the west end, Sonesta Beach Hotel's beach hut at Cross Bay is about ready to reopen for the season after being battered by Hurricane Gert last summer.

SUMMER HOT SPOTS