Vandalised seafront shelters set for repair and repaint
Work to repair two historic seafront shelters, which have been repeatedly targeted by vandals, is due to begin in the new year.
Wooden panels are missing and both shelters are covered in graffiti
The shelters, in King’s Parade, at the bottom of Grand Avenue, have been left in a poor state over recent months.
Wooden benches are broken, wooden panels are missing and they have been covered in graffiti.
In August, this year, they were targeted by vandals who also attacked the neighbouring beach huts.
The shelters were once a favourite of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra who would spend time relaxing on the benches during their many visits to the city.
Brighton and Hove heritage commissioner Roger Amerena said: “These two historic grade II Hove Lawns shelters are at a pivot point when viewed from Grand Avenue to the sea and also from the promenade north.
“The east one was often used by HM King Edward VII RI when staying at King’s Gardens. As they are public assets, Brighton and Hove City Council have a duty of care to look after them, and we would expect the repairs and restoration to be of the highest standard.”
A council spokesman said: “Various bits of vandalism have occurred at the shelter over a number of months.
“Adding this to the weather and general wear and tear, we will be replacing damaged benches and timbers and repainting the shelter early next year.
“We have met with a contractor who will soon fence off the shelter in preparation for the work to be carried out.”
Councillor Gary Wilkinson, for Central Hove ward, welcomed news of the restoration. He said that he had noticed an increase in graffiti and vandalism in the area.
He added: “The shelters are historic, meaningful and beautiful structures and it’s a real shame they’ve fallen into disrepair.
“I welcome the fact that the council wish to start restoration works on the shelters, and I’d urge them to begin these as soon as possible, and to tackle the rise in graffiti and vandalism more widely in the area.”
The historic shelters were popular with King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra
A spokeswoman from Sussex Police said the last report of vandalism was in August 2020.
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Nowadays the historic shelters are popular with the winos.
Brighton and Hove City Council do not do ‘Duty of Care’ otherwise They wouldn’t have let The Madeira Terraces get to the state they were in more than 5 years ago let alone now.
They are quick off the mark however when residents do not adhere to conservation policies.
Not for the first time, Rolivan is right!
Brighton & Hove city Council from it’s previous incarnation of Brighton &Hove Council in 1997, the Shadow Authority in 1996 and it’s preedecessors Brighton Borough Council and Hove Borough Council from the mid-eighties until the present day, wouldn’t recognise a “Duty of care” if it were to slap them round the chops in the middle of that squalid, dilapidated and downright disgacefull tip that currently masquerades as our seafront shop window!
In all that time, apolicy of DELIBERATE DERELICTION has been pursued by these various Authorities throughout what is now our City—and not just, I hasten to add, in the many so-called “Conservation areas.”
For those unaware of it, please note also that during this period, save for the 3 year stint of Cllr. Mary Mears’s TRUE Conservative Administration between 2008 and May, 2011, the Labour, Tory ‘Green’ and Momentum Parties have ALL had a hand in this desecration of what were two magnificent towns whose seafronts, parks and gardens and standards of cleanliness and order were truly the envy resorts the length and breadth of the country.
Quite clearly none of the above Parties are any longer fit for purpose when it comes to running our City, only Councillors, such as the truly excellent Independent, Bridget Fishley will do.
What’s to lose?
In 2023 the electorate must be prepared to break the mold and SAVE OUR CITY by trying something new—after all, they could hardly do worse, could they?
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I would like to thank my friend Andrea Lewis who has personally been campaigning enthusiastically and hard to have the Hove seafront shelters, railings etc repaired to a state that residents and visitors can once again be proud of.
She set up a petition collecting signatures and submitted this to the council with a view to this being actioned ASAP.
Extraordinary diatribe by Nigel Furness above.
Moving on, repair will be very welcome.
But why does the old story of Edward VII’s favourite shelters still survive? As the historic image here shows, there was only one shelter in the days the king visited and it was sited in the middle. Now we have two shelters, one each side of the path. Further, comparison of then and now shows that the designs of the panels each side of the long seat are different.
So today, one cannot be original while the other has either been altered or it too is more modern.