Our pretty seaside town is being ruined by a ‘smelly and ugly eyesore’ – we can’t believe people are fighting to keep it
FUMING locals are disgusted by a “smelly” and “ugly” eyesore blighting their beautiful seaside town.
Residents in the West Sussex coastal resort, Worthing, are dismayed after plans to transform the beachfront shelter into a plush new restaurant were squashed.
The historic building has marked the promenade for 100 years, but is now sitting decaying since being abandoned.
Developers were scheduled to inject a new lease of life into the derelict shelter with two floors of fancy bars and eateries.
But the vision, welcomed by locals, has now been halted by the council and the Worthing Society – who think the move was an excellent result.
Disappointed homeowner, Alan Coombe, told The Sun Online he wasn’t bothered about preserving the building.
“A restaurant would be good,” said the 84-year-old.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to pull things down.”
Another frustrated resident, Sam Leaney, 35, said the Worthing seafront really needs a re-brand to attract more visitors.
The 35-year-old explained: “Young people don’t come here because there’s not thing for them to do.
“I think the shelter should go.
“It’s smelly and it’s ugly.
“Enough people see it has having some kind of heritage value to the town but this area is losing it’s appeal for young people.
“The sea front is changing anyway and people want to be able to go out and have a drink and something to eat.”
Her friend Harley Francis, 32, added: “We walk up and down the sea front all the time and there is nothing.”
People watching pensioner, Robert Wreith, was all for demolishing the eyesore and adding a new restaurant onto the “boring” seafront.
“The council don’t to anything to regenerate the sea front and we all want something a but more lively,” he said.
“The seafront needs something, it’s boring.”
Valerie Cooper taking a morning walk along Worthing seafront said: “I think a restaurant or coffee shop would do good business.
I think the shelter should go. It’s smelly and it’s ugly.”
Sam Leaney
“Worthing needs something,” she said.
Residents will have the opportunity to decide the seaside shelter’s future after the borough council announces plans to launch their own public consultation.
Worthing council cabinet member for regeneration Caroline Baxter said: “Our seafront is an amazing asset for the town but for too long it has been allowed to deteriorate.
“A lack of investment and imagination in our heritage has meant that buildings like the seafront shelter have been allowed to decay rather than being given the love and attention they need to keep them relevant for modern day life.
“It’s vital we think properly about how we can transform our seafront for the benefit of everyone who lives, works and visits Worthing – with the community at the heart of the process.”
The public consultation is expected to start before the end of the year.
This comes as other residents elsewhere in the UK battle the same problem.
Locals in Norwich, Norfolk, say they are fed-up looking at the former Debenhams department store blighting the city centre.
Plus, a group of homeowners shared their fury at being left with an “eyesore” after paying £15,000 more for their homes to overlook a key feature.
Meanwhile, people in Walthamstow, northeast London, live in fear their market town will be ruined by two “hideous” high-rise buildings.
A two-bedroom flat in one of the towers will set potential buyers back £585,000 – and residents are less than impressed.