Bognor Regis Herald — Seafront play area a total nonsense, make Hothamton Play Area Safe!
by Jan Cosgrove, Town Councillor

Arun Council is presently consulting re its proposal/intention to put a fixed-equipment children’s play area on the Prom next to the sandy beach areas they have provided.
Now I am one who 100% supports more facilities for local and visitor children in the RIGHT PLACES. This is not one of them ….
Based on a previous survey that 60% support more children’s seafront facilities they have blithely leapt over a consultation (what kind of area, where?) to asking what kinds of equipment are needed? So TYPICAL of Arun, it is wholly reminiscent of the process that took away the old Queen Elizabeth Boating Pool and Play Area on Hothamton, replacing it with the much smaller area next to the Sunken Gardens. Then they asked “what colour do you want the swing seats?” when they should have asked “do you want the old area taken?” The Fun Bus ran a kids poll (No) and there was the first Town Electors Poll (also No).
This therefore is cosmetic consultation and the simple proof of why this idea is so daft is ….. the play area, unlike the sandy beaches, will be fixed equipment, unable to be removed, and thus OUT OF USE in the winter! No visitor kids and will mums etc allow their kids there in howling winds, driving rain? How many kids live near?
No, the idea is simply not sensible and ought to be abandoned. Instead Arun needs to fix the Hothamton play area’s serious deficiencies which include a wall a dog can jump (there have been serious attacks on children in past months where such fencing is inadequate), and there is a missing gate and one that does not self-close.
That area is designated to be removed for some notion of a linear park, with 2–3 blocks of flats overlooking it under Arun’s regeneration proposal for the area. When? Some years. So we are to wait all that time with the play area in that state? It is well used, it needs upgrade now, and any new equipment can be relocated. There is also the issue — will the linear park provide a proper safe replacement for the Hothamton Play Area which, tellingly, has not been included in Arun’s recent listing/survey of such areas locally.
The answer to the seafront play area is ‘extend the sandy beach areas’ and put in removable equipment which can be stored. For example, tunnels, soft play etc.
Want to express your view? Here is Arun’s survey link: http://www.arun.gov.uk/brseafrontplay
I suggest readers ignore questions about types of equipment, say ‘no’ to the whole idea and comment that it’s the wrong place, upgrade Hothamton instead etc. That is what I have done.