A Very Real Problem: Lack of Sports Facilities in Brighton & Hove

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Yep there is no accountability and I don't think their eyes have ever been on the ball for them to take them off it.

Totally agree. council seem to think they have to spend a shitload of money to 'attract' people to Brighton. When in fact (apart from maybe the Brighton Festival) if they never spent a single penny, people would still flock here same as they do to bath or Bristol or Stratford-upon-Avon. If it was left to the council's effort's we'd have the same number of visitors as, say, Goring.

 

[symyjym]

Totally agree. council seem to think they have to spend a shitload of money to 'attract' people to Brighton. When in fact (apart from maybe the Brighton Festival) if they never spent a single penny, people would still flock here same as they do to bath or Bristol or Stratford-upon-Avon. If it was left to the council's effort's we'd have the same number of visitors as, say, Goring.

Yep Brighton cannot fit anymore people on the seafront than what is does already during the peak seasons and holidays. You can't even walk along the prom it is so packed, and roads are jammed for parking queues.

The only people who would use the i360 are the ones who would come here anyway so it won't attract more visitors.

Residents are unlikely to use it more than once for the novelty factor.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Yep Brighton cannot fit anymore people on the seafront than what is does already during the peak seasons and holidays. You can't even walk along the prom it is so packed, and roads are jammed for parking queues.

The only people who would use the i360 are the ones who would come here anyway so it won't attract more visitors.

Residents are unlikely to use it more than once for the novelty factor.

It'll be the whitest elephant since Bournemouth council paid somebody to drop a couple of sandbags in the sea at a cost of several million quid and declared itself a surfing centre. Really needs the inevitable financial inquest to be held before it gets approval on this occurrence because a child of three could see its guaranteed to fail.

 

[worthingseagull123]

We need a waterside park. That would be amazing.

 

[CheeseRolls]

Yep Brighton cannot fit anymore people on the seafront than what is does already during the peak seasons and holidays. You can't even walk along the prom it is so packed, and roads are jammed for parking queues.

The only people who would use the i360 are the ones who would come here anyway so it won't attract more visitors.

Residents are unlikely to use it more than once for the novelty factor.

Isn't this because so many people are crammed into a small area between the Palace Pier and the bottom of West Street ?

The regeneration of Preston Street has been a pet project of Cllr Kitcat for a few years now. He has even talked about marketing the areas as West Laine

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/9696313.Should_Brighton_get_its_West_Laine_back_/

The i360 will attract more people to this end of town, which is key to the regeneration.

 

[Prettyboyshaw]

Dimwit council policy, cram more houses and people in give them **** all to do but spend loads of money on the only major development in years for some Londoners to see the sea and tops of houses.

 

[surrey jim]

We need a waterside park. That would be amazing.

There were plans to build a water park (Europes largest i recall) in Newhaven. Plans failed due to investors pulling out. Cannot see why they chose Newhaven as location, hardly accessible.

 

[surrey jim]

How long is the Brighton wheel up for? Is there a need to have two similar attractions on the seafront?

 

[Stoichkov]

How long is the Brighton wheel up for? Is there a need to have two similar attractions on the seafront?

The brighton wheel has to close when the i360 opens

Another odd element of this development

 

[Postman Pat]

Ideally projects like this are only built where they are within a 10 minute walking distance from a station, but the Marina and Toad Hall are valid suggestions regarding space rquired.
Waterhall could also be included in this.

Hove Station is earmarked for redevelopment and the land owner has recently failed with a proposal for a non sporting development, so there are no current plans there.

The list so far.

King Alfred
Falmer
Hove Station
Preston Barracks
Marina
Toad Hall
Waterhall

Not great for car links, but what about the old Astoria building on Gloucester Place in Brighton - A big venue and good public transport links.

Seems to have been empty for about 30 years.

 

[symyjym]

Isn't this because so many people are crammed into a small area between the Palace Pier and the bottom of West Street ?

The regeneration of Preston Street has been a pet project of Cllr Kitcat for a few years now. He has even talked about marketing the areas as West Laine

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/9696313.Should_Brighton_get_its_West_Laine_back_/

The i360 will attract more people to this end of town, which is key to the regeneration.

To a degree I would agree with you on the basis that before the West Pier closed on 1975 that area was thriving and Preston Street was the main location for tourist to go to eat. Lots of businesses suffered when the West Pier closed.

The biggest problem though is that the cost to use the i360 will be around the £20 mark and although there will be family concessions it will be a lot of money to spend and they won’t be able to afford to do much else in Brighton. At best it will just divert money to the i360 where people will choose to eat in the new i360 restaurant. The whole experience for families using it including refreshments will be in excess of £100.

I wouldn’t have a problem with a development of a new state of the art longer West Pier which included the i360 at the end of it out to sea. Sticking it on our shoreline and forgetting the pier is a backwards way of developing the area.

 

[symyjym]

Not great for car links, but what about the old Astoria building on Gloucester Place in Brighton - A big venue and good public transport links.

Seems to have been empty for about 30 years.

On the face of it from the street it looks like it's big enough for an ice rink and the building is about 40m wide, but it is only about 35m in its length. A full size ice rink is 60m x 30m.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

On the face of it from the street it looks like it's big enough for an ice rink and the building is about 40m wide, but it is only about 35m in its length. A full size ice rink is 60m x 30m.

View attachment 50492

Already plans for the site:

http://ww3.brighton-hove.gov.uk/ind...on=showDetail&application_number=BH2013/03926

http://www.conranandpartners.com/ne...t-office-building-to-spark-major-regeneration

 

[symyjym]

 

[Machiavelli]

I see that B&H council are preparing to throw £36 million at the i360 (the tall pole with a viewing platform).

No private funding could be found for this as it doesn't stack up financially. All the estimates have been based on it being 100% full all the time which of course will not happen.

Would this public money surely not be better spent on a decent leisure centre with proper ice rink etc?

The King Alfred centre has been a disgrace for years and a city of this size needs something decent for its citizens to go to.

Look at Guildfords leisure centre http://www.guildfordspectrum.co.uk/index.php

Something along these lines would be better, or would it?

Thoughts?

Can't be arsed to read this thread, but I have to say, I love your username.