Plans to light a coastal beacon to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee were dropped after objections from residents.
The Royal British Legion has canceled its proposals for Beacon Hill in Rottingdean after receiving complaints and negative responses.
However, the historic lighthouse on Hove seafront will be lit as part of Brighton and Hove’s celebrations to mark the Queen’s 70 years as monarch.
The news comes just days after Conservative by-election candidate Lynda Hyde raised concerns about the lack of news on whether plans to light the lighthouse at Rottingdean would go ahead.
A spokeswoman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: “We understand that the Royal British Legion has decided not to proceed with its Rottingdean Jubilee Beacon event this year after considering the views expressed by local residents.
“However, the historic lighthouse on Hove seafront will be lit on June 2. This will mark the start of a weekend of celebrations in the town to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
“These include a ‘bring your own picnic’ event on June 4 in the Royal Pavilion Garden jointly organized by the council and Brighton Fringe. The entertainment will include children’s workshops, storytelling and music.
The council also apologized after including Norfolk Groyne Beacon on its event list, despite it no longer existing, saying it was due to “an administrative error”.
Beacon Hill to Rottingdean: credit – Ian Taylor
The Hove Beacon is a replica of the original lighthouse, erected as part of a national network to warn of invasion by the Spanish Armada.
It was last lit, along with the other beacons in the Sussex Range, in 1988 to mark the 400th anniversary of the defeat of the Spanish fleet.
New LED lighting is being installed on the beacon as part of a joint project between the council’s art development and street lighting teams and local lighting designer Eleni Shiarlis.
The beacon will illuminate the waterfront in the evening, making the area safer and more attractive to residents and tourists after dark.
Councilor Martin Osborne, who co-chairs the Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture Committee, said: ‘It will be wonderful to see the Hove Beacon shine once again on the waterfront as we join in the celebrations Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Nationals.
“It is also fitting that the project has a lasting legacy, creating an improved and safer waterfront for our residents and visitors.”
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Source: www.theargus.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-04-27 16:07:29
