While the days are getting longer, decorative lighting along Bognor Regis seafront is getting brighter following the installation of new lighting in West Street and new control gear installed across the entire display.
Six new displays featuring red, white and blue bulbs wrapped around columns were installed last week, adding to existing illuminations connecting the seafront and town centre at Gloucester Road, York Road, Norfolk Street and Waterloo Square.
In addition, all 81 decorative displays have been updated with new state-of-the-art timers which automatically adjust throughout the year, coming on at dusk and turning off at 11pm. This means everyone can now enjoy the colourful displays as soon as it starts to get dark, 365 days of the year.
New “astronomical timers” have been installed on all displays between Hotham Park and Nyewood Lane and everything in between plus the new displays at West St. and existing lighting at York Road, (Little) High Street and Norfolk Street.
Both projects were delivered by Bognor Regis BID, working in partnership with volunteer-run Bognor Regis Seafront Lights. The West Street project was part-funded by Bognor Regis businesses through the levy paid to the BID to deliver their priorities in the town, with additional funding support from Arun’s allocation from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The ambitious project to replace all of the timers was funded entirely through Arun District Council’s allocation from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Cllr Roger Nash, Chair of the Economy Committee at Arun District Council, said: “I am delighted that the seafront light project is now complete, this is a fantastic addition to the town and will make a real difference” he added “the new technology will really improve our seafront for residents and visitors.”
The BID’s COO Heather Allen said: “It’s brilliant to be able to deliver a project that benefits so many seafront and town centre businesses and residents in one go. Businesses have told us to prioritise Bognor Regis’s appeal to visitors, and there’s a really strong association between seaside towns and seafront lights. As well as being attractive, illuminations also help people feel safer, so we hope this will encourage more people to explore Bognor Regis’s fantastic night-time economy.
She added: “We know that having these types of timers has been an ambition for the lighting volunteers. However, the technology is pretty new to the commercial market, and it simply wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the panel assessing applications for Arun’s share of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Thanks also to Bognor Regis Town Council who supported a reallocation of funds towards this project.”
Bognor Regis Seafront Lights Chairman Jason Passingham said, “Thanks to BID and ADC for helping bring about this work, which would have otherwise been beyond our existing resources. Having all the lights come on and go off at the same time has been an ambition for many years, which conventional timers did not permit. Also, they enable us to have the lights on through the winter which many people have requested, again something the old timers did not allow.”