On February 27th, Sink One 4 Seaford were invited to speak at the Seaford Residents Association meeting, so Tony, Jacky, Andy and I (plus 3 manikins in dive suits!) arrived for another presentation to help spread the word and answer any un answered questions. The guys were great, with a very informative, well thought out speech and power point presentation. There were lots of step by step slides showing what is proposed and we have had several emails of support from Seaford residents thanking us, as they now have a much better understanding of the project.
A big thank you to everyone that showed up to support the project :-)
We also received an email from Mr and Mrs Andrews of Seaford, we have decided to post this email below and invite Seaford and Newhaven Residents to leave their comments.
Hi Tony - firstly I would like to say that the idea of sinking a safe ship for novice divers is an excellent one. Also the 'sinkone4seaford' is a very eyecatching slogan.
However, I felt I must write the following. Brian and I knew Newhaven in the days before the by-pass and would certainly like to see the area receive much needed revenue so it could be a more attractive entrance to the Sussex countryside. It is already a harbour with facilities for divers, although these do need improving and may this happen in the fairly near future. As a speaker mentioned last night, your plans will be of great benefit to Newhaven.
For families 'left on shore' Paradise Park, Children's Section and the museum are easily available with adequate parking. Also Sainsburys is nearby, again with adequate parking and the sports centre.
Seaford is simply different - it is a town by the sea not a seaside town! As you know, all ages are represented and when the Xmas lights go on the town is heaving with youngsters - great. The productions put on at Seaford Head are excellent and when visiting other schools for meetings we have been most impressed with the standard. That said, young people anywhere always go to the nearest BIG Town to shop and meet friends (a much more 'in' thing to do) so local shops purely serve the residents.
All towns countrywide, whether large or small, suffer from a wave of closures. We owned our own business and know first hand about business rates and water rates based on these, and other shop owners face rents that are too high. Many simply retire. As mentioned yesterday, the internet accounts for a great deal of buying, it being easy and often cheaper. Vic in Sweet Moments in Broad Street says he does more trade on the internet than in the shop, and his and Karen's shop is beautiful. Perhaps you have noticed that C & E Sports is being replaced by another similar retailer.
A speaker said last night that more family facilities are needed - we already have a sailing club where youngsters reach high standards, football, rugger, cricket, tennis, activity area, public golf course, swimming and the Downs Leisure Centre (also films occasionally). The indoor bowling was closed so toddlers could have a bouncey play area. I believe the Council is working towards (may have succeeded) in opening a meeting place for young people at the Salts. During the summer many major events take place along the front, (including the Fair) and, of course, the Museum is a constant source of wonder when the inside is seen for the first time. There are also many recreational opportunities offered by the sea and miles of Downland open to the public. Our bus and train services are good.
What is no longer available in the town is expansion space and large public meetings have been held re parking and the possible introduction of meters. Meters on the front push cars into side roads - no fun for the residents. Those of us fortunate enough to live further out of town do not have to face this problem. Seaford really is a special place, a very welcome oasis that has two big towns close by for the 'bright lights' so there is choice for everyone, it really is not a tourist place. Long may it stay this way.
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Please Note Seaford' Strategic Plan dated 2005 - http://www.seaford-sussex.co.uk/docs/ssp.pdf - This plan clearly states that Seaford is definitely working towards being a tourism town and wanting to encourage more visitors to our wonderful town.
----------------------------------------------------------------------Please Note Seaford' Strategic Plan dated 2005 - http://www.seaford-sussex.co.uk/docs/ssp.pdf - This plan clearly states that Seaford is definitely working towards being a tourism town and wanting to encourage more visitors to our wonderful town.
Thanks for letting me know about your plans, I think this is really
interesting (as an ecologist and occasional diver in particular).
I'm not sure if there is anything specific I can do to help support your
efforts, but if there is anything, please let me know. Otherwise, I am
happy to add my nae to your list of supporters.
Good luck with your work. Look forward to hearing how you get on.
All the best
Sven
Sven Rufus
Green Party Councillor, Regency Ward Brighton
Hi,
I came to your meeting last week at Chyngton School and was quite gobsmacked at all the negativity shown by many of the attendees. I’ve only lived in Seaford for a year, having moved here from Brighton, and am very concerned about the way that the town seems to be deteriorating in terms of its facilities and services even in the year since I’ve been here. Being a 30-something (ex)-diving Dad (no time anymore!), I’m obviously very concerned with this continual decline and the impact it will have on my young family and would l like to offer you my help to help try to bring some new money into the town. It seems to me that Seaford could be so much more than it is, given its location, and it appears to me that your project could bring a lot of new money into the town without flooding it with kiss-me-quick tourists (something that the many residents are understandably concerned about).
Please let me know if you’d like me to lend you a hand. Best of luck in the meantime.
Dave Webb.
Tony following our earlier conversation I would be happy to speak to anyone who may have any reservations about the proposed dive site .Having been born and bred in Eastbourne I am familiar with your area.I have been a fisherman in Plymouth for the last 28 years where I am the secretary and chair of the Plymouth Fishermans Association I am also co chairman of the National Under 10 Fishermens Association in conjunction with Paul Joy of Hastings so am well versed with the problems and fears of local fishermen.We have HMS Scylla on our doorstep and any advice you may need from me I will be happy to provide.
Regards Dave Cuthbert
By Dave and Dee Mullinger
Seaford.
Following the Seaford Residents' Association meeting in Milberg Road where there was a presentation of the 'Sink one for Seaford' project, we think the title of the project to sink a battleship in Seaford Bay for the benefit of divers and the town of Seaford gives a false impression.
Firstly, the ship will most probably be sunk miles off the coast and to the west of Newhaven to keep it and the divers clear of the ferry and other ships using Newhaven Port.
Secondly, after the spectacle of sinking a ship, apart from three tiny buoys out to sea, there will be nothing to see.
The only tourists being divers and their families.
Like the 'Flooding of the Cuckmere Haven' project where for every additional twitcher 10 current tourists are likely to stay away, with the 'Sink one for Seaford' project for every additional diver 10 current tourists will go elsewhere.
The additional divers will arrive in their 4x4 pickups at Seaford to take advantage of free car parking and inundate the beach with their noisy RIB dive boats and compressor
machinery used to fill the dive tanks.
Thirdly the only businesses to benefit will be the boat and dive ones in Newhaven and Brighton and then only marginally.
So what does the project do for Seaford? At best nothing but most probably it will clutter the seafront with black wet suited divers and their paraphernalia leaving little room for Seaford residents.
One of the reasons often stated is that most people come to Seaford because of its uncommercialised seafront.
Every new house built is snapped up so people do like us as we are.
Changing to tourism is not the way forward. Let us be practical.
Dave and Dee Mullinger, of Willow Drive, have also bought a hut.
Dave said, "Now that nearly half of the seafront beach huts have finally been put in the hands of their lucky owners is causing a phenomenal amount of interest amongst the strollers on the promenade.
"Their reactions have been very encouraging.
"Whilst working on ours we have lost count of the number of people who have blatantly stopped, stared and stuck their head inside our hut and commented quite freely, discussing the huts at length whilst running their hands over all the surfaces.
"It would seem that they have been well received, are considered quite attractive, beautifully made, and look much better than the old concrete ones they replaced.
"The oranges top the poll with the yellows a close second.
"The blue and white striped ones are rarely commented upon but the greens definitely get the wooden spoons.
"Green is considered more suitable for garden sheds than beach huts.
"It would seem that the town council has a success on its hands and if it was ever to produce another 60 huts, they would sell like hot cakes."
The full article contains 466 words and appears in n/a newspaper.Last Updated: 06 April 2006 4:07 PM
Always a reason why people don't want change, usually a selfish one, as in this case they clearly think that the hoardes of divers that decend onto the beach will block their view and disturb their part of the beach. Firstly they are one of the very lucky few who have been able to afford and obtain a hut. The rest of us have to make do with a lack of facilities. Secondly, the beach is for everyone not just the elite few.No wonder they don't want Seaford to encourage tourists!!!Back in the real world however, businesses do so whatever ways we can achieve this we should not be too concerned about the minority of objecters with a vested interest in keeping "their beach" to themselves, so that they can park their car next to their hut and enjoy "their view".Like I said, always a reason!!
I can't see that hoards of divers are going to be lined up in front of the beach huts spoiling the view somehow!
How selfish (I agree with the previous comment.)
Not a diver myself, but I have a 12 year old son who is just starting to get into Diving and he also has a 12 year old friend living in Seaford who has been diving for a while now - how nice it would be for them to be able to dive one of these amazing vessels when sunk, it will be an exciting training ground for them (as they cannot dive the very old deep wrecks around this area until far more experienced.) Residents are always moaning about kids hanging around street corners, well stop being so short sighted and lets give our kids another option!
As for bringing money into the town of course it will - I currently travel with my children when my husband goes diving to other towns and we spend in the shops, restaurants and hotels(B&B's)we also look around the local area for things to entertain ourselves.
Seaford surely isn't just God's waiting room??
18/03/08: Last week's comments were not helpful
By Brian 'Jim' Skinner Denton.
I would like to respond to the letter in last weeks Seaford Gazette basicaly criticising the plan to sink a ship in or around Seaford Bay ('Title gives false impression').
Some of the comments regarding who will stand to 'benefit' the most from the proposal are possibly quite reasonable ones to make at this stage (Seaford, Newhaven or Brighton), but I would suggest that until full details are clear it is impossible to say with certainty.
I would suggest that the widely publicised title 'Sink One4 Seaford' has and is already benefiting Seaford, irrespective of the final main beneficiary – I personally hope both Seaford and Newhaven stand to massively benefit from the proposal – I wish it well as I am sure those who would like the bay to move forward also do.
What surely is certain and I believe widely accepted, particularly given the amount of support I have received for seeking a new approach to beach management, is that Seaford's beach and beach front in general are in a steadily deteriorating condition. They are shadows of what they were and Seaford surely deserves better.
I believe Seaford is at a kind of crossroads just now and does need to decide in which direction it is heading.
Seaford and the bay are still fantastic places for all to enjoy, whether resident or visitor.
In a few years from now Seaford will hopefully have the South Downs National Park on three of its four borders.
The beach front is 2.5km in length from Buckle to Splash Point, more than enough frontage for scuba divers and their equipment and everybody else I would suggest.
Who knows, some of those divers may actually stop and spend some money in the town – some may even decide to holiday. Is this what the correspondent fears so very much when stating 'changing to tourism is not the way forward'?
I, with Seaford Town Council and Newhaven Town Council, am currently striving to raise awareness of and quantify the economic value of the bay, not just to the two towns but the wider district as well – that this is a hard and uphill task goes without saying, comments such as those made by the correspondent last week are not helpful. –
By Tony Rowswell North Way, Seaford.
The Mullingers make some interesting points (Seaford Gazette letters, March 5) concerning the 'Sink One4 Seaford project'.
But they exaggerate their case and defeat their own argument. Their speculation on a seafront cluttered with wet-suited divers is ludicrous and that could be the crux of the argument – would it actually attract divers?
That, however, is a problem for the organisers and funders of the scheme and at least it is an attempt to bring additional attraction and employment to the area.
However, their letter makes a more serious point.
'People do like us (Seaford) as we are'.
Some people may come to Seaford as a quiet uncommercialised resort but they are far from the majority in the town.
Most of the residents are in work and have families. The town must cater for them, yet as we have seen in only the last few months, current financial and economic conditions are leading to a steady decline in the provision of employment, shopping, youth facilities, halls, hotels and education in the town.
If this continues, Seaford will become nothing more than a dormitory plagued by unemployment and the resultant antisocial behaviour. Doing nothing will not preserve the town 'as we are'.
So what is to be done? Change can and must take place in a way that will not imperil the best qualities of the town.
We need a concerted plan of what needs to be done to develop the many things that Seaford has going for it and rectify those areas where there is a lack.
Fortunately, one can see some signs of hope in the actions of the town council, the increased dynamism in the Chamber of Commerce and the existence of a number of voluntary bodies, such as the residents' association, community partnership and seniors' forum, actively concerned with the development of Seaford and the interests of its residents.
But remember, this is a real battle for survival in the current climate.
Major external forces are aligned against the town and its interests, eg the Cuckmere, the incinerator and the sixth form.
Some can be fought, some cannot. We need the vision to discern the one from the other and the will, then, to do something.
Moaning about every attempt to bring improvement will not help.
I am all for this scheme. Whilst I enjoy the non commercialised nature of seaford, there needs to be a balance and I feel we teeter toward the downward side (speaking as a newcomer). Thoughtful limited regeneration needs to take plce on the sea front and this is one way to kick off the process. I think the succesful defence of the pub at the end of Dane rd was also helpful. No we don't want to be another Brighton , perish the thought, but we need to avoid the drift toward being a ghost town, with the negatives this would bring. Good luck to the scheme!
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