Worthing Podcast

For the latest Worthing Podcast Patrick Woodward visited Worthing's East Beach and met the owner of the Coast Cafe and some of the artists who work in the "huts".  He also found out about a project to restore a fishing boat, and Worthing's fishing heritage. 

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Jack on the Green

Jack on the Green is a light & lantern festival taking place in Beach House Park on the evening of 21 and 22 October, 6pm - 8.30pm. The event will comprise of a trail of lit structures and lanterns, and there will be the opportunity for children/young people to create some of lanterns in afternoon workshops taking place prior to the event.

The council is working in partnership with creative organisation Samesky to host an exciting new family event in Worthing at the beginning of the October half term.

A number of Worthing schools are involved in the creation of some of the structures and it is hoped that in future years this opportunity can be offered to more schools and community organisations as the event takes shape and grows.

click here for more information...

The Tide Of Light Crowdfunding Has Now Gone Live!  

The Tide of Light Community Group work all year to raise the £19,000 required to fund this event from various sponsors and grants. Making this event come in at only 54p a head - Woo hoo. We think that's value for money.

They work in the local community making lanterns all autumn and on the day for the illuminated children's parade, making it a great spectacular. They host the biggest street party on the South Coast with a main stage with live music, street food, illuminated parklands and a huge firework display off the beach provided by the Lions ALL FOR FREE.

We are so close to being there but need to raise the last £2,868 exactly! With only 4 weeks to go!

Go help them reach their target by visiting their crowdfunding page 

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/tide-of-light-2017/?utm_source=crowdfunder&utm_medium=dashboardfacebookblock&utm_content=shareonfacebook&utm_campaign=marketing

So This Is Christmas - St Barnabas Craft Fair 

'So This is Christmas', festive craft fair in aid of St Barnabas House is returning on Sunday December 3rd at Worthing Charmandean.

The fair will feature 70 stalls with local makers and designers selling their festive creations. There will also be St Barnabas stalls and raffle, cafe and home baked cakes and treats, face painting and lots of magical extras to explore. 

The fair will be open 10.30am - 4pm and will be opened by Worthing Town Crier, Worthing Mayor and Miss UK. There will also be appearances from Tinkerbell and friends, the Ghostbusters, and Santa himself. 

Have your say on Business Rate Relief

Businesses across Adur and Worthing are being invited to have their say on plans to support Business Rates payers from increases in the amount they have been asked to pay.

To support firms whose bills have increased after the national revaluation in April 2017, both Adur District and Worthing Borough Councils will be using extra funds made available by the Government to create a new scheme for discretionary relief.

In 2017/18 this pot will total £115,000 in Adur and £186,000 in Worthing and this money will be used to reduce the amount of Business Rates that are payable.

Before the scheme is introduced, Adur & Worthing Councils are asking local businesses their views on what the scheme should involve.

This includes asking whether businesses with large premises should be excluded and whether companies who have already received another reduction (like pubs) should be awarded the new discretionary relief.

Those completing the survey will also be asked if they believe those deemed eligible should receive a fixed amount or if it should be a fixed percentage of the increase in their bill compared to 2016/17.

The survey will be available online and in paper form until midnight on Friday 13th October 2017.

For more details and to complete the survey visit the:

Business Rates Consultation 2017

Free parking for Southwick shoppers

Good news for shoppers in Southwick! From this weekend, anyone visiting the town’s precinct on Saturdays will be able to park for free thanks to Adur District Council.

From now until the end of the year, the local authority has agreed to waive the fees in the Southwick Square off-road car park on Saturdays.

This means there will be no charge for those visiting on key shopping days throughout the autumn and the run-up to Christmas.

It comes after listening to traders in the area who said that an increase in car park tariffs approved last year had coincided with a drop in footfall in the area.

Councillor Emma Evans, Adur District Council’s Executive Member for the Environment, said: “As a council we are always looking to listen to and support our local traders, who are the lifeblood of our local economy.

“Southwick Square plays an integral part in the town’s community so I’m delighted that we are able to support traders in this way. I urge shoppers to take advantage of the scheme and visit some of the excellent independent shops that Southwick has to offer, especially with Christmas approaching.”

A new range of tariffs were approved across Adur in October 2016. While other areas have seen an increase in footfall, Southwick has experienced a drop-off.

The free parking scheme has been funded from a one-off pot of Government cash designed to support businesses in retail areas.

It will start this Saturday (September 30) and run until the end of December.

Officials say this will give time to work with traders on developing a longer-term solution.

Nikki Lilley, manager of Peter Marson Opticians and secretary of the Southwick Traders Association, said: "The whole idea is to bring people back to shop in the square rather than those people going to other areas that offer free parking.

"The response we have had from local residents so far has been fantastic - they can't wait to come down here to shop to their hearts content.

"Southwick has a lot of independent traders who all offer a really good personal service, which means once they come a few times they are likely to keep on coming back.

"I want to thank the council who have been very supportive in making this happen."

Business Lights Up Shoreham!

Christmas Sponsorship Opportunities.

Shoreham’s community Christmas offer is at an exciting stage in its development and we’d like your businesses’ support in its growth.  2017 marks the first Light Up Shoreham event, a family friendly festive blend of local farmers and artisans market stalls, fair rides, warming mulled wine and seasonal entertainment.

Light Up Shoreham – Reindeer!

This a terrific opportunity to promote your business alongside Shoreham’s biggest ‘Ahhhhh’ factor feature of Christmas.  There are two sponsorship opportunities of £500 towards Christmas Reindeer, as part of the Light Up Shoreham festivities. 

Along with banner advertising space alongside the Reindeer pen you will have corporate logo acknowledgement on all Light Up Shoreham’s promotional material.  The sponsorship will secure three live reindeer with appropriate handlers for 1 day, Friday 8 December 2017.  

http://www.reindeercentre.co.uk/gallery/

Winning BID to Convert Seafront Shelter into Restaurant is Announced

Development of the seafront at Worthing is set to take another leap forward after a leading French restaurant group was given the go ahead to convert the shelter opposite West Buildings.

Bistrot Pierre is the successful bidder for a long term lease for the shelter and wants to convert and expand it into a state-of-the-art restaurant overlooking the beach.

Developer Nextcolour Ltd will build the restaurant for Bistrot Pierre. Nextcolour Ltd has just finished developing a locally well received waterfront destination on the Mumbles in Swansea Bay which is also home to Bistrot Pierre among others.

Full plans for Worthing are not yet ready and the scheme will be out to public consultation ahead of it going for planning permission.

Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, Cllr Kevin Jenkins said he was delighted the process to put both the shelter at West Buildings and a second at Steyne Gardens on the other side of the pier out to tender had resulted in high quality applications.

“This was a strong field of applicants and I am delighted Bistrot Pierre has won through with a first class submission,” he said,”There’s more to be done but I look forward to seeing their plans for the site and am sure they will bring forward a high-quality design given what they have produced elsewhere in the country.

“As a council we are determined to drive through significant improvements to our seafront offer. We will not sit still but want to modernise our offer while not forgetting its traditional delights.

“I expect this development and that at the Steyne Gardens shelter to be game changers.”

The restaurant group, which as well as the Mumbles has outlets in Birmingham, Nottingham and Bath among others was founded by school friends Rob Beacham and John Whitehead.

Mr Beacham said: “We’ve had our sights set on Worthing for some time now so we’re delighted to have been selected by Worthing Borough Council to open a bistrot in such a great location directly on the sea front.”

“Worthing has a thriving food and drink scene and we look forward to opening in the town and supporting the local restaurant market; there’s nothing quite like our offering in the area so we believe that Worthing is the ideal location for us. The site itself is also fantastic, with it being in close proximity to the coast, it couldn’t be better for tourists enjoying walks along the Parade or for those wanting to dine with friends or family looking to enjoy lunch or an evening meal by the beach.

“We’re delighted to be bringing our authentic French flavours to the south coast.”

He added that Bistrot Pierre would be creating a very special dining experience and wanted to open, subject to planning permission, by summer 2019.

“We take regular trips to France to inspire our seasonally-updated menus with authentic ingredients carefully prepared by our talented chefs. Each bistrot is slightly different and the group prides itself on creating a unique dining experience for customers at every location.”

“We’re pleased to be working with the team behind Swansea’s popular Oyster Wharf development at Mumbles where we opened a bistrot this spring.”

James Morse, commercial director at Nextcolour Developments, the company behind the Oyster Wharf development, said: “After the success of Oyster Wharf we’re excited to be working with Bistrot Pierre on this stunning new restaurant on Worthing’s sea front.”

The announcement of the winning bid for the Steyne Gardens shelter is expected soon with the council hoping both will add significantly to the town’s foodie reputation and increase the seafront and town centre’s  appeal as a tourist destination.

Teville Gate Public Consultation Dates Announced

* Public consultation on the future of Teville Gate confirmed by landowners Mosaique

* Curtains to be lifted on the the exciting plans in two public consultation events on Thursday 9 and Friday 10 November 2017

* Feedback from the Worthing community to be used to shape the full planning application

“Having worked intensively for two years on Teville Gate, this is an important moment for the future of the development and for Worthing,” comments Aized Sheikh, CEO of Mosaique.

“My team has created a viable scheme bringing new homes, new businesses and new leisure opportunities to this complex site. The public consultation is the perfect opportunity for us to share our confidence in an exciting future and to invite feedback on our ideas.

“Once the development is completed in 2020, we are certain that it will become one of the most desirable residential addresses on the South Coast.”

The public consultations will be held on:

* Thursday 9 November - The Denham Room, Sanditon Conference Centre, Worthing College, 6pm - 9pm

* Friday 10 November - The Gordon Room, Worthing Town Hall, 4pm - 8pm

The content of each consultation will be identical, so residents can choose the opportunity which is most convenient to them.

Mosaique anticipate submitting a full planning application for Teville Gate by the end of November 2017, intending for the plans to be debated by Worthing Borough Council’s Planning Committee in March 2018.

Happy birthday to Shake It Up Creative!

In these past two years Shake It Up Creative have:

• Held 37 help hubs
• Taken on 59 new projects