Shoreham Beach residents urged to unite in tackling rise in anti-social behaviour

Residents of Shoreham Beach have been urged to come together in tackling anti-social behaviour in the area.
DM17842428a.jpg Plans unveiled for ?50m development of Kingston Wharf, Shoreham-by-Sea. Cllr Joss Loader with the site in the background. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-170829-162414008DM17842428a.jpg Plans unveiled for ?50m development of Kingston Wharf, Shoreham-by-Sea. Cllr Joss Loader with the site in the background. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-170829-162414008
DM17842428a.jpg Plans unveiled for ?50m development of Kingston Wharf, Shoreham-by-Sea. Cllr Joss Loader with the site in the background. Photo by Derek Martin SUS-170829-162414008

This summer has seen a number of incidents, including the smashing of nine glass panels on the Ferry Bridge, continued vandalism of Shoreham Fort and, last week, reports of cars being damaged.

Independent councillor for Marine ward, Joss Loader, said vandalism around Shoreham Beach was becoming a ‘real issue’.

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“It’s hard to know if the issues are linked but we’ve had smashed panels on the bridge, repeated damage at the fort and now attacks on people’s cars,” she said.

“I would urge people to report anything suspicious, immediately.

“On another note, I’ve also received reports of teenagers on bikes, cycling around the beach this week, kicking over wheelie bins and generally making a nuisance of themselves.

“Nobody wants to stop people having fun during the school holidays but this type of behaviour needs to stop.

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“I would also urge parents to make sure their children’s bikes are fitted with lights and that they wear safety helmets, as these cyclists can be hard to spot after dark.”

Shoreham Fort has seen its share of vandalism, which Friends of Shoreham Fort founder Gary Baines said got worse when the car park was closed for the Adur Tidal Walls scheme.

He said he had used the fort as a playground as a child, but people had to enjoy the fort in a respectful way.

Instead, he said there were problems with graffiti, damage to the roof and Victorian bricks smashed into dust, mixed with water to create a paste and then painted back onto the fort walls.

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He echoed Mrs Loader’s calls for residents to stay vigilant and report any incidents immediately.

The fort used to be in ruins, he said, and without proper intervention the fear is it could soon return to that state.