Grand floral displays to brighten up Worthing’s streets, seafront and parades

An array of some 4,000 bedding plants and shrubs and 250 planters and hanging baskets will soon be brightening up the main streets, seafront and parades as part of an investment by Worthing Borough Council.

Councillor Edward Crouch, Worthing’s executive member for digital and environmental services, said: “Here in Worthing having bright, beautiful and carefully thought-out flower displays is part of the area’s identity. It instills civic pride from residents, makes it attractive and contributes to the wider regeneration of the town.

“This is why we have invested in creating a brand new, specially-focused team as well as purchasing all of the equipment needed such as tools, vehicles and planters.

“By bringing this service in-house we can effectively implement, control and maintain it to a very high standard, to deliver the results we know people want.”

The work, which is now being delivered in-house, is part of the authority’s ongoing commitment to regenerate Worthing while making it a fantastic place to live, work and visit.

Funding has been allocated to create a new dedicated town centre grounds maintenance team, which will plan and carry out an extensive bedding scheme in the autumn and spring of each year.

They will carry out general works so that high-profile areas look clean and tidy all year round while also sprucing up some of the shopping parades outside the town centre.

In the next few weeks, 51 planters will be attached to the pedestrian barriers at the entrance to the town centre and Chapel Road area.

A further 36 rectangular floor planters will be positioned outside the Town Hall, Worthing Museum and Art Gallery, Field Place, High Street, Railway Approach and the Worthing Crematorium.

A total of 82 hanging baskets are being hung in the town centre, near the Guildbourne Centre, clock tower and Beach House Park, and at the Crematorium.

And 175 cup and saucer planters will be installed on lampposts throughout the town and at four parades - Goring Road, Broadwater, The Strand and Findon Valley.

Six precinct planters three tiers high will also be positioned around the town centre. Montague Street, as well as some side roads, will receive more than 30 lamppost baskets and three precinct planters.

There will be additional planters at Liverpool Gardens and Montague Square.

A carpet bedding unit will be installed at the Warrior Bird Memorial in Beach House Park.

As of next year, the team will engage with the community to decide on a theme for the display, which will be renewed every season.

Up until 2019 the bedding scheme was previously carried out by an external contractor.

In 2020, the council found that bedding plants were generally unavailable from commercial growers due to coronavirus restrictions on business operations.

After a competitive tender was drawn up last summer, no meaningful quotes were received, and the council made the decision to bring the work in-house.

Mr Crouch added: “We’ve managed to extend some of the planting areas compared with where the original bedding was, so the effect will be a lot more far-reaching, and it will feel like people are entering a destination and being welcomed into that place.”

The delivery and installation of the planters is expected to be complete by the middle of June.