Call for more outdoor seating in Worthing town centre to help independents reopen safely

Worthing during the lockdown. Pic by Steve Robards

Known as ‘parklets’, the areas would take up road space to allow customers to maintain social distancing.

The borough council was recently given £98,000 by the government for just this kind of safety measure, helping to get people back to work and customers back to the shops.

At a meeting of the joint strategic committee, Green Party campaign co-ordinator Ian Davey said: “Independent cafes and restaurants are at the heart of our local communities, shopping streets and economy.

“Maintaining social distancing within limited space presents a major challenge to their viability as they make key decisions regarding reopening.

“This is a particular problem for small, independent businesses with little or no outdoor space.”

Calling on the council to allow parklets to be set up, he added: “Doing so could be make or break. Without this assistance, it’s not over-dramatic to say many may never reopen or survive if they do.”

The idea has been helped by the fact West Sussex County Council recently decided to waive all fees for outdoor seating for one year – though businesses do still need to apply for a license.

Borough council leader Daniel Humphreys said: “We are very much looking at ways in which we can close off different parts of the town currently used for public highway and to use them in other ways, to help license people to use them.

“We’re looking at other parts that we can licence, like the foreshore and other areas like that.

“We’re going to be working as closely as we can with local businesses to deliver all of that.

“I think what you’ll see in coming weeks and months is a real concerted effort to help people safely.”

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