Council teams continue clear up after ‘worst storms in years’
Our Cityclean, Highways and Seafront teams are making sure the city gets back to normal after Saturday’s violent storms – the worst we’ve seen in years.
The tidy up has already started after the seafront was battered by howling winds, relentless rain and huge 20 feet waves.
Patience needed as clean up takes place
The clear up includes pushing back the vast amount of pebbles and shingle to allow people to walk along and enjoy the seafront.
A team will begin working on the worst affected area from the King Alfred Leisure Centre to Hove Lawns, and we're asking for everyone's patience.
Damage mounted as storm raged
As the storm escalated on Saturday, the damage started to mount:
- 25 of the new recycling bins ripped from their fixings
- Tonnes of beach pebbles pushed up onto the promenade
- Three beach huts damaged
- Benches torn from the tarmac and blown along the prom
- The Palace Pier closed as staff reported the structure was shaking and water was forcing its way through the boards.
Despite the relentless rain, most seafront properties escaped serious flooding, although businesses in and around the Palace Pier are believed to have suffered damage.
Hard work meant 'business as usual'
The Cityclean, Highways and Seafront teams worked throughout the weekend to ensure it was ‘business as usual’, as much as possible.
The Seafront team spent Saturday:
- patrolling the seafront warning people of getting too near to the shoreline
- cordoning off dangerous areas
- making safe items, like upturned bins, that could have caused the public harm.
However, the weather was so bad the team was unable to put out danger warnings signage and flags due to the wind strength and horizontal rain.
Strongest winds in years
Seafront Operations Manager Chris Ingall said: “The wind strength was really extreme, the strongest we have witnessed for many years. Coupled with the exceptionally large waves, the seafront took a battering.
“The fact we had no major incidents has a lot to do with the team being out and about on the quad bikes engaging with the public to prevent anyone getting too close to the seafront."