Pelham Beach Playground has re-opened

The reopening of Pelham Beach Playground was celebrated on Thursday, 24 July, following a significant upgrade to its play equipment.

The occasion was marked with a special re-launch event, attended by Cllr Tony Collins, Chair of the Charity Committee, who cut the ribbon to formally declare the playground open. Other VIPs including senior councillors from Hastings Borough Council and local MP for Hastings and Rye were also present. 

Children enjoyed a range of giveaways and entertainment including face painting, provided by Eibe Play, the contractor behind this exciting project, and 100 free Whippy Ice Cream vouchers were donated courtesy of Hastings Adventure Golf. 

Young visitors had fun exploring the new play features and upgraded equipment, while the newly added seating areas were already being well used by families and other visitors.

Cllr Tony Collins, Chair of the Charity Committee, said: "I really enjoyed officially reopening the playground and seeing the upgraded play equipment and exciting new additions — it all looks fantastic. It was wonderful that so many children enjoyed the entertainment, giveaways, and the improved play space. Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen."

The playground closed in May while works were carried out, following public consultation on the proposed designs earlier this year. The upgrade includes the retention of the popular sand pit area with the introduction of a fenced area providing shade from sun and wind, more seating and improvements to the playground levels, by removing a section of the wall between the upper and lower playground and providing ramped access between the two levels. There is also more age-appropriate equipment for toddlers, with new swings and play equipment.

Full details can be viewed here.

Notes:

Hastings and St Leonards Foreshore Charitable Trust (FCT) generously provided £250,000 to fund the improvements which includes new fun modern play features and accessible equipment to enhance the playground’s inclusivity and accessibility offering. 

The report presented to the Charity Committee in September 2023 highlights the reasons the renewal scheme was needed and can be found here: HBC Report

Hastings and St Leonards Foreshore Charitable Trust (FCT) is funded from car parking charges at Rock-a-Nore and Pelham car parks together with rental income from enterprises on Foreshore Trust land.