[Sussex] Lesser-known seaside town locals say is 'cheaper Brighton' is UK's craft beer capital

Papa Lazarou said:

Not sure what there is to 'pity' about Brooklands. Clearly it's no longer the playground it was when we were kids, with the railway around the lake, waterfalls and paddling pools, massive kids playground and a pitch and putt course... but ...

It does have a brand new extensive play area for kids, a new cafe, and has been developed into a well thought out wildlife / open space, with acessible pathways and a mixture of planting / wilding which makes it feel like a little bit of coutryside near the sea.

We walk the dog there from time to time and it's always bustliong with people, the play park is very popular, the cafe busy and lots of families either with or without dogs.

In fact, in lookiong up the overall plan for the park, it is designed as



Plus towards the back of the park, there are some very nice areas to pick blackberries, which my dog Bruce really appreciates.

Brooklands Park Masterplan - Adur & Worthing Councils

Three key principles were distilled from the original concept and used to develop the masterplan: LEARNING: Brooklands Park will become an outdoor...

www.adur-worthing.gov.uk

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Brovion said:

Yes. The paddling pools, the climbing rocks, the boats you could hire on the lake, the 2 pitch 'n' putt courses, the go-karts, the par 3 golf course, the putting green, the miniature railway round the lake .... all gone.

Instead they've made it a sort of 'wild space' with contemplative walks and no vulgar entertainments. This would be great in somewhere like a large deprived inner-city, but as small-town Worthing has the Downs to the north and the sea to the south in wasn't a facility that was really needed. What we do need is somewhere for families to play; generations of Lancing and Worthing residents have happy memories of playing there as a family day out - walking around looking at long grasses isn't the same. Plus of course the Peter Pan playground was lost when they built the new swimming pool, so that's another family facility lost.

(At one stage they said the removal of the Brooklands facilities was 'temporary' as it was where the Rampion wind farm cables some ashore and they dug a lot of it up. But after construction was finished they just left it).

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Couldn't Be Hyypia said:

We loved Brooklands as kids. Spent all day there. Took a picnic. Tore our swimming trunks on the concrete pools (were there water slides??). Marvelous.

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Questions said:

The kiddies park is better than it ever was.

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Papa Lazarou said:

Exactly. Brooklands is great now.

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Lush said:

I moved to Worthing four years ago. Traded a two-up two-down two-even-further down house near Brighton station for a lovely seafront flat.

Like others have said, It may just be a sign of getting old, but on a bastard hot day in August, beaches are busy, everyone goes home and there's not a SCRAP of litter on the beach.

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Questions said:

The kiddies park is better than it ever was.

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South East Seagull said:

Its astounding the change in Worthing (especially the town centre) over the past 5 years. Lots of new restaurants, bars etc.

Lots of new late night places as well, bars and pubs staying open to the early morning, especially along Warwick street. I've actually spoken to people who've came over from Brighton to Worthing for a night out - never would have happened 5/10 years ago.

Whilst the development of the town has made it undeniably a nicer place, the prices are ridiculous. I get that Londoners priced out of London move to Brighton and price out Brightonians who move to Worthing and price out whatever someone from Worthing is called, but it really is expensive now.

Also nothing has been done to accommodate children and teenagers. I'm genuinely not sure what they're meant to do for fun nowadays. Brooklands being the perfect example - taking away a fun pitch and putt, same with Rustington Golf which has sold theirs to property developers. The parks are in a state, football goals that are damaged, basketball hoops and courts which are unusable.

Good footy team though - good development of the stadium as the club grows. Could see them being a league side in 10 or so years.

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Brovion said:

I tell you what, the Dome pretty much sums up the revitalisation/reimagining of Worthing. Back in the 60s/70s the Dome was the epitome of the term 'flea pit'. There was just the one screen, and the whole pace had a dirty, run-down air. It was not a pleasant place to visit and more than once the Council considered demolition. Worthing itself as a whole could at best be described as 'gently boring'.

Now the Dome's had a complete new lease of life. It's not just that it's been done up, there's the second and third screens they added (don't know where they found the space), and the upstairs space in the dome itself. (We had my mum's 80th birthday there). It's a great place to visit - as is Worthing itself now which is way more interesting and varied than it used to be.

Pity about Brooklands, but I'll let that pass. (Newer residents won't know about it).

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Paulie Gualtieri said:

We’ve been informally looking at Worthing as an option if we decide to sell as still deciding to extend or not.

Are there any areas / schools we should consider avoiding?

Looked at a few houses near St Andrews high school and also around Broadwater (grove and cissbury Road just off the parade) but don’t know the area at all.

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Gwylan said:

I was in Worthing yesterday and was impressed with a shop that sold pies - and very little else. A nice bit of scran while we waited for our dog to be allowed to leave the vets

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BNthree said:

Where was this pie shop? Asking for a friend

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