Worthing’s much-respected town centre manager to step down after nearly 20 years

Sharon Clarke has been a driving force behind Worthing’s Town Centre Initiative (TCI) – a collection of town centre traders – for 18 years, but said now was the best time to step aside.

“It was a very difficult decision after 18 years, but it was the best thing for me to do,” she said.

“I’m looking forward to some time off over the summer and to be able to use Worthing as a leisure destination rather than a place of work. There’s a bit of sadness, but I’m also feeling proud of what the TCI has achieved and what I helped towards that.”

Sharon said she had grown frustrated with some ‘niggling’ issues, and with what she saw as a lack of communication from Worthing Borough Council over some decisions.

Reflecting on her career, Sharon said her proudest achievement was bringing the International Birdman competition to Worthing for eight years from 2008. The renowned event, which saw competitors hurl themselves off Worthing Pier in an attempt to fly the furthest, received worldwide recognition including spots on American news networks such as NBC. “I stood on the platform and to see the sea of people we had brought to the town, that was the proudest moment for me,” Sharon said. “The impact it had on Worthing was amazing. We are a very small team here and for us to be able to do that, I was so proud of us all.”

Sharon has also overseen Worthing becoming a Business Improvement District (BID) during her tenure, which secures funding for initiatives such as the Christmas lights, chewing gum clean-ups and town-centre events. The BID is renewed in 2023, but with the planning process set to begin imminently, Sharon said it was better for her predecessor to start as early as possible. She will leave her position on May 31.