Flower judges come to town

Floral judges toured Bognor Regis this week to assess the town's blooms.

The experts from the South and South East in Bloom competition spent Tuesday morningviewing the flower displays around the town centre and along the seafront.

The job of Royal Horticultural Society representatives Sheilah Maclaren Pugh and Reginald Harrison was to rate Bognor's performance for its first year in the champion of champions category.

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Bognor has been placed in the elite section because of its success in winning the coastal resort top prize for two years' running.

It is up against neighbouring Aldwick, Christchurch (Dorset), Fareham (Hampshire), Tatsfield near Croydon and Wimborne Minster (Dorset).

But each place is judged against the criteria for its own category - coastal resort in Bognor's case - rather than directly against each other.

The locations are then rated in the category according to the marks they have been awarded.

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Bognor's town mayor, Cllr Don Eldridge, said the town council-inspired entry had done well again this year. He accompanied the judges as they visited areas such as the town hall, The Esplanade, The Steyne, Westloats Lane, where a community garden is being planned, Aldwick Road and the Home Zone in Gravits Lane.

Individual gardens were highlighted as well as community areas.

Mr Harrison said: 'The town looked very colourful. There was a lot of colour in spite of what is generally thought to be a difficult season.

'There was a lot of individual effort as well, which is something we are keen on.'

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Cllr Eldridge said: 'It was wonderful going round looking at the flowers. There was evidence of a lot of work being done and a lot of people being committed to making the town look attractive.'

The results will be announced in September. Bognor's South and South East in Bloom triumphs have earned it a place in Britain in Bloom for the second year running. That judging takes place at the end of this month.

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