Huge hoarding becomes advert for Bognor's future

Designer Julie Goldsmith was on hand at the official unveiling of her giant creation outside part of the former Lec site.

Her creativity is being seen by thousands of motorists travelling along the A29 each day.

It shows a large sun rising in a golden sky over a blue sea with the words 'Bognor Regis '“ creating an even brighter future'. The sun is in the first O to signify a new dawn for the town.

Julie, who has been a designer for 20 years, said: "I was inspired as I drove along Bognor seafront from my home in the Witterings to work.

"I love the design. I went to the developer and partner charter and the logo was hanging off one of the buildings there.

"It was good to see and I hope everyone in Bognor gets a lift from looking at it too."

Julie has been a designer with Arun District Council for five years. She was asked by its senior regeneration officer for Bognor, Richard McMann, to design an image which would come to represent the town's 500m worth of planned regeneration.

Her logo covers 4.8m X 2.4m of the first of the four hoardings '“ measuring 4.8m X 4.8m '“ which have been put up outside the former Lec technical block on Shripney Road.

Their arrival arose from a suggestion made by a BRighter Bognor member at a regeneration meeting last November.

Planning permission and a structural engineer's okay were needed before the idea could become reality in a bid to deflect attention from the deteriorating site as it awaits possible redevelopment as a Sainsbury's store.

Raof Daud, the director of site owner Sime Darby London, and Arun's economic regeneration chief Norman Dingemans launched the logo last Wednesdayto toots from passing motorists.

Cllr Dingemans said the arrival of the hoardings was a sign of the well-established links between the council and the company.

"Between us, we have moved this site on and we have moved Bognor on," he said. "It would not have happened without Sime Darby's positive input. This logo is a very clear message to Bognor's people of what we can do in partnership and what we will do in partnership in the future."

Mr Daod said his company was committed to making the most use of firms and services around the Bognor area. The hoardings were erected by a local business.

"These hoardings are a statement about our commitment to use local companies to regenerate and redevelop our site," he said.

The other hoardings will be filled by artwork created at a community workshop earlier in June. The resulting designs are being transformed into large posters by artist Vicky Hulatt and should be installed in early July.

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