‘Prioritise Worthing town centre – not kelp’

The gateway to Worthing –Broadwater Bridge and Broadwater Road – is a disgrace.

The central reservation that was cleared of weeds a few weeks ago is now covered in weeds, and the railings on the bridge are missing or damaged in places.

There have been sand bags in place there for months and weeds are flourishing at the side of the road.

The hoarding around Teville Gate is covered in graffiti pretending to be street art.

This is not the first impression we want to give to visitors to our once-smart seaside town.

The empty shops have dirty windows and their doorways have been used as toilets and are filthy, and the pavement is covered in chewing gum and birds’ mess.

The street furniture is scruffy and the flower baskets are not used.

If I came to Worthing to consider opening a shop, after looking at the state of the place I would not even consider it.

Everyone understands that money is tight for local authorities at present, but a pressure wash and some paint and plants would not cost much.

Yet our council has just pledged £50,000 to promote kelp growing within the 12 miles off our coast.

I admire their concern about the marine environment but this is just jumping on the environmental bandwagon

Has no one explained that beyond our shores there is about 80 miles of ocean before you get to France? Plenty of room for kelp there.

Any reader of the Worthing Herald who has lived in Worthing for more than 30 years will remember the seaweed on Worthing beach piled four foot high. You could not enter the water for seaweed and it arrived every year – so did the flies and terrible smell.

This will just about finish the town off turning locals and visitors away in droves, but not satisfied there the intention is to extend the kelp farm all along the Sussex coast.

Scrap the kelp farm, and please spend the money on smartening up our town centre.