CCTV cameras have been installed at Bottle Alley

The seafront underpass has long had these problems despite efforts by the council and artists to brighten it up.

The council first floated the proposal to install 20 static cameras that would provide coverage of the entrances and exits along Bottle Alley in April when they sought the views of residents. Now the cameras are in place.

They were funded by the government’s Safer Streets Fund, available to use for graffiti prevention and improve the safety of public spaces.

A spokesperson for Hastings Borough Council said: “We want residents and visitors to feel safe in Hastings and proud of our town. These are both key priorities in Hastings Borough Council’s new corporate plan.

"The aim is to improve the feeling of safety for users of Bottle Alley, improve security and to assist in deterring graffiti along the alley.”

The camera system can only be accessed by authorised operational staff of Sussex Police and Hastings Borough Council.

Cllr Glenn Haffenden, lead councillor for housing and community safety, said: “We know that Bottle Alley is an area that people are keen for us to have CCTV coverage on for a range of reasons.

"We believe that the cameras will help people feel safer when they are using Bottle Alley, which is a really unique part of Hastings.”

Bottle Alley runs from Hastings Pier to Warrior Square. It was built between 1933 and 1934 by Borough Engineer Sidney Little and is named for the thousands of pieces of multi-colored glass from broken bottles that were embedded into the concrete walls of the covered walkway to provide unique decoration.