Your thoughts on Bognor's £1.5 million Place St Maur project

The comments, which range from positive to negative and come from residents across town, emerge after council officers tested the site’s hotly-anticipated water fountains on Thursday.

A routine check-up designed to make sure individual jets are working properly, and to flush debris from the pipes, it nonetheless gave residents a sneak-peek of the features to come.

Reader Kathy Barrow said she isn’t ‘overly impressed’ with the changes, saying it ‘looks much the same as before bar a few squirts of water situated next to one of the biggest eyesores Bognor has ever been graced with. Such a shame. Our little town needs some serious investment and this feels like a consolation prize.”

Jason Peter called it a ‘brilliant idea badly done’, adding: “Let’s face it there will be mostly young children that will play in the fountains. I don’t think hard brick was an ideal surface. I foresee a lot of grazed knees and elbows and the inevitable tears.”

Other readers were skeptical about the future of the renovations, wondering if there are any ways to protect them from anti-social behaviour.

"It will be vandalised within weeks & then be another closed eyesore for the next decade, what a complete lack of initiative & vision! The potential there was huge for something fun & interesting to encourage visitors to the town, this is just another massive let down.” said Sarah Grant.

Some, readers, however, were considerably more positive. Jean Hitchcock urged other readers to stay optimistic about the jets, explaining: “They were only it out after the electric was put on and even that was enjoyed.

"It’s certainly something different, especially when the tide seems more in than out since the introduction of the pebbles, leaving no source of amusement.”

"I think the kids will love it,” added Sheila Steemson. “They have them in Kingston where I used to live, they are great fun!”

The Place St Maur project was originally planned to be finished by Summer this year. The ongoing delay, Arun District Council has said, is down to global supply chain issues which have made it difficult to source the right materials. Regardless, it is hoped the improvements will be finished later this year.

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Water fountains at Bognor's £1.5 million Place St Maur project tested