Historic tower in Portslade set to close

10:57am Thursday 10th January 2008

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An historic tower which houses a rare astronomical treasure looks set to close.

Foredown Tower in Foredown Road, Portslade, will shut with immediate effect if Brighton and Hove city councillors agree to cost-cutting measures.

The centre needs £112,000 of work to bring it up to safety standards and improve disabled access.

Councillors on Brighton and Hove City Council's culture, recreation and tourism committee are being asked to stop funding the museum because of falling visitor numbers.

This will save £20,000 a year on top of the £112,000 of renovation work.

The converted Edwardian water tower is home to one of the last camera obscuras - an unusual optical device that is used to observe the landscape, sun and sky.

The Government sponsored the building of the camera for the Gateshead Garden Festival.

When the festival closed the device was bought by Hove Borough Council and installed as a visitor attraction at Foredown Tower.

The countryside visitor centre opened in 1991 and offers an insight into wildlife, natural habitats and conservation issues as well as astronomy.

But the future use of the equipment and the centre is now in doubt along with the astronomy clubs which meets there.

In a report to be discussed on Wednesday, it is revealed that admissions to the centre have dropped from 1,661 in 2003 to 1,208 in 2006. In the same period income fell from £3,271 to £1,824.

Councillor David Smith, chairman of the culture committee, said: "None of us likes to be in a position where we are faced with closing a public facility, but the reality is that Foredown, which is situated in an isolated position on the edge of the Downs, is not on a tourist route and therefore attracts low - and falling - visitor numbers.

"That fact, combined with the money we would need to invest to make it fully accessible, means that sadly the tower is no longer viable."

But North Portslade councillor Bob Carden and MP for the area Celia Barlow have said they will fight the move.

Ms Barlow said: "A closure would reinforce the feeling of local people that only central Brighton gets all the funding for culture, whereas Portslade loses out.

"We are a city of culture - there is much to explore everywhere, not only in Brighton.

"It is very unfortunate that Foredown Tower is not suitable for wheelchair users. This should be an urgent priority.

"However, the argument that the tower is therefore too expensive is misleading - there are other sites, such as the Royal Pavilion or Preston Manor, that do not offer full wheelchair access.

"With its camera obscura, Foredown Tower is a treasure for everyone interested in science and a lot of fun to visit."

Councillor Carden added: "I am disgusted for the people of Portslade - I have been a councillor for 16 years and I am not happy with the way the council is going."

Although the Tower would not reopen to the public in February, prearranged bookings will be honoured.

The tower has a viewing gallery on its second floor with vistas across the Downs, the sea and the Isle of Wight.

A wildlife site next door was developed from previous allotments in early 2000.

The council is now working on options for the tower including educational or community use, a facility within the emerging South Downs National Park or ownership by a conservation organisation.

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