At last the Madeira Lift renovations are nearly completed: even the rooftop ornamental griffins and the dolphin weather vane have been cleaned up and “nailed down.”
The dolphin weather vane had been swiped by men dressed as council workers in February 2003 and one of the griffins was also nicked. In mysterious circumstances, though, the vane was returned in Sept 2007 in Brighton police station. The man who handed it back over the counter scarpered without saying a word.
The lift has been plagued with breakdowns and only operated between April and September. There is a current planning application to improve the lighting around the lift. The lift is operated by Concorde 2 as a condition of its lease.
A draft seafront strategy, setting out broad ideas for developing and enhancing the character of the city’s coastline, is up for consultation at the moment and the Madeira Drive Lift is an essential element for that improvement
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