Plan to change Brighton car park name branded 'crazy'

12:20pm Friday 25th January 2013 in News By Neil Vowles

Regency Square Car Park in Regency Square, Brighton Regency Square Car Park in Regency Square, Brighton

Residents have been left scratching their heads after council officials proposed renaming a city car park.

Brighton and Hove City Council is exploring the idea of changing the name of the Regency Square Car Park, off Kings Road, to the Brighton Centre Car Park.

The idea has been criticised as “pointless” and “misleading” after residents and history groups pointed out that the move would only confuse motorists.

Last night the council said the name change was an idea that was being explored but did not explain why the name Brighton Centre had been chosen.

The rebrand has been proposed in council papers from the authority's most recent transport committee as part of a £4.2 million refurbishment programme.

The council last night would not answer questions about how much it would cost to rename the car park including the cost of changing all signage in and around the facility.

Refurbishment of the car park has already met with residents' disapproval after designs incorporating a large glass box were withdrawn in March last year after complaints about how it would clash with the surroundings of the Grade II listed square.

'Misleading'

Selma Montford, the secretary of the Brighton Society, described the proposal as “pointless, confusing and crazy”.

She added: “It's misleading, it's nowhere near the Brighton Centre.

“Whichever council official came up with the idea should change their minds. Why confuse people?

“I think they want to market it as the Brighton Centre car park but I don't think we should be encouraging to come to the Brighton Centre by car.

“They just come to the Brighton Centre and then get back in their cars again without seeing anything else of the city.”

Mark Prior, Brighton and Hove City Council's head of transport, said: "Changing the name of the car park is an idea which is being explored, subject to conversations with community groups and ward councillors, but nothing is confirmed yet."

Your opinions

Landlady Tessa Dowland, 57, pictured below, from Seven Dials, said: “I think it's a bad idea. This is Regency Square – it's part of the history of Brighton.

Tessa Dowland

“It's a waste of money. Why change something when we are short of money at the moment?”

Retired airline pilot Paul Hegan, 61,  pictured below, from Withdean, said: “It would seem to be more helpful to call it where it actually is.

Paul Hegan

“If people are coming to the Brighton Centre they would then think that the parking is there. It's confusing.”

Hafed Teoumi, the manager of the Beach Hotel in Regency Square, pictured below, said: “When you say Regency Square car park people know where it is.

Hafed Teoumi

“You might end up with people driving to the Brighton Centre to find it.”

Talking point: How do you think rebranding Regency Square Car Park to Brighton Centre Car Park would help or hinder visitors looking for a parking space? Share your views by commenting below or submit them to The Argus letters pages by email letters@theargus.co.uk.

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Comments(23)

Wiggsy says...
12:27pm Fri 25 Jan 13

And the benefits with changing it from the Regency Square car park are precisely what exactly?

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rfairweather@tiscali.co.uk says...
12:39pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Could be worse - they might have opted for renaming it 'The KitKat Parking Experience'. Whatever the name, a crazy waste of taxpayer money.

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Indigatio says...
12:40pm Fri 25 Jan 13

The only reason I can think of is that for some reason known only to themselves the Council want people who visit The Birghton Centre to use Regency Square rather than any of the other Town Centre Car Parks.
Please leave it alone, its Regency Square Car Par, always has been and always will be...

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Ballroom Blitz says...
12:46pm Fri 25 Jan 13

It's not in the centre of Brighton, and neither is it the closest car park to the Brighton Centre... so utterly pointless.

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Crystal Ball says...
12:47pm Fri 25 Jan 13

The Council would be better off investing any money into the quality and reliability of services rather than whatever name they might hold. Pointless and will not change anything else related to the car park.

A bit like the (costly) survey they commissioned to see what name public loos should be called. Does anyone really care what the name is when they are busting for a tinkle?

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MuammarQaddafi says...
12:55pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Renaming public places has always been a leftist habit. Just look at maps of Communist countries. Like leftism itself, the chronic urge to rename is fundamentally both fantastic and childish; therefore it should be unsurprising that the Greens indulge in it. If something fatal happened to Caroline Lucas tomorrow they would probably rename Madeira Drive after her.

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upsidedowntuctuc says...
1:00pm Fri 25 Jan 13

It's the level of these people not just Green idiot councilors but the Transport Committee which off the rails.
No 20MPH for schools outside the center in favour of stuffing the City centre up 1.5 million!
renaming a car park WHY?? More money wasted?
Brighton Centre has a nice clean modern car park already But as they continue to ruin access for anything other than cycles why not just call it pointless empty space costing a fortune for no reason or Councilor Davey for short
Give us all a break and GO NOW!!!

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makoshark says...
1:14pm Fri 25 Jan 13

I am just totally amazed that the current incumbent party can find time and funds for such trivial matters when surely there are far more important matters upon which these resources could be used... Perhaps establishing greater affordability and reliability of the buses is one or perhaps a peripheral set of secure fixed cost park and ride services with frequent trams or the like for another... but hang on, these might actually reduce town centre traffic factually, not just in theory!!!

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NickBtn says...
1:30pm Fri 25 Jan 13

The transport committee seems to be coming up with a series of odder and odder ideas. Some "research" is done and then "overwhelming support" is claimed (see Lewes Road and Seven Dials changes)

I expect to hear plans for street names being swapped soon......

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RottingdeanRant says...
1:38pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Given the constant claims by the council of the need for cuts and more funding these renaming games should all be stopped.

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leobrighton says...
1:39pm Fri 25 Jan 13

I'd be pretty p#s$@d off if I visited the Brighton Centre and parked there having been misled into thinking it was the nearest car park when I could have parked directly opposite. What a bunch of idiots these councillors are!

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m4mt7ah says...
1:58pm Fri 25 Jan 13

A rose by any other name.........After all it is just a car park call it what you like.

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peterthomas says...
2:59pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Could our eye watering useless council possibly devote time and - our - money to anything of less consequence???

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censored says...
4:54pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Bloody hell. It's only a car park, you know?

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Hovite says...
5:00pm Fri 25 Jan 13

But the Brighton Centre CP is behind the Brighton Centre?

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inadaptado says...
5:20pm Fri 25 Jan 13

censored wrote:
Bloody hell. It's only a car park, you know?
No, it's a excuse to complain about the Green council even more in the comments. Although, to be honest, any topic seems to be good for that lately, even if it's completely unrelated.

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Maxwell's Ghost says...
6:26pm Fri 25 Jan 13

For goodness sake.
Stop possible about with unimportant and unnecessary schemes and clear the dog **** am refuse up on our streets.
Get over to fix the heating in the disabled mans flat we read about in the argus this week and try focusing on improving education in the city.
Those of you involved in any discussions about this idea should be ashamed of wasting people's money and if you worke for me I would sack you for being stupid and a time waster.

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bogs says...
6:35pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Mark Prior, Brighton and Hove City Council's head of transport

IS A CLOWN!

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Maxwell's Ghost says...
6:41pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Clowns have skills and make people laugh. You are too generous.
He is plain irresponsible.

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BenUk says...
8:44pm Fri 25 Jan 13

to confuse people in thinking that is actually the town centre when its not but is one of the most expensive car parks in this city and it not direclty under the shopping mall you still have to walk!!
money grabbers trying to get more money.

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BornInBrighton1968 says...
6:39am Sat 26 Jan 13

Now is the time for all Brighton men and women of good character to stand together to remove the useless, incompetent Green loons from power.

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Jimmy Stewart's Imaginary Rabbit says...
1:54pm Mon 28 Jan 13

During WW2 they painted out the names of towns on road signs to confuse any invading Germans. This is from the same school of thought: call the car park that ISN'T near the Brighton Centre the 'Brighton Centre Car Park', and voila! Loads of confused visitors who won't come back thus helping to reduce congestion!

Masterful!

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Jimmy Stewart's Imaginary Rabbit says...
2:00pm Mon 28 Jan 13

censored wrote:
Bloody hell. It's only a car park, you know?
True, it's not like the battle to restore the rightful name back to the Palace Pier, but in some ways it's more important. Yes it's only a trivial issue, but the mere fact that it's even being considered is indicative of a greater malaise.

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