Stone me – what price a piece of Brighton? (From The Argus)

Stone me – what price a piece of Brighton?

3:10pm Monday 11th March 2013 in News By Ben James

An entrepreneurial youngster has taken to trying to earn a bit of pocket money by selling Brighton Beach pebbles on eBay.

Grant McCluskey posted the single pebble under his seller’s name thedoctorwhoguide2012 for an asking price of £4.99.

When contacted through the website by The Argus, he said: “I do what I can to survive financially.

“Every pound I make is important, I can sell anything.”

He said that it was the first time he had sold a pebble adding that he thought that maybe a tourist would like it.

Under the picture of a light brown stone, he also posted a simple description, which reads: “Rock From Brighton, Some Years Old, Fast Delivery, Bless you.”

At the time of going to print nobody had placed a bid although potential buyers have until March 25.

Brighton and Hove’s pebbled beach is up there with the Royal Pavilion and Palace Pier when it comes to iconic city images.

Sea defences

Earlier this year the beach was named in Lonely Planet’s top ten alongside Sydney’s Bondi and Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana. However not everyone was happy with Mr McCluskey’s cheeky attempt to make some extra cash.

Brighton and Hove City Council’s seafront office run most of the beachfront.

Councillor Geoffrey Bowden, chair of the economic development and culture committee, said: “Visitors to Brighton and Hove often want to take a memento home with them and for some this is a pebble or sea shell from the beach and we understand this.

“However the problem is that the city has a perpetual sea defence problem and pebbles play their part in protecting the seafront.

“While our seafront officers are unlikely to report visitors taking a pebble home to remember their visit, they are instructed to report anyone taking large quantities of pebbles, such as bucket loads or bag loads, to the police who will consider a criminal prosecution.”

A Sussex Police spokesman added that they would not launch an investigation unless it was reported to them.

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