It was jubilation for the roller-skaters on Saturday, May 12, when the Hove Lagoon skate park was officially opened (The Argus, May 14).

Congratulations to Brighton and Hove City Council and the organisers for delivering a bold enterprise scheme and a much-needed facility for the roller-skaters.

Over many years Keep Sussex Skating has kept in contact with the council in connection with skating sports and campaigns for certain sports developments and events in Brighton and Hove. The officers know that KSS advises a safe skating policy in connection with recreational roller and ice-skating sports.

We have always urged that venues such as roller-skate parks should be supervised and marshalled adequately to protect the best interests of all parties involved.

It is understandable that Hove resident Norman Cook has withdrawn his sponsorship from the skate park by Hove Lagoon. Many parents and local residents are equally dismayed that the Lagoon project is attracting disappointing behaviour and publicity owing to the behaviour of a sad minority so soon after the skate park's opening.

KSS hopes that a superior security strategy can be put in place urgently by the organisers. This perhaps may encourage Norman Cook to rethink his kind sponsorship offer at some later date. We are a popular resort and should be raising the bar of exemplary security at all venues for sporting skaters who are residents or visitors in our city.

The Hove Lagoon project has attracted substantial funding from the city council, the police and local sponsors, a valuable investment of support towards skating sports' profile of the city and for which KSS is most grateful.

However, the safe skating policy has to be the major priority of the Hove project. Lessons learned from the Hove Lagoon scheme may well benefit Brighton's proposed new skate park to be based at The Level.

  • Patricia Ginman, Keep Sussex Skating, Varndean Road, Brighton