Campaign to relight a Spanish Armada beacon on Hove seafront

The Hove Lagoon Beacon was installed and lit for the first time in 1988 to mark the 400th anniversary of the battle against the Spanish Armada.

Back then, beacons formed part of a national network used to alert the public.

Wish Ward city councillors Robert Nemeth and Garry Peltzer Dunn are leading a campaign to bring the beacon back to life in time for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

This time, instead of wood, the beacon would be lit with an LED.

Cllr Nemeth said: “We have been working with local resident and professional lighting designer Eleni Shiarlis, who remembers seeing the beacon lit up to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

“She has said that with a little imagination and some clever lighting effects we can bring this flickering seafront beacon back to life at night.”

• READ MORE: Hove seafront beacon relit by campaigners

The necessary £15,000 funding for the LED has already been approved.

The councillors hope it will be finished for Platinum Jubilee national beacon lighting on Thursday, June 2, 2022.

Cllr Nemeth said: “The LED lighting effect is something that we have been working on with Eleni since 2016, when many were left perplexed and disappointed by the failure of the Labour administration which failed to participate in the lighting of 900 beacons for the Queen’s 90th birthday.

“Eleni’s prototype, which we trialled in 2018, demonstrated how an intelligent lighting scheme can create a welcoming glow and warmth to the local area.

“We were delighted to secure the funding necessary for this project at the February budget through the great work of Conservative finance spokesman Joe Miller – now we need to see the commitment from the council to get this installed before June next year. That is what this motion is about.

“This would be a wonderful addition to the Hove seafront, bringing an historic landmark back to life with a new environmentally friendly twist. Brighton and Hove’s seafront is packed with heritage that has been under-utilised and neglected for many years by the Labour/Greens council. Let’s bring it back to life.”

Hove Beacon was installed and lit for the first time in 1988

Cllr Peltzer Dunn said civic events were important to residents and Brighton and Hove must not neglect participating in the Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

“By failing to participate in the last beacon lighting event, the council denied our city and its residents the opportunity of a memorable civic occasion and this upset many organisations in the city,” he said.

“Many residents fondly remember the Hove Beacon lighting event in 1988 – it was an event attended by the mayor complete with cannon salutes and a marching band.

“There needs to be more focus in this city on civic events that encourage pride in our wonderful heritage and history and bring people together.

“It would be a wonderful occasion and an environmentally friendly one as well which would allow our city to lead to way into the future – I am sure this would be appreciated by all residents.”