The public have been urged not to break into a beach which has been closed since 2008.
Lewes MP James MacCleary and the owners of Newhaven Port have issued a joint appeal to the public not to break into the town's long-closed West Beach, as warm summer weather and the school holidays fuel demand for access to the sandy shoreline.
In a joint statement, Mr MacCleary and Newhaven Port & Properties Ltd acknowledged the "strong local feeling" about West Beach's future but said the site remains closed because of the risks associated with its position within an operational harbour and navigational channel.
They said there is currently no safe public access to the beach and urged people not to attempt to gain entry unlawfully, adding that "the safety of local residents, visitors and those working in and around the port must remain the priority".
The statement also called for port staff to be treated with respect, noting that employees are simply carrying out duties that keep the harbour operating safely and support local jobs and the wider economy.
Newhaven Port & Properties Ltd said it remained committed to continuing dialogue with stakeholders and the community about the beach's future, and to exploring opportunities to improve access "in a safe and sustainable way" where compatible with its statutory harbour responsibilities and navigational risk assessments.
West Beach was first shut in 2006 over concerns about the condition of the sea wall, briefly reopened in 2007, then closed again in 2008 – a closure that has now lasted 18 years.
The French-owned Newhaven Port and Properties has repeatedly cited high seas, crumbling chalk cliffs, port activity and the cost of remedial works as reasons for keeping the gates locked.
Once a popular spot for swimming and family days out, the beach's closure has become an enduring source of frustration in the town.
Tensions boiled over on June 21, when Sussex Police confirmed receiving multiple reports of padlocks being broken to allow access to restricted sections of the beach.
Reports suggested around 100 people gathered on the sand on one occasion after two men used an angle grinder to remove a padlock from a metal gate.
Police said further reports of attempted break-ins followed in the days after, and gates that had been forced open were subsequently re-secured.
Mr MacCleary described the situation as "infuriating" and, while stressing that breaking and entering could not be condoned, said he sympathised with residents' frustration.
The row over access has played out against the backdrop of Mr MacCleary's campaign to change the law.
In May, the Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes introduced the Newhaven West Beach (Public Access) Bill to Parliament, describing it as a "landmark" move to enshrine a legal right of access to the beach.
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The Bill would not only compel the beach to reopen but would also require the provision of safe pedestrian routes onto the sand.
Mr MacCleary has acknowledged that "safety and harbour operations matter", but argues this cannot be used indefinitely to justify blocking access to what he calls a cherished public space.
However, parliamentary records show the Bill's progress stalled: it had reached the Commons second reading stage before Parliament was prorogued on 29 April, meaning it will make no further progress in its current form.
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