Fear for future of club

MEMBERS of the Newhaven Age Concern Day Club fear it may have to close if old folk cannot access a newly completed public car park.

The yet to be opened car park was built as part of the Sea Containers housing development on West Quay.

At present the car park is fenced off while its ownership is being transferred to Lewes District Council as part of Sea Containers development deal.

Day club chairman Doreen Buckett explained: 'The club was built with money collected locally on land given to us by Sea Containers and we were given permission to park on their land in front of the club until the new car park was finished. We were told that at no time would the development of the site interfere with us.

Due to the development, parking spaces were no longer available and club members were left with nowhere to leave their cars except the new public car park. Some with problems walking, who relied on cars, found it impossible to get to the club safely.

Mrs Buckett added: 'We have 86 members, all local people, and to many of them it is a lifeline. We have people as old as 91 and I cannot understand this complete disregard and compassion for a generation who have done so much for this country.

Emergency services

Concern was also raised that parking problems would make it difficult for emergency services to get to the centre if needed.

'The biggest problem I have is there is no way to get an ambulance or fire engine to the club and this raises the question, can I keep the club open in these circumstances? said Mrs Buckett.

Club secretary Mary Colwell said the new car park looked ready for use five months ago.

She added: 'There were times when members had nowhere to park and we thought it would close. The club has also lost out on fund raising because of the problems.

'In spite of conversations with Sea Containers and Lewes District Council on numerous occasions, neither seem interested in our efforts to run a club for elderly people who quite often live alone and do not see people during the day and to whom the club is a lifeline.

A district council spokesman said the car park would open when the transfer from Sea Containers to the council was complete.

'That should happen within the next month when we have ownership and it is up and running as a car park, she added.