Coronavirus: The Latest Developments In Sussex (Wednesday, 29)

Here’s all the coronavirus related news that’s gone on in Sussex over the last 7 days.

As of Wednesday, (July 29) at 6am, the following figures are the known number of Covid-19 cases in each district:

East Sussex - 1,602

West Sussex - 2,791

Brighton and Hove - 807

Sussex Total - 5,200

The total number of deaths in hospitals across Sussex currently stands at 638.

Traders In Lewes Furious Over Planned Covid-19 High Street Parking Suspensions...

An outcry from many traders has greeted East Sussex Highways' plan to widen pavements in Lewes's main shopping street but suspend 159 metres of parking spaces outside the town's stores — beginning in August.

Lewes's Chamber of Commerce claimed today (July 20) it wasn't properly consulted, and said that banning street parking will discourage visitors.

Read the full story here...

Festival In Eastbourne WILL Go Ahead In September...

Tourism bosses in Eastbourne said today (July 20) at least one of the autumn's festivals will go ahead, with practical social distancing measures in place.

It's the town's Walking Festival, still scheduled for 18–27 September 2020.

Read the full story here...

150 Jobs At Risk In Worthing, Lancing, Shoreham, Southwick, Storrington in Leisure Company Collapse...

Following a warning issued in June, Adur District Council today (July 20) said the company running many local leisure centres had collapsed.

According to the local authority, Adur Community Leisure had earlier requested a council-backed loan to help it weather the pandemic, but announced its voluntary liquidation before the district council made a decision on the money.

As a result, the district council said, 150 jobs are now at risk.

Read the full story here...

Firle: One Of World's Oldest Cricket Fixtures Took Newest Format...

One of the oldest fixtures in sporting history — the cricket match between the Gentlemen of Lewes and the Gentlemen of Firle — is to be played in the game’s newest format, the "100", this Wednesday 22 July.

The players of Firle Cricket Club in East Sussex said that the poster in the Firle clubhouse, also copied in village's pub, The Ram, shows that this particular contest has been on the sporting calendar since at least 1851.

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Eastbourne's Devonshire Park Tennis Courts In Rare Opening For Public Play...

The grass courts of Devonshire Park have opened to the public for six weeks only, in a rare opportunity to play at the home of the Nature Valley International, after the cancellation of all tournaments this year.

According to Eastbourne Borough Council, the impact of Covid-19 has led to the, apparently, "immaculate" courts being opened up for bookings as part of the Lawn Tennis Association's "Play Your Way" scheme.

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Lewes Bonfire: Cliffe Bonfire Society Cancels Participation In This Year's November 5 Commemoration...

One of Lewes's seven Bonfire societies, the Cliffe Bonfire Society, said this afternoon (July 26) that its participation in November's Bonfire commemoration has been cancelled because of difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

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Street Art In Worthing Lets Businesses Say "We're Back"...

A giant mural on the surface of Portland Road in Worthing says "We're Back In The Game".

That's according to a group of businesses in the town who say they're working with Worthing Borough Council's "Time For Worthing" project and West Sussex County Council.

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Butlins at Bognor "Happy" To Help Accommodate Former Rough Sleepers During Covid-19 Crisis...

Arun District Council said it's worked with partners including Butlin's at Bognor to help accommodate formerly homeless people during the Covid-19 lockdown, as the government instructed.

According to the District Council, it will continue to work with its most vulnerable clients and rough sleepers to secure more settled accommodation. 

The authority said that, at the peak of the pandemic, it offered 61 households accommodation to enable members to have a home and stay safe, in line with government guidance.

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"Together, Apart" For Chestnut Tree House And The Littlehampton 10K...

A very popular annual 10k run supporting Sussex's Chestnut Tree House Hospice is still going ahead this year — but with a socially-distanced twist.

Organisers of the Littlehampton 10k have announced September's fund-raising race will have the theme "Together Apart".

They're asking participants to run the distance starting from their own homes, while the event is co-ordinated in "real time" via the Internet this year.

Read the full story here...

Eastbourne Sunshine Carnival Postponed To 2021...

What organisers have called the "biggest sea-front carnival in the South-East" must wait until 2021 for its next outing.

The patron of Eastbourne Sunshine Carnival, former town MP Stephen Lloyd, made the announcement on Thursday (July 23).

Read the full story here...