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Bognor Regis

Bognor Regis is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, on the south coast of England. It lies 55.5 miles (89 km) south southwest of London, 24 miles (39 km) west of Brighton, and 6 miles (10 km) southeast of the county town of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Littlehampton east northeast and Selsey to the southwest. The nearby villages of Felpham, briefly home to the poet William Blake, and Aldwick are now suburbs of Bognor Regis, along with those of North and South Bersted.

Origin of name

Bognor is one of the oldest recorded Saxon place names in Sussex. In a document of 680AD it is referred to as Bucgan ora meaning Bucge's (a female Saxon name) shore, or landing place.^[2]

History

Bognor Regis was originally named just "Bognor", being a fishing (and one time, smuggling) village until the 18th century, when it was converted into a resort by Sir Richard Hotham. Tourism gradually took off over the next hundred years, the area being chosen as an ideal location for King George V to convalesce in during 1929, the King and Queen actually staying at Craigwell House ^[3] Aldwick; as a result, the King was asked to bestow the "Regis" ("of the King") suffix on "Bognor".^[4]

Legend has it that the King's last words, upon being told that he would soon be well enough to revisit the town, were "Bugger Bognor!" Although there is little evidence that these words were actually uttered in this context, and although the sea air helped the King to regain his health, it is certain that the King had little regard (to put it mildly) for the town.^[5]

Bognor was a part of the ancient parish of South Bersted in the county of Sussex, attaining parish status separate from South Bersted in 1828. Until 1894 it formed part of the Hundred of Aldwick, an ancient division of Chichester Rape. From 1894 to 1974 it was part of Bognor Urban District (Bognor Regis Urban District from 1929), and since 1974 it has been a part of Arun District.

The historic meeting of the crews (and associated handshake) of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project on 17 July 1975 was supposed to have taken place over Bognor Regis, but a flight delay caused it to occur over Metz in France instead.^[6]

Bognor Regis town centre was damaged in 1994 by an IRA device left in a bicycle outside Woolworths. 15 shops were damaged but no injuries occurred. ^[7]

On the beach between Bognor Regis and Aldwick lies the wreck of a Floating Pontoon. It is part of the Mulberry Harbour which was towed across to Normandy on D-Day June 6, 1944. This particular section of Mulberry didn't make it across the channel and was washed up on the beach shortly after D-Day. It is clearly visible at low tide throughout the year.

Town

Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, France

Weil am Rhein, Germany

Trebbin, Germany

Bognor Regis Regeneration Plans

A Cinema with 4-8 screens

A Bowling alley

Possibly a hotel

Some retail stores and restaurants

5 kiosks^[11]

There may also be a car park located underneath the centre, with 500 spaces, for both residents and visitors. A new Arts Centre has also been proposed for the complex, but this is still in much doubt due to the Compulsory Purchase Order which will have to be carried out on the existing Theatre and the determination of the local people and Arun Arts, who currently run it, and have some 40 years left on the lease, that it should stay.^[12][13]

Timetable At current a timetable has been devised by St. Modwen, with construction beginning in 2010, and completion in 2013.^[14] Bognor Civic Society have reported that the redevelopment of Bognor Regis has been delayed until possibly 2012 due to the economic recession^[15]

January 2007 - Development Agreement signed

January 2008 - 1st public consultation

February 2008 - Review and amend scheme based on feedback from public consultation

Summer 2008 - 2nd public consultation

Summer 2008 - Review and amend scheme based on feedback from public consultation

Autumn 2008 - Planning application submission

2009 - Planning permission granted, Site acquisition and road closure process

2010 - Construction starts

2013 - Schemes completed

Climate

Bognor Regis experiences an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.

Butlin's Holiday Camp

Sir Billy Butlin opened one of his Butlin's Holiday Camps in Bognor in 1960. The camp later became known as Southcoast World until 1998 and is now known as Butlin's Bognor Regis Resort. In 1999 Butlin's erected a large indoor leisure park, the buildings construction sharing aspects similar with the Millennium Dome in London. In 2005, a new £10m hotel, called "The Shoreline" was unveiled at the Bognor Regis resort.^[17] A second hotel "The Ocean" is due to open on the site in Summer 2009 and general landscaping and upgrading has also taken place. Postcards featuring the Butlins' Reception Hall and Sun Lounge were reprinted in the book Boring Postcards (1999). More luxury hotels are planned for the site. In May 2009 Butlins have also announced that they will be looking into adding a third hotel to the Bognor Regis site.^[18]

Birdman of Bognor

The International Bognor Birdman was an annual competition for human-powered 'flying' machines held each summer in Bognor Regis. Contestants launch themselves from the end of the pier; a prize being awarded to the one who glides the furthest distance. Rarely taken completely seriously, the event provides competitors with an opportunity to construct improbable machines complete with outlandish dress. The spectacle drew a sizeable crowd in addition to the local media. Inaugurated in nearby Selsey in 1971, the Birdman transferred to Bognor in 1978 when it had outgrown its original location. Such celebrities as Richard Branson are famous for taking the leap of faith.

The Birdman Event of 2008 was transferred to Worthing at the '11th hour' due to the council instructing some 79 feet (24 m) of pier to be removed in March 2008. This meant that there were question marks over the possible safety of the contestants landing in shallower water. Worthing is now the official home of the competition.^[19]

Music scene & festivals

Each year Bognor Rox is held on Bognor Prom, where two stages are set up for artists to perform.^[20]

Theatre and cinema

The Alexandra Theatre is a 352 seat auditorium showing a variety of entertainment from comedy to drama to pantomime. It replaced the Esplanade Theatre in the late 1970s. It is well supported by local people and intends to stay where it is in spite of plans to demolish it.

Bognor Regis is the home of possibly the largest classical guitar society in the UK, the West Sussex Guitar Club. The current president is Kris Homer, a graduate of Coventry University. He recently toured Australia with opera singer Holly Graham; the tour was dubbed by ABC as 'exceptionally brilliant.' Others^[who?] have described his performances as erotic and electric.

The film The Punch and Judy Man, starring Tony Hancock, was made in Bognor Regis. Several scenes of the film Wish You Were Here, were also filmed in Bognor Regis.

External scenes from the comedy series "Hope It Rains" starring Tom Bell and Holly Aird were filmed on the esplanade at Bognor.

More recently, the BBC TV series Jekyll (TV series) had several scenes throughout the series set in Bognor.

Education

Bognor Regis has two Secondary Schools, Felpham Community College and Bognor Regis Community College. The area also has several primary schools, both in Bognor Regis and Felpham.^[21]

Local sport

The Formula One driver David Purley, best known for his attempt to save the life of fellow racing driver Roger Williamson during the 1973 Dutch Grand Prix, was born in Bognor Regis, where he was tragically killed after crashing his aerobatic biplane into the sea off Bognor Regis on July 2, 1985.^[22]