15/04/2026
What can we say ! Thank you so much Josh Babarinde OBE and Jack Morrell .We are very grateful that you care for โthe little manโ and fight for whatโs right in our town ๐๐ป๐. Thank you to everyone who has also commented and given us support and help over the last few days. We appreciate you all ๐ฅฐ
โ๏ธ ๐ฆ๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐: ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ง๐ฒ๐ฎ ๐๐ผ๐๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑโ๏ธ
๐ Iโve been on the phone to East Sussex County Council bosses today as has Meads Lib Dem campaigner Jack Morrell and we have confirmation from them that the enormous storage container ridiculously placed in front of Dickens Tea Cottage Eastbourne on South Street will be moved by Monday at the latest (Iโve pushed for tomorrow).
๐ช This is great news for Dickens and shows how when we come together to pile on the pressure across both Eastbourne and the House of Commons, we can get things done!
โSome people have asked why I raised an issue like this in Parliament - the reason is because Iโm not prepared to let small businesses get trampled over.
๐ฝ The backstory Iโve been told is that East Sussex County Council gave permission for the parking bays to be suspended so a contractor for a private developer doing work in a building on Grove Road could place the โwelfare containerโ there, which includes a loo and things.
๐ฎโโ๏ธ The container will be relocated to outside the Old Police Station on Grove Road.
๐ฎ The County Council have said that they have just given permission for a skip to be placed in the bays, though, which is still not ideal!
๐ค Weโve brokered an agreement with Eastbourne Borough Council who have said they would be happy for the Town Hall car park to be used for the wellbeing unit, which could me the skip goes outside the police station, which could mean the bays outside Dickens could be restored for parking. I hope the developers take up this offer because we need common sense to prevail!
๐คฉ In the meantime, weโre glad to report that the team at Dickens Tea Cottage are very happy that our pressure had led to the upcoming relocation of the container.
โ๏ธ Iโd encourage as many folks as possible to pop in there for a cuppa to show them some love and help compensate for the rubbish week theyโve had! (I will be in there!)
