Reinstate shop’s rear entrance

On a recent visit to the Bognor town centre I was concerned to see that the entrance to the Boots store from Sudley Road had been permanently closed.

Whilst a temporary closure during lockdown was understandable in order to control numbers in store I suggest that the permanent closure presents a considerable inconvenience to those seeking to access London Road from Sudley Road or the Lennox Street car park and an unwelcome departure from the practice of several years’ standing.

A diversion of some hundreds of yards on foot is now necessary.

Whilst this is annoying for those without walking difficulties it has considerably greater impact on those less fortunate using the disabled parking spaces immediately adjacent to the now-closed entrance.

It may be an urban myth but there is a widespread belief that when, many years ago, permission was given for demolition of St John’s Church in London Road, Bognor, and its replacement by a new Boots store, it was a condition that a way through from Sudley Road to London Road should be maintained during normal opening hours to replace the footpath alongside the old church.

If that is true then it may be that Boots is in breach of planning permission.

Whether or not this is the case I ask that the rear entrance be reinstated in the interests not only of shoppers but also of other traders in London Road whose business may well be adversely affected by a reluctance on the part of would-be customers to go the extra (quarter-)mile. G A RAVEN Central Drive Elmer