Sea change for the beach

He has decided to retire from politics and has seen Brighton seafront transformed since he returned to council politics ten years ago.

Then, you were more likely to get a glass of beer in your face than enjoy a glass of Sauvignon by the shingle and the seafront arches were crumbling and decrepit.

Since then, £1 million of council cash has pulled in millions more from the private sector and the Single Regeneration Budget.

Councillors had tried and failed to revive the area before.

Labour had wanted to improve the seafront for many years and the commitment was part of its manifesto for the 1986 local elections when it gained control of Brighton Borough Council.

In the Seventies, four arches were rebuilt but the cost was so high the council had to stop.

Instead, the authority committed itself to making the Lower Esplanade attractive.

Some old favourites remained, such as the sailing and swimming clubs. Other features were transformed beyond all recognition.

An amusement arcade became a gym. Little storage arches became artists' headquarters. Best of all, the old fishing quarter near the foot of Ship Street was restored to include a museum.

Coun Durr is typically modest about his part in the proceedings. He said: "Nothing could have been done without the backing of the controlling group and without brilliant officers.

"When I came back on the council we wanted to do something about the seafront. Now there is a really good mix and it works 24 hours a day."

The trick was to get private enterprise to believe the old arches were worth investing in.

"One enterprise spent more than £1 million transforming old run-down premises into a modern club. I am told there is a good mix in the clubs."

He pointed out because they are well away from people's homes, the clubs can open very late - and often do.

"Now many people come to Brighton instead of going to London in the evening because there is so much going on."

The seafront can be different at various times of the day.

Last Sunday, during the heatwave, there was a "kiss me quick" traditional atmosphere. At night it is given over to clubbers. On an autumn day, people stroll along for a drink or to browse in the artists' quarter.

Another popular innovation was to introduce open air sports, such as beach volleyball.

Coun Durr said: "This goes on side by side with more traditional activities such as swimming. It works very well."

Part of the vision for the seafront was to have a series of big events, including film shows and concerts, which people could attend for free.

Last year, 40,000 people went to Fatboy Slim's gig between the piers. This year councillors and the police planned for 80,000.

But after more than 250,000 arrived there was much criticism about the arrangements.

Coun Durr, normally mild mannered, showed a semblance of annoyance about this.

"It was never out of control and we had to go ahead. To cancel would have caused a riot.

"After all that, there were only six arrests. Loads of people were spending money. Some people, like the taxi drivers, had a brilliant evening.

"There was a lot of rubbish left on the beach but within two days it had all been cleared."

Coun Durr believes Brighton and Hove will do it again but it has learnt a few lessons.

Maybe next time it will be on Madeira Drive where crowds can be better controlled and rubbish is easier to shift.

The icing on the restoration cake will be the renovation of the West Pier. Shoreline buildings, proposed by developers St Modwen, will partly fund it.

Coun Durr is again frustrated at criticism. He said: "To hear some people, you would think the developers and the council were trying to destroy the seafront. The scheme is being changed so it is much more in line with what they want."

When he first became interested in politics, Coun Durr used to think conservationists were angels. Now he says they have become too powerful.

He said: "They should use that power responsibly. We don't want to live in a Regency timewarp. We want good modern architecture."

Once the pier has been restored, the transformation of the main Brighton seafront will be complete but there is more to be done elsewhere.

In Hove, there is the King Alfred scheme, although Coun Durr is keen to stress that nothing should happen to the marvellous Brunswick Lawns.

There is difficulty restoring the area east of the Palace Pier, as there are few commercial firms to help the council fund the work.

But good work has been done to the Colonnade and Coun Durr approved of the relocation of Concorde 2 to a point half way along Madeira Drive.

Black Rock is being marketed as a leisure attraction and something will have to happen to Peter Pan's Playground, which needs improvement.

Coun Durr has had two spells as a councillor. The first was primarily to help improve the library and museum.

Now, Brighton Museum has been restored and the library is nearing completion.

With characteristic generosity, he names other Labour stalwarts such as Stanley Deason and Harry Spillman, plus Tories such as John Sheldon and Geoffrey Theobald, who showed great commitment to the project.

There are many other facets to Andy Durr's political career.

He was Mayor of Brighton and Hove, has been a local historian and he saw the council change from Tory to Labour control.

But the seafront is his first love and he will continue to visit the fishing museum even after next May, when he leaves the council.

He said: "I won't be part of the politics any more but I shall be interested to see what happens in the future."