New signs will direct visitors into the past

Four new signs have been put up directing visitors to the town’s volunteer-run museum in West Street.

This has been done thanks to support from Arun District Council and the Bognor Regis Regeneration Board.

The Bognor Regis Local History Society, which runs the museum, applied to the board to fund the signs, when it invited projects which would help improve the experience for shoppers and visitors to the town centre to come forward.

The money to fund this was generated through the new Sainsbury’s store in Shripney Road.

History society chairman, Greg Burt said: “The society and all our volunteers who man the attraction are delighted to at last see the new signs in place.

“We are very proud of the new museum, but we have suffered a drop in visitor numbers since the move and are keen to raise the profile.

“Those who do find us never leave disappointed.

“We are most grateful to the regeneration board for choosing to support us.

“It may only be a small project costing very little, but it will certainly make a big difference to us.”

Since moving to the former Berkeley Arms pub in 2011, from its previous home in the High Street, the number of visitors to the museum had dropped significantly.

This was due to less passing trade and the fact many keen to discover more about the town’s past were unaware of the new location.

Arun District Council’s leader Gillian Brown said: “I am delighted that with the board’s help it has been possible for this new signage to be erected.

“Bognor Regis History Society provides visitors to the museum with a real insight into the town’s past.”

The attraction, which reopens on March 23 for the 2013 season, also secured support from the board to help fund the rebuilding of an outhouse to the rear of the museum.

This will house the town’s remaining bathing machine.

This scheme is still being worked on, but it is hoped a bid will be submitted soon to the Heritage Lottery to fund the balance.