Public to choose name of new Hove seafront park

The new park will stretch from Hove Lagoon to the King Alfred Leisure Centre

A council is offering the public the chance to pick the name of a new seafront park in East Sussex.

Work commenced on the park in October last year after construction on the £13.7m Kingsway to the Sea project had been suspended in June.

The park will stretch from Hove Lagoon to the King Alfred Leisure Centre.

The name options include references to a suffragette and a British Indian man who is credited with introducing Indian cuisine to Europe.

The new park will include sports and leisure facilities, activity and relaxation spaces, new toilets and increased biodiversity, Brighton & Hove City Council said.

The Kingsway to the Sea project will provide seafront parkland in Hove

In December, the council asked for suggestions for potential names that reflected the area's history.

From hundreds of suggestions, the public have the opportunity to choose their favourite of the nine options, which are:

• Dean Mahomed Park

• Hove Beach Park

• King Alfred Park

• Kings Park

• Kingsway Park

• Mary Clarke Park

• Sassoon Park

• West Beach Park

• West Hove Park

Among the name options, Mary Clarke was the co-founder of the Women's Social and Political Union and dedicated her life to campaigning for women's right to vote, while Flora Reuben Sassoon was a member of a Baghdadi Jewish merchant family who contributed to the development of St. Ann's Wells Garden.

Meanwhile, Dean Mahomed was a British Indian traveller, soldier, surgeon and entrepreneur who settled in Brighton and introduced Indian cuisine, baths and shampooing to Europe. He became known as Dr Brighton.

King Alfred references the HMS King Alfred naval training centre established when the leisure centre site was commandeered in World War Two, while Kingsway is the road running north of the park.

Councillor Julie Cattell said: "This vote is a unique opportunity to put your stamp on the project and I hope as many people as possible get involved in choosing the name."

The closing date is 6 February, when the name with the highest vote will be put forward for approval by councillors.

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