Residents’ anger at plan to rename their village just for tourists

One of England’s largest villages is considering re-branding their image in hopes of becoming more popular with tourists.

Councillors in Lancing, Sussex, are thinking of changing the area’s name to Lancing-on-Sea to make it sound more attractive to visitors.

New lamppost banners show an illustration of village buildings and the South Downs mountains alongside the new name have already been mocked up.

Underneath, the picture sports the tag: ‘Be at the centre’, before directing visitors to the shops.

If the Parish Council chooses to go ahead with the change, the signs will be placed around the area from the A259, South Street and Grinstead Lane.

But it would appear that not everyone is keen on the idea, with some residents arguing that the new name is ‘confusing’ and a ‘waste of time’ compared to other areas they wanted addressed.

One woman commented: ‘If the parish council had supported the local village shops and put pressure on increases in rents this would not have been necessary.

‘Poster is rubbish and as for the “on-sea”, what a waste of time and money.’

Another added: ‘Very confusing as lancing on-sea doesn’t appear on any map that I’ve ever seen.’

While a third asked: ‘Good idea but we aren’t Lancing-on-sea, picture is too childlike and not really truly representative of Lancing, shouldn’t the town centre be improved before inviting visitors to partake in it!’

The idea for the lamppost banners first came from the Lancing Parish Council-led Lancing Vision Group.

Initially they had liked the idea of bunting across the roads but it was deemed ‘too complicated’ to carry out.

The group have been thinking of ways to promote Lancing following a consultation on the area in 2017.

Councillor Gloria Eveleigh, chairwoman of Lancing Parish Council said that they were dedicated to ‘listening to and acting on’ the community’s wishes.

She said: ‘The Lancing Vision Group is trying to fulfil the results of the consultation by following through the suggested ways to improve the village.’