Police Motorcylists Line Up At Madeira Terrace

I took this photograph when a stage of The Tour of Britain road cycling race ended in Brighton.

Many different cycling, motorcycle and vintage vehicles events congregate and end on Madeira Drive so a sight such as this is not unusual.

Today it is the turn of the Hells Angels. Apparently 3000 have turned up for their annual rally so I'm hoping I'll have some time later to go and take a look.

Although such events are still taking place, the arches you see in the background of this photograph are in trouble.

The Grade 2 listed Terrace stretches 850m along the seafront in Brighton but is falling into irreversible disrepair.

The entire length of Madeira Terrace has been closed to pedestrians since 2016, following the advice of structural engineers while the local council take steps to prevent sections of it from collapsing. 😱

Brighton City Council stated:

Surveying showed that the steel beams embedded in the concrete, supporting the deck of the Terrace, have corroded and the cast iron has come to the end of its useful life. Repairs cannot be made and a rebuild is needed.

Many attempts have been made to raise funds to make repairs but without much success.

The best to date was a Crowdfunding campaign which surpassed its target raising more than £464,000, approximately 10 per cent more than the original target.

This money will allow the first three western end arches to be restored which will then act as a showcase for the terrace. They will be a reminder of how the whole terrace will look once the remaining 148 arches are also fully restored.

The crowdfunding campaign was the crucial first step in a £24m plan to save the arches. Let's hope more money is raised soon!

Looking up to the main road from Madeira Drive

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