Social life ‘taken away’ at park

This was a ruthless and despicable act, with very little notice given by the new owner of the site, Turners Ltd.

Over the years, the residents had built up a programme of professional entertainment, including acts from the London West End, television, singers, comedians and musicians through my agency, and also held talks, coffee morning, anniversaries and birthday parties at the social club, which was to have celebrated its own 25th anniversary this summer.

Their St George’s Day event, indoor sporting dates and Olympic and diamond jubilee celebrations, and the programme for the whole year has been cancelled.

The residents are shell-shocked, as your reports have stated.

These mobile home parks are advertised with thriving social clubs, and that is one of the main reasons the older generation retire there and purchase property.

Most of the residents aren’t very mobile and a social club on the doorstep is ideal for their leisure, therapy and health, preventing them from becoming prisoners in their own home.

I understand the previous owner Britannia Parks was considering building a bigger and better social club for the residents on some land further back from the site.

Why don’t Turners Ltd do this?

You can’t advertise a mobile park as having a thriving social club to sell new homes if you haven’t got one.

I have booked acts at every venue in Littlehampton over the years and I’ve seen some pubs and clubs go with the recession, which is sad, but Thornlea Park’s social club was ticking over nicely and was well run by the residents.

I feel it is Turners’ duty to build them a new club, and it would be to the company’s advantage, as the new mobile homes they build on the site of the old club will go up in price if they do.

I hope that no other mobile sites I book at will have to experience what the Thornlea Park residents have had to go through, having their social life taken away from them.

Allen David

Allen David International Entertainments

Felpham Way

Bognor Regis