Worthing’s Grafton car park closed due to unstable concrete

Specialist engineers will investigate a council multi-storey car park which was forced to close last week due to unstable concrete.

Grafton multi-storey car park in Worthing remains closed after the borough council said recent inspections raised safety concerns about the building.

A council spokesperson said urgent investigation works would now be undertaken to decide the future of the Marine Parade site.

The town’s Business Improvement District (Bid) added it was “deeply concerned about the impact this will have when combined with roadworks and other parking issues”.

The multi-storey car park, which is more than 60 years old, was first closed last Friday after some of the concrete inside the car park was found to be “in a poorer condition than expected”.

The council added: “Public safety is our priority so we have immediately closed the whole car park to prevent there being any potential risk to people using it.”

Over 400 parking spaces will be lost in Worthing as a result of the closure.

Businesses such as the Hollywood Bowl bowling alley remain open despite the closure.

A Bid spokesperson added that it understood “the disappointment and concern this will cause for local businesses and residents” and “remains committed to supporting our business community in every way we can”.

In November 2023, Worthing Borough Council announced plans to sell and demolish Grafton car park, a move which had first been mooted in 2007.

Some residents of Worthing told BBC Radio Sussex the building was “ugly”, an “eyesore”, and a “monstrosity”.