Brighton Community Rallies For Dog-Free Area In Park

More than 1,000 people have signed a petition to make part of a popular park dog-free again.

Simon Andrews set up a petition titled Restore the Dog-Free Fenced Area at Blakers Park Brighton on Change.org which has attracted 1,309 signatures at the time of going to press.

With a group of 10 neighbours, he has been leafleting to encourage people to sign the petition to make the area around the park’s clock tower subject to a public space protection order (PSPO) to make it dog-free.

The petition said:

“For over 40 years, this fenced area has served as a safe and peaceful haven where school groups, nursery children and families have gathered for picnics, games, and community events.

“In the 1970s, following strong local advocacy over concerns such as dog fouling, the community successfully secured its dog-free status.

“This long-standing arrangement has helped foster safety, accessibility and harmony in the park.

“However, the current PSPO does not include this important space within its dog-free designation despite its historical use as a dog-free area.

“As a result, dogs are now allowed in a space that has traditionally been relied upon for safe, dog-free recreation.

“We believe that the wellbeing of children and the integrity of this valued community space must be protected.

“We respectfully urge Brighton and Hove City Council to amend the current PSPO to reinstate the dog-free status of the fenced area, ensuring that Blakers Park remains a welcoming and secure environment for children, families and the wider community.”

The petition already has more than 1,300 signatures – enough to secure a debate at a full council meeting. The next meeting is due to take place in June.

Mr Andrews said:

“We just want to get the numbers up now the best we can to drive it home.

“When I moved here 20-odd years ago there were signs that said ‘no dogs’ until about five years ago when someone spotted the council had not reapplied to relist it as dog-free and the council had to take the signs down.

“Dog owners are using it and it always was dog-free. There are infant school kids going in and youngsters knocking about a football. They love it in the fenced area.

“It’s totally wrong as they (dog owners) have a much larger stretch of grass outside this area. That’s what we’re up in arms about.”

Since 2011, all dogs – excluding guide dogs, hearing dogs and disabled support dogs – have been banned from certain public beaches from May to September, some parks and all cemeteries except for funerals. All children’s play areas are also dog-free areas.

Current PSPOs restricting dogs in parks are operating until 2026.

The parks are the Steine Memorial Gardens, Kipling Gardens, in Rottingdean, the Rockery Gardens, in Preston Road, William Clarke Park, in Picton Street, Saunders Park (excluding the fenced dog area to the south west corner of the park), in Lewes Road, and part of Queen’s Park.

Since 2009, dogs must be kept on leads in all parts of Brighton and Hove and the person in charge of the dog at the time must clean up any faeces.

The petition is available on the Change.org website by visiting www.change.org/p/restore-the-dog-free-fenced-area-at-blakers-park-brighton.