Council Backs Calls To Reopen Midhurst Police Station Front Desk

Chichester District Council is set to support calls for Midhurst Police Station to be reopened to the public.

At a full council meeting on Tuesday (January 20), council leader Adrian Moss agreed to co-sign a letter to Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne, highlighting strong public support for restoring the station’s front desk.

The public counter at Midhurst Police Station was closed in 2024, with Sussex Police citing unforeseen staff shortages.

Since then, residents wanting to speak to an officer have been directed to use a yellow telephone outside the building.

Although the station continues to house the rural crime team, specialist dog units and neighbourhood policing officers, councillors say this does not provide the level of visibility and accessibility residents expect.

Liberal Democrat councillor Dominic Merritt, who represents Midhurst, has been surveying residents to gather views on the closure.

He said people feel the station is effectively closed to the public and that relying on an external phone is unacceptable, particularly in moments of fear or crisis.

He added that residents want the reassurance of a staffed front desk and the ability to speak to an officer face-to-face in a safe environment.

Previously, Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said Midhurst Police Station remains an active and valuable part of the Sussex Police estate.

She said officers based at the station would respond to incidents when immediate assistance is needed and that the police estate strategy is regularly reviewed to ensure services remain accessible across the county.

Mr Moss, along with Cllr Merritt and cabinet member for communities and wellbeing Tracie Bangert, will now write to Mrs Bourne, setting out public concerns and calling for the front desk to be reopened and for more visible policing in Midhurst.