'Coronavirus: The Latest Developments In Sussex (Monday, 22)

Here’s the latest coronavirus-related news that has happened over the weekend (20-21) June.

East Sussex- 774

West Sussex – 1,368

Brighton and Hove -486

Sussex – 2,628

Popular tourist attraction reopens

Battle Abbey reopened on Saturday – although if you are visiting, you’ll need to expect some changes – read more here.

Visitors will now need to book timed tickets in advance, and limits on visitor numbers have been introduced to help keep visitors safe and aid in social distancing.

Four-hour live music event raises funds for COVID-19 Urgent Appeal.

As previously reported by More Radio, a live music event –set to benefit NHS staff, volunteers, and those who have been impacted by the pandemic took place last week.

Brighton Palace Pier teamed up with SuperCharged to host the four-hour live music charity fundraising event on the Pier.

As previously reported by More Radio, Mid Sussex District Council is having to rethink its corporate and business plans for the coming year thanks to the potentially crippling financial impact of the pandemic.

During a scrutiny committee meeting, blunt words from leader Jonathan Ash-Edwards made it perfectly clear that the council’s previously solid financial position was rapidly becoming a thing of the past.

Mid Sussex is losing between £600k and £700k each month and has predicted a £6.5m loss by the end of the financial year.

The Bluebell Railway plans to open on its birthday

Popular Lewes tourist attraction, The Bluebell Railway, has set out plans to reopen on Friday 7 August and mark its 60^th birthday.

The heritage railway said the provisional date allowed time for some of its staff and volunteers to return to work in mid-July to carry out the necessary safety checks before running steam trains again.

Greater Brighton Councillors have agreed to find ways to support and save the creative industries worth millions to the city economy.

There was cross-party support at last night’s Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture Committee for officers to draw up options to help music venues, theatres, community projects as well as individuals.

Councillors heard how in 2018 the creative industries generated £1.55 billion in the Greater Brighton area, employ more than 16,000 people, read more about the plans here.

A memorial has been suggested to honour more than 70 Crawley people who have died after contracting Covid-19, as reported.

Peter Lamb, leader of the borough council, mentioned the idea during his weekly online Q&A.

He said:

“I’ve had the update that we’ve apparently had 75 deaths in Crawley so far, the majority of those hostel based and a number in care homes.

“That figure has continued to rise despite a general reduction in the number of cases.

“We need to think at the end of all this about some sort of memorial to those who’ve been lost in the pandemic, much as there was back in the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic.”