Fury has erupted among residents after a temporary and ‘hideous’ 15-foot metal fence has concealed their church in preparation for a Euro 2024 fanzone.
A section of Valley Gardens, located in front of St Peter’s Church, Brighton, is set to be transformed into a fanzone with a capacity for 20,000 football fans.
The outdoor venue, named Central Park, will host ticketed and free live music events as well as Euro 2024 screenings from July 14.
Furious residents have voiced their concerns regarding the towering green fence around the site, warning it will become a month-long graffiti festival.
One neighbour, who did not wish to be named for fear of reprisals dubbed it a ‘hideous monstrosity.’
He also compared it to compound whilst also adding that it will be ransacked with graffiti.
Despite the international tournament not yet kicking off, the ‘hideous’ towering fence has already been graffitied.
Other residents living in North Laine and Hanover echoed their worries about noise and antisocial behaviour during the events.
‘The surrounding little streets are used as public toilets,’ one local said.
‘No one is against football and fun but the council events team issuing these licences need to place the noisiest events in non-residential areas or limit opening times to a 9pm cut-off time.
‘Placing them in densely populated residential areas where none of the money generated finds its way back into the community it disrupted, is unreasonable.’
Others expressed their discontent around pricing of English match screenings and music events, with some being ticketed at a minimum of £17.50 per person.
A Brighton & Hove City Council spokesperson said: ‘Residents asked us to help create somewhere people could come together to enjoy the football this summer and this area is a designated event space for the city.
‘It will be fenced off to help manage the event, keep people safe and limit disruption to the surrounding area.
‘The height of the fence will help reduce sound spill to local properties and was identified in the event noise management plan to mitigate any impact on residents.
‘Once the tournament is finished, the area will be fully restored and returned to normal, with all costs being met by our partner. The fan zone will also generate vital funds for the council.’