Businesses ventoutrage over Crescent area

Business owners have hit out at Causeway Coast and Glens Council over the poor condition of the seafront Crescent scheme in Portstewart.
The Crescent in Portstewart. PICTURE MARK JAMIESON.The Crescent in Portstewart. PICTURE MARK JAMIESON.
The Crescent in Portstewart. PICTURE MARK JAMIESON.

Bad weather over the winter and into the New Year saw the play area which is popular with local families and tourists being battered by storms.

At the time Council carried out an assessment of the scheme.

Areas of concern identified included the main pavilion, the play park and both pools.

A local business owner, who did not wish to be named, told The Coleraine Times this week that they were ‘outraged’ at the state of the area, which is well used by locals and visitors alike.

And the owner called on Council to address the concerns of local people before the busy summer season begins.

“Basically the area is a like a huge sand pit with a few picnic tables dumped into it.

“This area is the main attraction for visitors and locals to Portstewart.

“In this recent spell of great weather it’s a shame that people couldn’t enjoy what used to be a great area for families,” said the angry business owner.

In a statement, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council revealed that work is now almost complete on the main pavilion and that further work was being planned to enhance the area.

The work on the pavilion will enable the lease holder to provide attractions during the summer season.

New play park equipment was installed before Easter, however Council confirmed that this will be further enhanced in time for the summer season.

Council went on to reveal that the popular musical fountain is repairable and will be in operation again for the summer season.

Regrettably the statement advised that both pools at the Crescent were ‘unfit for purpose’, and that the ‘re-instatement of the pools will be subject to further review’.

Locals hope that the work can be completed before the annual Red Sails Festival which attracts thousands to the resort each July.