Anger as Worthing Beacon Not Lit for D-Day Anniversary

Worthing residents have voiced their anger against Worthing Borough Council as the town’s beacon was not lit to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings in the Second World War.

To mark the anniversary, a national beacon-lighting campaign was undertaken by towns across the country, including Shoreham, Hove, and Littlehampton. However, Worthing’s beacon, installed on the seafront promenade in 1999 and owned by the council, remained unlit.

On social media, residents stated that D-Day veterans “deserved better,” and Worthing and Adur’s town crier, Bob Smytheran, had hoped the council would change its mind before the anniversary.

Councillor Sean McDonald from Northbrook expressed his disgust, highlighting that many soldiers from Worthing, including Canadians commemorated by a local war memorial, departed from the town on June 6, 1944, and many did not return. McDonald challenged the council, which cited cost concerns as the reason for not lighting the beacon.

A Worthing Borough Council spokesman responded, noting that various remembrance events took place across Adur and Worthing, including a coordinated bell-ringing event at local churches. They believed the bell-ringing would reach more people sustainably and decided against lighting the beacon to focus on these efforts.