Bognor Regis Town Hall

Bognor Regis Town Hall is a Grade II listed municipal building on Clarence Road in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, England. It is the meeting place of Bognor Regis Town Council and one of the town's most notable civic buildings from the interwar years.

What is Bognor Regis Town Hall?

The building is a purpose-built town hall in the neo-Georgian style, designed by the architect Charles Cowles-Voysey. Its design dates to 1929, and the work was carried out in 1929–1930. The council still uses it today, and councillors of Bognor Regis Town Council meet here. The building stands in the Arun district on the West Sussex coast.

Why was it built on Clarence Road?

In 1929 the council decided to put up a dedicated town hall on land that had once formed part of the grounds of a convalescent home. Clarence Road was not the town's main street, and some councillors at the time regarded it as a "back street". The foundation stones were laid on 22 May 1929. The commission was won through a design competition, and Cowles-Voysey was the winning architect. The builder named in the listing is H. W. Seymour, and the detailing is credited to John Bower.

What came before it?

Before this building existed, the council had no purpose-built home. From 1882 it used the former Jubilee School in the High Street, which the council surveyor, Mr Stringfellow, converted for about £500 into a town hall. That arrangement lasted until the new building on Clarence Road replaced it as the seat of local government.

What changed in 1974?

Local government reorganisation in 1974 merged Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Arundel into the new Arun District Council. As a result the town hall lost its position as the seat of a self-standing local authority and became a branch office of the district council. Bognor Regis Town Council, a parish-level body, is now based in the building and holds its meetings there.

Why is it listed?

The town hall was added to the National Heritage List for England, as entry number 1350337, on 24 January 2003, with Grade II status. Grade II is the category for buildings of special interest. The listing reflects the building's architecture and its place in the civic history of the town.

What does the architecture look like?

Neo-Georgian architecture draws on the proportions and restraint of English buildings of the eighteenth century: regular windows, symmetry and measured detailing instead of heavy ornament. For a seaside resort better known for its promenade and pier, a calm civic building of this kind gives the town a more formal side. Seen from Clarence Road, the building has a dignified presence even though it is not on the seafront.

Visiting

The town hall is a working administrative building, not a museum, so it is best appreciated from the outside. It is a short walk from the centre of Bognor Regis and the seafront, which makes it easy to combine with a stroll through the town. Anyone interested in local government history, interwar architecture or listed buildings will find it worth a look. For access to meetings or council services, check with Bognor Regis Town Council directly.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Bognor Regis Town Hall? On Clarence Road in Bognor Regis, West Sussex.

Who designed it? Charles Cowles-Voysey, who won the design competition.

Is it a listed building? Yes, it is Grade II listed, since 24 January 2003.

Who uses it today? Bognor Regis Town Council, which meets in the building.

What was the town hall before this one? The former Jubilee School in the High Street, converted in 1882.