A special family event on Sunday marked the start of the quay-side being open to the public on a trial basis.

Simmons Quay opened last year following a multi-million pound Environment Agency project to improve working conditions for local fishermen.

They now have proper landing stages for the boats and secure storage facilities for their gear.

But a side-effect of the development was that the boats are now screened off and cannot be seen from The Salts anymore.

People complained that a well-loved local sight, which typified Rye, had been lost.

Art gallery owner Pat Field said: "We had lost one of the most familiar sights in Rye. People want to see the boats, especially children. They are a real attraction in the town for visitors.

"Anywhere else you go in the country, like the Yorkshire, or Devon, you have access to the fishing quay and can see the boats. It is the same in France."

The issue of the quay being closed to visitors was a concern of a number of Rye councillors who said the fishing fleet was a visitor attraction in itself.

John Morgan, Environment Agency Waterways Manager said: "We have listened to the public and taken on board their wish to have the opportunity to visit the quay and see Rye's historic fishing fleet.

"We have had to balance the requirements of an operational site with health and safety issues. "As a result we have decided to allow the public access to the Simmons Quay.

"We will assess this arrangement in three months, however we are confident that this will work well allowing us to make public access to the Simmons Quay permanent."

It is likely the gated quay will be locked after dark as a security measure.