Bexhill nautical landmark that inspired the name of a Keane single, pub and cafe is to be removed

A lighthouse landmark, which can be seen from the coast of Hastings and Bexhill, is to be removed after reaching the end of its natural life.
Royal Sovereign Light Tower ENGSUS00120120711080955Royal Sovereign Light Tower ENGSUS00120120711080955
Royal Sovereign Light Tower ENGSUS00120120711080955

The Royal Sovereign Lighthouse, which has been in place since 1971, is to be decommissioned and removed from the seabed due to the structure’s deterioration.

Work will begin to take the lighthouse apart in 2020.

The lighthouse has give a name to the Royal Sovereign pub in Sea Road Bexhill and to the Sovereign Light Cafe at West Parade on Bexhill seafront.

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Famously top chart band Keane released a single named after the lighthouse and cafe.

Trinity House, which built The Royal Sovereign Lighthouse, said the navigational aid had an expected design life of 50 years. Beachy Head Lighthouse will be upgraded to ensure the safety of mariners in its place.

Deputy Master Captain Ian McNaught said: “It is never an easy decision to discontinue and even remove such a prominent aid to navigation, but our first priority will always be the safety of the mariner.

“Now that Royal Sovereign Lighthouse has reached the end of its serviceable life, it is time for us to take steps to ensure that the lighthouse itself does not become a hazard.

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“There will be a lot of work involved for our engineers and our various other teams and we will be working extensively in collaboration with a number of organisations to ensure the success of this project.”

Trinity House will also increase the capability of the offshore CS2 buoy and will retain the nearby Royal Sovereign buoy.

Once the charity decommissions Royal Sovereign Lighthouse as proposed, Beachy Head Lighthouse’s future is secured as the principal aid to navigation in the area.

Royal Sovereign Lighthouse was brought into operation at noon on September 6, 1971. Its duty was to mark the Royal Sovereign shoal to vessels.

With a farewell blast from the lighthouse’s fog signal.

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