LUX Awards 2018: Alun Cochrane (comedian & award presenter), Michel Fayd’Herbe (World Busy), Andrew McCulloch (PR Lighting), Neil Maclean (PR Lighting), Joseph Stewart, (Laser Energy Ltd), Hannah Brookshaw (Hastings Council), Sara Bowen (Hastings Council) and Nick Archdale, (Pharos, Award Sponsor)

Bottle Alley wins national award

Hastings Borough Council is celebrating after its Bottle Alley lighting scheme won ‘Outdoor lighting project of the year’ award at the prestigious 2018 LUX awards, which took place in London in November.

Bottle Alley is a ¼ km long covered walkway along Hastings seafront, to the west of Hastings pier, built in the 1930s. One side is covered in coloured broken glass, hence its name, the other has amazing views of the pier and sea.

The lights are LED multi-coloured programmable lighting, with each individual LED being programmable.

The scheme was one of nine installations to be shortlisted, out of over 50 applications; others shortlisted included Alexandra Palace telecommunications mast, Hull City public realm, Westminster Bridge Road London and Newport Bridge. The judges praised Bottle Alley for its transformative nature, particularly its impact on the regeneration of that part of the seafront and the way it engaged the community.

Hastings Borough Council was also shortlisted in the Client of the Year category for the Bottle Alley project, in recognition of the great relationship the council has, and maintained, with its contractors throughout the process.

Council leader Cllr Peter Chowney said: “I am obviously delighted that we have won this award. Bottle Alley has been transformed from an unpleasant, dark walkway that many people avoided to a fantastic attraction in its own right. Our nightly light shows, and extended light show on Fridays, have proved really popular with residents and visitors alike. We can also change the lighting scheme to reflect the various events that take place here in Hastings, turning Bottle Alley green during Jack in the Green, for example.

“Thanks must go to Laser Energy Ltd who provided the procurement framework for the project, and contractors World Busy, PR Lighting and Osram, all of whom view Bottle Alley as an exemplar project and are as proud of the project as we are.

“I would also like to thank the various council staff involved in the project. One, Hannah Brookshaw, gave a speech at the LUX Safer Cities conference the day before the award ceremony, highlighting the positive impact the lights have had on the space, the community and surrounding area.”

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