I’m being asked a lot about this recently.. I’ve also been planning to write about it for a while now. Frankly, I feel it was a bit of a cock up. I’m certain the ministry also feels like this now… No one seems to find real justifiable cause to put so many people out of business in a couple of days.. just before the peak season. Apparently, some of the structures were ‘not up to it’ or something like that… See, if there was communication between The Ministry and various stakeholders in the Tourism Industry – they would have realised that tourists and foreign workers actually liked the raggedy beach bars… they were.. ‘charming’. The way I see it is like.. ok.. well some of the beach bars may not have met standards, especially hygiene/health and safety.. but to tell me you have to knock all the shops in my street down because a couple of business along the route are not pulling their weight, is frankly ridiculous. Establishments like Bunker Bar are widely understood to have followed the right procedures and were of acceptable standard. Should they really have turned up with demolition teams of soldiers and armed police in riot gear wielding axes and machetes?
I think what puzzles a lot of people is how there seems to be no plan put in place to replace these beach bars. I understand that there are plans to plant trees and install street lights. I mean that’s all well and good.. but are the funds there? Are they even connected to the National power grid?
I’d like to see that side of the road given a proper pavement for joggers, cyclists and other pedestrians – with good access for those across the road who wish to cross over to the beach. Maybe in doing this the erosion problem can also be tackled. Oh yeah, zebra crossings and other safety precautions for pedestrians would probably come in handy right about now.
My fear is that this was some sort of desperate attempt by the Tourism Ministry to prove that they were doing some work. Well, destroying is easy and I can’t say I’m impressed. Same way they may end up giving planning permission to certain developments that may not fit into the plan for responsible tourism development. Remember, the road to hell is often paved with good intentions.
For now, I’m afraid folks will have to find other places along to the beach to hang out. A popular choice is Beach Apple which gets properly crowded on Sundays. Plan B, Chez Nous are other options. You could go for a stroll on the beach or just sit in one of the car parks at night and enjoy the reflection of the moon off the water…the beach bars will be missed but there are still lots of reasons to spend your evenings along Lumley Beach.
For more information on this please see this Reuters article:
11 comments:
I am very happy about the destruction because the owners were aware of the situation. I can remember when we only have two beach bars on the water front and my partner and myself was owners of one. We have to broke down our newly renovated beach bar. We comply to there request and build a temporary bar close to the Golf Club. To our greatest shock that was also destroy.
I have tried numerous time to claim my original spot from the Official. I was very disappointed when i was in freetown to see members of the Tourist Board giving leases to personal friends and relatives.
I am a Sierra Leonean and deserve to have my own share. And they know my plan was to continue my Gym and Health Spa. I dont believe in bribery and would never go that low.
Once again my heart goes to the owners. Also hail Mr Trye and Capt Davies for there move and i hope they stay firm on it.
Liz Stanley
I am very excited that they finally detroy the beach front bars. The owners are aware that they were operating on illegal grounds. In 1993 there was only two Bars/Gym on the beach front. We break down our newly renovated bar and was assigned a spot by the Golf Club. After constructing a temporary structure it was also destroyed.
To my dismay i was shock to see all the bars in the areas that was prohibited. There was too many illigal processing and leases going on by the officials. I had several meeting with the responsible officers to reclaim my assigned plot but to no avail. I was shock when i watch plots been giving to family and friends. I am also a Sierra Leonean and one of the original/first Gym owners on the beach. I dont believe in bribery so i quess thats why i have always been ignored. My heart goes to the proprietors as i have experience it twice.
I also hail Mr Trye and Capt Davies for there fast move. They were also aware of what happen in the 90s.GOOD JOB
Liz Stanley
gosh dont tell me i wont be able to go hang out at seaview or the other beach bars anymore... :-(
The way it apparently was handled was a mess, but we really need to do something (that takes into account the traders's/business people's livelihood into account) about all these illegal structures in Freetow.
PZ area is unrecognizable from when I was growing up.
I hear it's been dealt with, but park also, where we used to go after school to feed the fish, and I remember some old pa working there that used to do wonders with growing flowers, was supposedly turned into another "markit" with people sleeping there as well. A few "march passes" used to end at the gazebo in park..is that still even possible? Park used to be a very nice place.
All these places had no such activity when I lived in Freetown. A relative just came back from visiting and brought some pictures. I really could not recognize a street that I used to live on.
It is PACKED. The traders don't just trade there, they live there as well and with no sanitation to cater to that situation, you can imagine what is happening.
There is music going on from about 8AM to 12AM and they are sometimes rude to you when you are trying to get though into your own house.
We need zoning laws for one. Then the government needs to build a few more market places with all the amenities AND charge for it, so that they can be maintained.
I remember tax collectors used to go around and collect taxes and I remember the lady we used to buy "orinch" from would have her reciept on her pan.
Now these traders who most are just refugees so to speak from upline, not only refuse to leave what they consider prime spots, but they also don't want to pay up.
Back to the issue of beach. I am sure beach does not have adequate sanitation for all these people and if we have traders ON the beach, what's left. Can people even play football on boxing day.
Beach is a precious resource that we will hopefully soon develop further. We can't have it turn into Lumley street.
I think they should have at least given them the option to pay the dues to make them legal and also the chance to bring it up to code.
Well to the extent that my opinion matters, as a foreigner who has patronized several of these bars, this sucks! A terribly misguided initiative. How could it be that Lumley Beach "renovation" was prioritized higher than having some decent ferry service, or about 100 other things I could think of that would improve the tourism sector. The beach bars were nice, they were charming, they blended nicely with the environment, and they seemed hygenic enough to me...In short, a great place to enjoy a cold brew. If they were going to cause an uproar by demolishing buildings, they should have headed to Kissy Road and demolished those buildings so they can widen it to four lanes. That way a vehicle might have a chance of getting to the ferry in less than 2 hours. This is just baffling to me. Lumley was great just the way it was. I would be extremely disappointed if those responsible for its developing are looking to Miami Beach as their model.
I hasten to state that whenever such drastic steps are taken, for which this is not even the beginning of what needs to be done but one amongst the list of many. There are bound to be plenty of those that get upset and moan about it because of their own personal misfortune but when one considers the way in which we need to fix up our sad deprived nation from being the bottom of the bottom of the ranking barrel, these are the drastic measures that we will have to comply with more often than not to transform us into decent law abiding citizens.
It would only backfire if the regeneration programme firstly reduced the previous number of footfall that used to utilise the 3-5 mile stretch than now or in the future, if we begin to see an increase number of families and customers enjoying the space then within the next 6 - 12 month we would have long forgotten about the demolition. Secondly if the ideas and changes that they bring implement to replace what was previously there fails to blend in and enhance the picturesque view that we now begin to see then that is also a bigger failure.
No one said change is going to be easy, especially in our case for how far we have slipped in the past 10, 15 or even 20 years. We have to embrace many of these drastic and deadly decisions that are needed to get the right results. Most importantly and very true, (we people dem nor lek or sabbie saful). If they were warned 5 years ago but no steps were taken they must be prepared and ready that at any given time action is imminent, a calculated risk and choice they took and brought upon themselves.
I would like to see most of those on the other side as well disappear especially if they fail to comply with the white paper that was drafted ages ago to police and operate as a guide for any touristic development along one of the most beautiful locations in Freetown. I am sure that you would agree with me that even as it is now it is more appealing to the eye than previously. I would like for all structures to be set back further and the roads widened with better access for the foot traffic and designated car parking zones.
Lets brace ourselves for more of this if Sierra Leone is going to go forward, to rise up from where we are is going to need a serious wake up call to most if not all. Provided it is justifiable and correcting/ implementing the land of the law which most citizens have no respect for, then they are well within there right because the law is there to protect the majority and not to be manipulated as one wishes. So I say let’s get the party started its been long overdue and anyone who feels they are above the law should pay the price, I would have taxed them for the cost of demolition as well cause this is at a cost to the state. Not unless they had paid all their taxes up to date.
Unlike the ignorant comment from our anonymous foreigner who lacked the experience of what Lumley beach used to look like back in the 70 & 80's when every Sunday driving that strip was the highlight of most teenagers dream and not a copycat of Miami, he might have some understanding of what is trying to be recreated. There are still numerous establishments to purchase a beer or food from now and it frees the beach more for people to utilise the space better without any overcrowding issues, besides counting the number of establishments that used to litter the strip against the weekly number of clients some of these establishments catered to Monday – Sunday I wondered how they survived and is this not all part of why most of them could barely provide the necessary facilities because they could not afford the additional overheads.
Enough said call me a radical or what, I am an advocate to positive changes long term that will benefit the majority and not those that can afford to line other people’s pockets and get away with abusing the law, so let’s fasten our seat belts and get really ready for a bumpy ride if we are to push for the right changes that will be thrown at us. Nar for tie you orjar or fix up those bent unscrupulous ways that has now infested our society.
i will miss the beach bars,i think the owners should have cleaned up their act i.e. toilets etc,and allowed to stay.The bunker was o.k.at least most of the beach bars were better than the eyesores across the road,most of them unfinished,some just white elephants,how the owners of such monstrocities ever got building permits beats me,but then,THIS IS SIERRA LEONE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT !!!!!!!
forget about beach bars,what are the authorities doing about cleaning up lumley beach ? The state of it is deplorable.
As one of the original IMATT members in 2000-2001 some of the fondest memories I have are of sitting on Lumley Beach having a few sundowners and eating meats at one of the beach bars that appear to have dissappeared. Makes me sad. The bars were no worse than the permanent bars at each end. Lumley would benefit from sensible planning to enhance the stunning natural beauty that is there. Tourists dont want to sit in concrete, they want to be reminded they are in Africa. I look forward to returning....
Beach bars are unacceptable means of entertainment in such environment. They are mostly available for providing liquors. Drinking and swimming can be dangerous. In that regard, I applaud the intention of the Ministry. However, they must provide the legitimate owners an alternative of which, I can't say. There are not so many means of production and, therefore, means of earning income in the country.
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