Benches labelled 'anti homeless' to be replaced

This comes as a petition set up on Thursday (March 1) was signed by almost 4,000 people, calling for the benches at the old Amex House site in Edward Street to be removed.

An American Express spokesperson said: "Benches on Edward Street, Brighton, were installed by American Express as part of an obligation of the demolition of the former Amex House site.

"The benches were chosen for their ease of use and their sturdiness. It was never our intention to restrict their use.

"We plan to have the benches replaced as soon as possible. We will be working with the local council to establish the specification for alternative seating that will meet the needs of the entire community."

American Express sold the site to First Base last year after moving to new offices in John Street in 2013.

Last week, when the petition to remove the benches was set up by housing campaigner Daniel Harris, it was not clear which organisation installed the seats.

In his petition, Mr Harris said the benches were 'clearly designed and chosen for one reason – to keep away rough sleepers'.

Similar benches hit the headlines last month, when British rapper Professor Green was filmed removing bars from seats in Bournemouth.

Both Brighton and Hove City Council and the developer of the old American Express headquarters First Base, said the benches had nothing to do with them.

Lucinda Mitchell, project director for First Base said: "We have no knowledge of who is responsible for the benches in the vicinity of our Edward street development site. We only became aware when this was brought to our attention on March 1, and we are liaising closely with the council and other local partners regarding this issue.”

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesperson said: "The benches highlighted in the petition being shared online were not installed by the council and are not on council owned land.

"No council benches are installed with an 'anti-homeless' intent as alleged recently on social media. The council has made tackling rough sleeping and protecting the vulnerable a priority.

"A range of bench types are installed by the council across the city to meet the different needs of residents and visitors.

"Some benches are designed to aid people with mobility issues.

"The City Parks team is looking at best practice for benches as part of the Open Spaces Strategy and will take into consideration the needs of people with mobility issues such as bench height, upright backs and armrests (at present only about 10 per cent of benches have armrests in Brighton and Hove). This work will include input from disability specialists and comparisons with other local authorities."