A beachside bike rack is being moved to stop thieves driving alongside and loading up with stolen cycles.

Sea Lanes in Madeira Drive wants to move the existing bike racks onto the pebbles where they would be overlooked by by reception.

And they’ve asked for permission to put a small retail unit next to the pavement where the racks now stand.

The application to Brighton and Hove City Council, written by Evolution architects, says: “A large number of users, particularly swimmers, travel to Sea
Lanes by bike. A user survey indicated that 38% of swimmers travel by bike. The existing bike shelter is well used; however there have been a number of issues with bike thefts from the shelter.

“Its location immediately adjacent to the road enables thieves to quickly cut through locks and load bikes into waiting vehicles.”

It adds: “The new building to replace the bike shelter will be a swim retail unit, offering swim related products/equipment to pool users and sea swimmers.

“This position on site will be important to the success of the retail offer as it is by the pool entrance and beach crossing.

“Swim retail has previously been provided but the location away from the pool proved problematic. A swim retail offer is fundamental to Sea Lanes’ vision for a National open Water Swimming Centre.”

Brazen bike theft is common along Madeira Drive. In September 2023, a thief broke a bike lock and rode an expensive ebike away even though he was openly being filmed by a member of the public.

A subsequent appeal failed to track him down.

However in 2024, serial bike thief Rolandas Gaidys was jailed for a year after being caught on CCTV cutting locks of bikes, including one he stole from Sea Lanes.

At his sentencing, the owner of the electric bike taken from Sea Lanes, Lesley Shaw, praised Sea Lanes staff but said the theft had left her feeling physically sick.