Chris Eubank corners gay cruisers

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A seafront shelter in Brighton is being watched by police after former boxer Chris Eubank complained that it is being used for gay cruising.

Eubank complained to Brighton and Hove Council claiming men were meeting at the spot for casual sex, after a friend alerted him to the issue, police said.

Signs have now been placed on the building near the King Alfred Leisure Centre, warning people that cruising is illegal.

A police spokeswoman told The Argus: “The complaint is that gay men have been soliciting or meeting in the shelter and performing lewd acts.

“We have not received any direct reports of any specific incidents at the shelter but we have put signs up to remind people of the law and give advice for any potential witnesses to contact us if they do see anything untoward.”

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said: “The police are aware of these reports and we know they are taking it very seriously.

“The good news is that we have been speaking to the police about improving the area generally and had already set aside some money to improve lighting. This should help prevent antisocial behaviour.

“We feel most residents would want the behaviour stopped rather than the shelter demolished. It’s a public amenity, a listed structure and part of the seafront’s historic character.

“Demolition alone could simply move any problem to the next shelter and it would clearly be wrong to demolish them all.”

A neighbour told the paper, “I have not witnessed anything indecent but I have seen men around there, quite obviously on the prowl. It’s clear they are cruising but whatever they get up to they seem to be doing it discreetly.

“The shelter does afford them an element of privacy, which is why they use it I suppose. It is a bit creepy and it should not be happening in a prominent public place like this.”

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