Planners sink beach bid

An attempt to create a beach on the Thames has been halted.

A strip of golden sand near Tower Bridge was to have given Londoners a place to sunbathe and relax.

But not everyone shared the vision of communications company 02, the firm which had the idea for the plan to copy a similar beach in Paris. Southwark council, which part-owns the land, has refused permission.

Bob Geldof, whose events firm Ten Alps was to have built the beach, savaged the "truly pathetic" council, saying: "I'm sick of their endless excuses. I don't care what their reason is. It would be inevitably inadequate."

His company had hoped to use an old coach park for the beach.

Geldof said: "You have this constant negativity in this, the greatest city in the world.

"O2 wanted to take a disused car park and make it into a summer beach with sand, palm trees, beach huts, seafood, no alcohol, classical music, a bit of light jazz - something to bring a bit of joie de vivre and elegance to the Thames, and all for free. Exactly as they do in Paris.

"Now we are going to go to another city in Britain that wants to contribute towards a good summer for its inhabitants, it is truly impossible with the authority structures in this city. Of course you have permission and regulations, but they must be in context and proportion."

It is understood the council refused the coach park site because the land is subject to a planning inquiry over co-owner Berkeley Homes' proposals to build residential tower blocks.

The council claims it did not receive the application for the coach park. However, Ten Alps says its claim was submitted on 1 June.

Geldof 's criticisms are not limited to one council. He revealed he has refused to join London's Olympic bid because he is so disenchanted by his past experience with the capital's bureaucracy.

He said: "Barbara Cassani asked me to go on the culture section of the Olympic bid and I declined because I am not convinced we are capable of it.

"Only with the full cooperation of the city authorities and borough councils will London ever be able to illustrate the status to which it aspires, and which its citizens believe it to be, which is the greatest city in the world."

Southwark MP Simon Hughes said of the beach plan: "It's a shame if it's not happening. It's a shame it wasn't sorted out earlier." Geldof 's company submitted its original proposal on 30 March.

O2 said: "Due to space, time and availability restrictions we can no longer find a suitable home for the O2 Beach.

"However, in addition to our existing summer campaign which includes ENO at Trafalgar Square, we are exploring other of ways of bringing the O2 Beach philosophy to the capital - and possibly to other cities."