Seaton Chamber is writing to East Devon District Council asking them to remove the 'no ball game' signs that were put up in Seafield Gardens.

They say they want to express 'our strong objection' to the newly installed "No Ball Games" signs in Seafield Gardens.

Eleanor Carr from Seaton Chamber says that the decision to enforce this rule has caused significant discontent within the community, and The Chamber have now written a letter to EDDC's Streetscene team requesting that these signs be removed immediately.

Midweek Herald broke the story in August that new signs had been installed in Seafield Gardens, which bans children from playing ball games after a noise complaint from a resident. Read more: Seafield Gardens Seaton designated 'no balls game' area.

She also says that young people are already facing a lack of suitable recreational spaces in the town, as modern housing developments provide ever smaller gardens. Public parks and green spaces should be available for the use of the entire community.

Eleanor Carr, from Seaton Chamber said: "Seaton has two major playgrounds, which are vital assets for both residents and visitors. The message sent by prohibiting ball games is damaging—it suggests that Seaton is not a place that values its community, particularly its young people. It implies that activities promoting physical and mental wellbeing are unwelcome, which is completely at odds with the values we seek to promote as a Chamber.

"We would like to know if there was any consultation with the local community regarding this decision, or if it was driven by the complaints of a single individual.

"Our goal is to foster a positive, inclusive, and resilient community. Measures like this undermine that effort. While the town may have an older demographic, penalising children for using green spaces for play, citing "damage to grass," is unreasonable and short-sighted.

"We urge you to reconsider this decision, remove the signs, and allow our children the freedom to enjoy public spaces as they are meant to."