Welcome to Locality, a weekly guided tour of the UKs many towns and cities, as curated by some of their most knowledgeable skate-minded residents.
West Sussex is our first destination of choice, as we drop by the town of Crawley to be shown around by none other than Lovenskate pro, rad mum and camouflage enthusiast, Lucy Adams.
Crawley sits 18 miles north of Brighton, and 28 miles south of central London, and whilst it might not be an internationally revered hotbed of street skating, it certainly has spots to offer, most of which Lucy has put to good use throughout the plethora of video parts she has released over her 24 years on a board.
Crawley is also privileged enough to house a concrete skatepark on the playing fields of Southgate Avenue. Having first opened in 2007, the park has played host to several national and international events,
Side note: Crawley is Lucy’s local scene, but let it be known that she actually resides in nearby Horsham.
Portrait: Chris Johnson
Best skate spot - back in the day: Easily the old wooden skatepark on Haslett Avenue. It went through numerous incarnations, and several fires, but it was always just the best place. It had features like the infamous 'fuck up bank’, 'the girder', and 'the Priviledge'.
Best skate spot - present day: For me it's got to be Beehive. Iffy with security for the most part, but sometimes you get a good offering. It has ledges, grates to jump over, a bench, stairs, manny pads, and good ground. Total spot. Features in the below vid where Trev Wedd does the 'run of a lifetime'…
Best local video/video part: Best video has got be Crawley Innit…even though most of it is filmed in Barcelona! Haha.
Best skate photo shot in Crawley: Potter’s frontside boardslide on the electrical box for his First Light in Sidewalk, shot by my bestie Lex K.
My fave photo of moi is also a Lex shot; a madonna on the quarter/bank at the park, also featured in Sidewalk in an As If, And What? (all female UK skate video by Jenna Selby – released 2009) article.
Best local - back in the day: Trev Wedd no doubt about it. He gave me the gift of skateboarding, and was an inward heelflip whizz.
Best local - present day: Will Rayner and Steve Gurney are holding it down.
Best eatery: Ha…I’m afraid it's got to be Nandos. Crawley got its Nandos quite early and was very well frequented. Kismet Kebab was also favourite for a lot of old park locals.
Best local business: Well it's never really had a decent, lasting skate shop, which is annoying. So I probably have to shout out Kismet again.
Best local slang phrase: “Crawley innit.”
Best local celebrity: Chico? Daley Thompson used to kick about at the old Leisure Centre, but The Cure are probably the most famous!
Best local point of interest/tourist must see: The big football on the football roundabout? It's kind of a landmark.
Best thing about living in Crawley: Thankfully I don't live in Crawley, I live eight miles away in Horsham. That's really the best thing!
A close to home switch front shove-it, in Lucy’s native Horsham. Photo: Chris Johnson