The foreshore of the Thames played host to the second annual Reclaim the Beach Sandcastle Competition. The Judging panel of Ron Arad, Simon Allford (AHMM Architects) and Charlie Luxton (Made Communications) watched a frenzy of construction take place as the tide went out, chose a winner as the tide turned, from the great range of ages and designs.

Entrants ranged from 3 year olds to professional engineers and architects, and designs from crocodiles to pyramids. The winner ‘ Costal Story’ was made from objects found on the beach and placed in a ‘sand-scene’ , by Jeff Forbes from Fluid, Jim Segars of City Mine[d], Jim Colman and Anoek De Smet from The Colman Partnership Architects. Second Prize was awarded to ‘ All Seeing Eye’- a sand Pyramid from a team called ‘Illuminati’. The prize winners won a trip in a rubber dinghy from the beach to St Paul’s and back.

The event turned this stretch of sand into a very British seaside scene, with sandcastles, children paddling, and of course, rain, which didn’t stop the play. There was also a processional Samba Band, Giant Barbeque, Pimms being sipped, and later on as the sun went down, DJ’s and dancing in the sand under the Festival Pier.

The day was a great success, with children and adults playing the same game, by the Thames, in great spirit - and all in the rain. If Paris’ Mayor thinks beaches in the city are important enough to import for a couple of months, then our Thames beaches which already exist need to be simply used and enjoyed by Londoners like they were today, but all year round.