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Newsletter 181 - January 2003

In this issue:

• Where were you when the pier collapsed?
• So what does it mean?
• Hang on a minute - restoration was never the plan!
• It's not over til...
• Join us for a guided tour of St Paul's in West Street
• Rubbish dumpers to be prosecuted
• A Date for Your Diary
• Many thanks and a Happy New Year to...
• Its that time again!

Where were you when the pier collapsed?

Some members were at the Society's end of year breakfast in the Regency Restaurant. As we tucked into our eggs and toast we noticed a police car stopping on the far side of Kings Road. Officers in bright yellow jackets were going onto the beach.

From the restaurant we could see that the concert hall roof was tilting slightly to the left. It was only when we went over to the other side of the road that we realised the full extent of the collapse.

It was a wet and windy morning. The beach was littered with debris, and, despite the weather, with souvenir hunters. The police were cordoning off the lower part of the beach but not making any serious attempt to keep people away.

Cameras were clicking all around, including the digital one, purchased with the Society's millennium grant. The resulting picture, taken by Andrew Smith, was on our web site that same day.

So what does it mean?

It all depends on your point of view. The West Pier Trust has blamed the directors of the Palace Pier for delaying its re-development plans. Contributors to our web site message board blame bureaucrats and do-gooders; some think that the time has come to do away with the pier altogether.

Senior Council members and officers have suggested that the planning process for the controversial enabling development must be speeded up.

Hang on a minute - restoration was never the plan!

The sight of the collapsed concert hall is very dramatic and very sad. But does it really make that much difference?

Surely restoration will now be more costly, or maybe even impossible!

But the plan was never to restore the pier. It was effectively to build a replica. The West Pier Trust's plans involve dismantling the buildings and demolishing the sub-structure.

The programme of works prepared by the Trust and St Modwen shows this work starting in September this year and continuing until June 2004. Only then would work start on re-building.

Part of the pier has collapsed but that does not change the need to consider very carefully the plans for an enabling development in Kings Road. The Council still needs to establish the financial viability of the proposed scheme and take fall account of its environmental impact.

It's not over til...

The southern section of the pier, built to such a high standard by Eugenius Birch, is still standing.

Don't mourn the end of the pier yet. This story will run and run!

Join us for a guided tour of St Paul's in West Street

Saturday 25 January is the date. 2pm is the time. £2.50 is the cost.

The tour will be led by Father 0'Loughlan, the recently retired vicar. It will be on the flat and there is disabled access.

If you would like to come please send your name and telephone number to Ros Boulden, 8 Abbots, 129 Kings Road, Brighton BN1 2FA, together with £2.50 per person.

Rubbish dumpers to be prosecuted

Council Enforcement Officer, Matt Easteal and his team have been searching through rubbish bags.

They have identified the names and addresses of 25 people whose rubbish has been put on the street on the wrong day of the week. All 25 are being directly contacted by Council officers.

They will be warned that if they continue to put their rubbish out at the wrong time the matter will be put in the hands of the Council's solicitor.

Remember!

If you see rubbish dumped in the street at the wrong time please let the Council know.
You can telephone Matt Easteal on 292152 or email him at Matt.Easteal@brighton-hove.gov.uk

A Date for Your Diary

The Society's Annual General Meeting will be at 7:30 on Thursday 27 March 2003.

The meeting will be held in the Chartwell Room at the top of the Metropole Hotel. It will be your chance to have your say on the Society's recent activities and to help determine our policies for the year to come.

We are also planning to have a guest speaker and there will of course be a chance to chat with your neighbours over a glass of wine. Full details in the next newsletter.

Not to be missed! Put it in your diary now.

Many thanks and a Happy New Year to...

...John Lawrence - our hard working street sweeper who was even at work on Christmas morning;

...Matt Easteal and his team for their continuing efforts to rid our streets of rubbish bags;

...Everyone else who has supported the Society during 2002

Its that time again!

All too quickly the year flies by and it's time to renew your membership. Current subsciptions run out next month. Please help the Society by sending your new subscription as early as possible - why not do it today?

You can check your current subsciption status by looking at the address label on the envelope that your newsletter came in. For example, if it says 02/03 your subscription will run out next month. If it says 03/04 your subscription for the coming year has already been paid.

Don't delay! Renew today!

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