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Newsletter 194 - May 2004

In this issue:

• Keeping up the Pressure
• What about graffiti?
• The Bin is Back
• Your New Committee
• Free Parking
• Going going...
• A Blooming Good Show
• Queues in Regency Square
• A Day Out in June
• Other Trips
• Membership Grows

Keeping up the Pressure

We have had problems with domestic refuse collection recently because of Bank Holidays and industrial action. Unfortunately our local enforcement officer. Lisa White, has no control over either of these factors. However, she has been hard at work in other ways, trying to keep the area clean and tidy.

She has sent letters to hotels which have been using Queensbury Mews as a storage area for rubbish bins. She has asked them to make sure that the bins are returned to their own premises after being emptied.

What about graffiti?

The news here is not so good. The Council is no longer involved in removing graffiti from private property unless it is racist or offensive. Contact Cityclean if you are aware of any offensive graffiti (Brighton 274674).

If your property has been targeted you can paint over the graffiti. If it is a major attack or you want to apply anti graffiti coatings you could employ a specialist contractor such as Aquarius Solutions (Brighton 585828), Graffiti Solutions (Brighton 857785) or Rabbit Coatings (Brighton 814967).

Lisa White has given the Society a sample anti-graffiti kit from Aquarius Solutions. It contains various cleaning fluids, sprays, protective gloves, goggles, and full instructions. If you would like to use it, contact Roger Hinton (Brighton 321794) or John Gavin (Brighton 749747).

The Council enforcement team are building a database of tags like these in Cannon Place. Unfortunately, at the moment, there is no one at the Council specifically co-ordinating any other anti-graffiti action.

The Bin is Back

In response to a request from the Society, the Council has replaced the litter bin, which had gone missing from the southwest comer of Regency Square. We have also asked for replacement of a second missing bin: this one is on the north side of the square.

Your New Committee

At the AGM in March the following members were elected to serve on the committee for 2003/04:

Chairman: Roger Hinton - Regency Square
Secretary: John Gavin - Queensbury Mews
Treasurer: Andrew Walker - Chartwell Court

Members:

Ron Bakere - Sussex Heights
Ros Boulden - Abbotts
Clive Buxton - Dean Street
John Clinton - St Margaret's Place
Diana Dunn - Clarence Gardens
Tony Lowery - Metropole Court
Traude Tappin - Astra House
Norma Williams - Sussex Heights

Free Parking

According to a traffic warden who was patrolling our area recently, it is perfectly legal, and free, for cars to park on the motor cycle bay in Regency Square on a Sunday or in the evening. The bay is reserved for motor cycles Monday to Saturday, 9am - 6pm only.

Very nice for a motorist in search of somewhere to park, but it does seem rather inconsistent. What happens to motor cycles overnight and on Sundays? Do they turn into pumpkins? No, on a sunny Sunday they park on the square itself, which is not really appropriate. And why should one lucky motorist get to park free on Sundays when others have to pay?

We are asking the Council for clarification.

Going going...

We reported recently that the Post Office in Hampton Place was to close in March. At the time of writing it is still open for business. However, it has been announced that it is to close this month.

A Blooming Good Show

Have you visited the gardens in Regency and Clarence Squares recently? The Society's bulbs have been blooming splendidly. The daffodils have already been and gone. The three different types of tulips which we planted have been particularly impressive. They are still in bloom but will probably be coming to end fairly soon.

Thanks again to the members who spent a grey Sunday morning last year planting them!

Queues in Regency Square

One of the issues raised by members at the AGM was the build up of traffic queues on the western side of Regency Square when the car park is full. This delays local traffic trying to get to Preston Street.

Recently the car park staff put out "No Access" notices in the underpass at the south end of the square. Presumably they were trying to discourage cars from queuing right through the underpass, which has happened on occasions. However, this could be very confusing for visitors who didn't know the area and wanted to travel west.

What is really needed at busy times is an attendant in the road on the west side of the square who could stop cars from queuing too far back from the car park entrance. They could also keep the queue to the right-hand side of the road so through traffic could get by.

We are contacting the Council about these issues - watch this space...!

A Day Out in June

The Society has been invited to join the Montpelier and Clifton Hill Association for a trip to two National Trust properties in Sevenoaks on Sunday, June 6th.

The morning will be spent at Ightham Mote, a superb 14th century manor house. It has two chapels, a Great Hall and many interesting features such as painted ceilings and 18th century wallpaper.

After lunch at a nearby inn there will be a visit to Knole (hopefully with a guided tour). Knole is described in the National Trust Handbook as "One of the great treasure houses of England, set in a magnificent deer park". It has 13 staterooms with superb collections including silver furniture and portraits by artists such as Van Dyck and Gainsborough.

The coach should be back in Brighton by about 7pm. The cost is £16 for National Trust members and £29 for others. This includes the coach and admission. Lunch is extra. The coach will leave Powis Square at 8.45am.

If you would like to go please send a cheque plus the names of those going, (indicating whether National Trust members) to Martin Foster, 11 Victoria Street, Brighton BN1 3FP. It would be a good idea to include your telephone number.

Other Trips

The Kingscliffe Society also welcomes our members on its regular trips. The next one is to Leeds Castle on 22 June.

Roger Hinton has application forms (Tel 01273 321794).

Membership Grows

In March we distributed several hundred leaflets around the area, inviting people to join. We are very pleased to welcome the twelve new members who have already joined as a result.

Meanwhile subscriptions are now due for existing members for the year starting 1 March 2004. Many thanks to those who have already paid.

If you are not sure whether your membership is up to date, look at the label on the envelope in which your newsletter was delivered. If it says 04/05 you are up to date.

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