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Newsletter 203 - May 2005

In this issue:

• Bingo!
• Top Price Scaffolding
• Shop Shop Shop
• Thanks to the Metropole...
• Your New Committee
• Other News from the AGM
• Watch out for falling birds!
• Somewhere to Sit
• A Visit to Ightham Mote
• Welcome to New Members

Bingo!

The Hippodrome in Middle Street is currently used as a Bingo Hall but it has a remarkable history as one of Brighton's leading places of entertainment.

We have been offered a tour of the building. The date will be Saturday 11th June, the time 11a.m. Meet outside the main entrance.

There is no charge for the visit (but you might be tempted to stay on to try your luck at bingo).

Put it in your diary now and bring your friends!

Top Price Scaffolding

What would you pay for a pile of scaffolding? There is one currently on offer on Brighton seafront for £750,000!

It does come with planning permission to build a modern block of flats with a detached house at the rear. Unfortunately this will mean the loss of another fine nineteenth century building, the remains of which are currently being propped up by the scaffolding in question.

The site is at 128 Kings Road, next door to Abbotts. The Society argued, unsuccessfully, for retention of at least the original facade. Unfortunately the Council's view of what a conservation area is all about did not match ours and they gave permission for complete demolition.

The immediate neighbours are now keen to see the site developed because at present it is a filthy, pigeon infested tip. On the other hand they are anxious about the disruption that will be caused once the planned development gets under way.

Watch this space!

Shop Shop Shop

Many thanks to Peter Beard, Marketing Manager of Churchill Square for coming to talk to us at our AGM in March.

He gave us some fascinating insights into the thinking of those who manage the shopping centre.

Perhaps most significant is the possible redevelopment of the Brighton Centre and Kingswest. Like the rest of us, Peter had no firm knowledge of whether such a development would take place, or what it would involve. However, it was clear from what he said that the managers of Churchill Square would be keen to extend it towards the seafront to provide a bigger shopping area.

We put to him our hopes for a food store and a post office. He was not very hopeful on either score. In the end it is the individual retailers who decide what to put in their shops, but their landlord now knows what the local neighbours would like.

On a more positive note we discussed the rubbish containers located at the entrance to the Square near the Prince of Wales pub. This area has been very untidy. Since the meeting, some of the rubbish bins have been removed arid replaced with cycle stands, which presumably will prevent the bins from reappearing. There are still some other bins and recycling units, which attract fly tipping, but at least some progress has been made.

Thanks to the Metropole...

...for giving us a room to hold the AGM and providing glasses for the refreshments. The continuing support of the hotel, our largest member, is much appreciated.

Your New Committee

At the AGM in March the following members were elected to serve on the committee for 2004/05:

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

Members
Ron Bakere - Sussex Heights
Margaret Brisley - Sussex Heights
Ros Boulden - Abbotts
Clive Buxton - Dean Street
Diana Dunn - Clarence Gardens
Brian Smith - Regency Square
Traude Tappin - Astra House

Other News from the AGM

We discussed the Society's proposed policy towards the West Pier. Generally members supported the policy, which has now been adopted as the Society's official view. It will be publicised to interested parties and the Press. You can read the policy on our web site or get a copy from the chairman.

The Council's plans for communal bins came in for criticism. Some members objected to having bins located outside their front doors, possibly reducing the value of their property. There was also concern about the large number of bins and recycling units, especially in Castle and Stone Streets.

What we need is regular, reliable refuse collections, backed up by enforcement against those people who dump rubbish in the street at the wrong times. Councillor Roy Pennington was at the meeting and promised to support the Society's efforts to keep communal bins out of this area.

Watch out for falling birds!

Visitors to our website will be aware that our exclusive coverage of the peregrine falcons has started again. Four eggs have been laid this year and we hope they will all hatch any time now.

In their early months the chicks are very vulnerable and mortality rates are high. Unfortunately chicks can fall to the ground and are often attacked by cats and seagulls.

If you should find a chick on the ground - or hear of one - please get in touch with society member, Brian Smith (01273 325175) immediately. He can contact specialist falconers who can try to nurse the chicks back to full health again and ensure their survival.

We are very privileged to have these magnificent birds in our area and to be able to watch them grow until they leave the nest. We must do all we can to ensure the survival of the chicks - it's a long way to fall from the top of Sussex Heights!!

Somewhere to Sit

Dedicated volunteers got to work on the Society's bench in Regency Square at the end of last month. They cleaned off several years of grime and applied some teak oil to protect the timber.

The bench was originally purchased back in 1981 to celebrate the Prince of Wales' first wedding. So we celebrated his second one by cleaning it up a bit!

A Visit to Ightham Mote

The Kingscliffe Society has invited our members to join them on a coach trip to this National Trust property in Kent on 25th May. The cost is £19 or £13 for NT members. Full details from Roger Hinton

Welcome to New Members

The membership leaflet which was distributed before the recent AGM has so far resulted in eight responses. So welcome to our new members! We hope you will find the Society useful. If there are any local issues you think we should take up, please contact one of the committee.

Meanwhile quite a few existing members still need to renew their subscription. If your subscription is now due for payment, please help the Society by paying today.

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