Let's stick together, say Brighton and Hove businesses (From The Argus)
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Let's stick together, say Brighton and Hove businesses
8:56am Wednesday 27th February 2013 in News
Talking point: Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce debate
Members of the Brighton and Hove business community discussed whether they should go their separate ways.
The Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce Big Debate took place at City College Brighton and Hove in Pelham Street last night (February 26).
The debate examined whether Brighton and Hove should split up.
Chamber of commerce president Julia Chanteray, who chaired the debate, said: “We invited businesses to explore the idea of untying our city’s matrimonial knot, of Brighton and Hove going their own separate ways.
"It might seem whimsical to talk now about a split between Brighton and Hove but it isn’t that long since you could say the same of England and Scotland."
Tony Mernagh, the executive director of the Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership, said: “At a time when the rest of the world is joining forces, it seems a bit absurd to be talking of splitting apart.
"The future is about working together and we are all the stronger for it.”
Paula Seager, the managing director of Natural PR, said: “From a promotional and marketing point of view there is no room for ‘& Hove’ and it does not help market the city to potential visitors or to attract income to the city.”
For a full report on the debate see the Business supplement on Tuesday, March 5.
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localboy78 says...
1:00pm Wed 27 Feb 13
When you consider how often the 'and Hove' bit is conveniently dropped from the name of the 'city' you realise that Hove was only ever used as a convenient pawn in Brighton's city status ambitions - the only problem for Brighton was that it couldn't become a city without linking with Hove (due to the minimum 250,000 population requirement to become eligible).
Of course I think Hove should be able to grow and propser independently from Brighton, perhaps either with it's own Borough council again, or jumping into Adur district (which is a much better council that Brighton and Hove).
Talking from the Brighton perspective, I also think it would benefit Brighton if it were separate from Hove as then Brighton could just be called...Brighton, instead of being branded as 'Brighton and Hove'. Brighton could then should a loud a clear message that Brighton is just....Brighton and perhaps apply for city status just for itself (as the city status applied to 'Brighton and Hove' would not be automatically be carried over to any new 'Brighton-only' council.
Definately all food for thought, but I am sure that if a proposal was put forward the majority (in Hove and Brighton) would opt for separation.
There are many good reasons why there is a "Hove, actually" mantra ongoing to this day!