SEVERAL decades ago I sat on a committee to consider building a new Brighton Centre at Black Rock.

The proposal fell by the wayside because, it was said, it would be impossible to move large numbers of delegates away from the new centre at one time.

Now, at a meeting organised by the Regency Society on January 6 (The Argus January 6 and 8) we heard that the council is proposing to sell the site of the present Brighton Centre and build a new one at Black Rock.

This is a most unsuitable site far out of the town centre with all its attractions to delight the Brighton Centre delegates and visitors.

The only reason for this proposal is that the Black Rock site and the present Brighton Centre belong to the council, who will stand to make considerable sums from this transaction, except that no one in their right mind will want to fund a Brighton Centre at Black Rock as no organisation will want to book conferences for that site.

We were told delegates would be ferried from Black Rock to the town centre in a convoy of buses.

The convoy would all get stuck in the Old Steine roundabout.

What a prospect.

At the same meeting we were shown a scheme for rebuilding the West Pier.

We remember the West Pier as a magical decorative arm leading out to sea.

A replacement presents us with a new pier lined with flats more suited to an estate in a new town, ending in a mini Amex stadium.

We shouldn’t worry about this though as the West Pier will never be rebuilt.

I asked at the meeting what the relationship of the proposed seafront swimming pool was to the lido.

I did not get an answer.

We used to have a wonderful pool at Black Rock which was allowed to fall into disrepair by the council.

If this had been kept in good condition it would by now be a listed building.

Council officers and architects should recognise that they do not start with a blank canvas at Brighton and Hove but that we have a marvellous sparkling city of terraces, squares and crescents which may occasionally be complemented by sensitive new schemes.

Selma Montford, Honorary Secretary of the Brighton Society