I feel compelled to write following the extraordinary remarks made by Daisy Burgess of Ovingdean regarding the proposed community development of siting the Kemp Town post office as part of the Kemp Town Crypt project (Letters, June 2).

As a recent arrival at the church and centre, I have to point out that

it is rare to find such a well-used, managed and supported facility that serves all the diverse and various communities that go to make up the "village of Kemp Town".

Groups co-exist harmoniously in the crypt centre and make good and very regular use of the rooms and excellent cafe. They do not share Ms Burgess's "dungeon" perception.

Perhaps the leafy openness of Ovingdean affords a centre that is bigger and lighter but with land restrictions and very little, if any, open space in Kemp Town we do not have the luxury of building what we may have wanted to in an ideal world.

Given the obvious restrictions that we are confronted with, the trustees and vicar have achieved a glowing example of what a community centre should be and continue to work hard to maintain a beautiful church that is prayed in daily and has regular services and a community centre that reflects the diversity of our parish.

It is disgraceful to suggest that a man who has given his last nine years to developing this resource for others should go, otherwise riots would ensue.

Perhaps his vision and the prayer and hard work that underpin it have contributed to community cohesion that would be sadly missing without it. When you have groups such as AA, U3A, Mother and Toddler and the

Older Lesbian and Gay Men's groups meeting under one roof, this should be celebrated, not condemned.

I hope and pray that this project to provide a much-needed post office presence in Kemp Town is supported by our planners and elected members, otherwise I fear our community will suffer from the loss of the Post Office and those who use neither the church or crypt centre will triumph to their disgrace.

assistant priest,

St George's Church,

-Kemp Town, Brighton