Denis Christian (Letters, September 29) states that the skating fraternity represents a comparative few. I beg to differ.

Mr Christian is not considering the hundreds of people from all over Sussex who currently travel to Guildford in order to skate.

He remarked that age restricts many people from skating yet I know many mature skaters.

There are also many people who, although not skaters themselves, very much enjoy watching activities such as ice shows and ice hockey.

These are family entertainments that local people could enjoy. I can only assume Mr Christian is not a native of Brighton.

If he were, he would be aware of the affection with which the Tigers are remembered.

The development brief for the Black Rock site calls for leisure and recreation. A spa hotel does not fit that description, nor does it provide for the local community, as requested in the brief.

There are already more hotels being built in Brighton.

The Black Rock site should be used to provide a community amenity, not another tourist attraction.

A development for the people who live here is long overdue.

-Penny Hajduk, Lower Bevendean, Brighton