On December 3, 1998, retired former principal inspector of historic buildings for the Government Derek Sherborn penned a saddened lament in The Argus slapping English Heritage "for failing to list the Imperial Theatre, later the Essoldo, in North Street".

Later in the article he noted that "Although... for sale, no price was ever quoted for its purchase, so Brighton never had a chance to buy by agreement and compulsory purchase was actually under consideration."

This is an appalling indictment in retrospect of Brighton and Hove Council's handling of planning and property matters.

Umpteen hoops, whoops and megabucks were excitedly aimed at the King Alfred project, which was originally to include 23 cinemas, smallish ones screening "art" films.

Over the past two years, could none of the ultimately futile effort expended on courting developers and looking to the King Alfred not have found its way to the door of the monsters who tore down the Essoldo? Why not?

-Valerie Paynter, The Drive, Hove