Support on home front

There's overwhelming public support for our campaign to save the French Convalescent Home in Brighton.

Not only have people been flocking to sign the petition we started yesterday to stop the demolition of this fine old building and keep it running, but two smaller petitions organised by the staff and patients at the home were handed in to Brighton and Hove Council last night by Coun Kevin Allen.

Architects for the developers Bovis have now revealed their case for putting sheltered housing on the site of this home.

Although money is hardly mentioned, it's clear that cash rather than compassion is the driving force behind this move.

The existing building is structurally sound and there's no reason at all why it couldn't be brought up to modern standards and extended. It's simply that it's rather awkward to do so.

How much easier to turf out the residents, get rid of the staff and put up a modern and much larger building on the site.

Brighton and Hove councillors can stop all this going ahead if they are bold. They can chuck out the application and say the home should stay.

Stop squabbling

Feuding between the sexes over Poppy Day collections in Hastings British Legion Club may raise a few smiles.

But there is nothing really funny about grown men and women arguing over something so petty.

They should all act their ages and remember the ex-Servicemen and women who badly need the money raised through the appeal.

Sounds familiar

Few stars have quite such a devoted following as that Peter Pan of pop, Sir Cliff Richard.

So it was no surprise that Collette and Ray Williams from Horsham were mounting a protest at Radio 2.

They were angry Sir Cliff's latest number, The Millennium Prayer, has not found its way on to the station's playlist.

But when people hear that it's the words of the Lord's Prayer to the tune of Auld Lang Syne, the words of one of his greatest hits might come to mind for the Radio 2 bosses.

Congratulations.

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