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Hanover residents 'too busy burning bras to care'
4:26pm Tuesday 8th January 2008
Comments (94)The owner of a world-famous tea shop today declared war on Brighton's "muesli mountain" claiming residents are too busy burning their bras and doing yoga to care about their community.
David Daly, who runs the Tea Cosy Rooms in Southover Street, said he would "rather live and trade on a council estate" than remain in affluent Hanover.
He has accused homeowners of not reporting vandalism and yobbish behaviour to keep crime figures low and house prices high.
Mr Daly, 30, who has written a book on etiquette, said he has even decided to move his celebrated tea shop to another area in Brighton and Hove.
The quaint shop made headlines across the globe after it emerged its owners had banned elbows on tables, mobile phones, slurping, handling sugar cubes and clattering of teaspoons.
A rule book has ensured customers adhere to the strict etiquette with some falling foul of the guidelines and being shown the door.
Now Mr Daly has attacked the spirit of residents in the neighbourhood after his shop suffered repeated vandalism attacks.
Mr Daly said: "Unfortunately, all people think about in this area is their property prices so they never, ever report crime.
"They would all rather turn a blind eye and keep the name of the area up with a low crime rate than stand up to yobs that are terrorising the area.
"Your house could be burning down and the people would just walk straight past and go to the pub.
"They are all too busy burning their bras, doing yoga and eating wheat free bread to even notice.
"We think Hanover has lived on its reputation of muesli mountain for far too long.
"In reality it is run down, dirty, crime ridden and an un-friendly area full of secret alcoholics.
"In my personal opinion I would rather live in Whitehawk than live in Hanover."
Mr Daly, who runs the shop with partner James Green, 26, said his business has been forced out of the area because it has been targeted by yobs, costing thousands of pounds in repairs.
He said: "We have had the shop windows smashed three times and the property vandalised, once with indelible marker." He said some of the graffiti showed lurid sex acts involving the Royal Family.
"They all have intolerances; intolerant to wheat, dairy and glucose but they all go to the pub which makes me laugh.
"I don't think any of them have actually been told by a doctor they are intolerant to it, I think they just have too much time on their hands."
Sussex Police statistics show Hanover and Elm Grove has one of the lowest crime rates in the city.
The latest figures for July show 75 crimes in the area. There were 1,094 reported incidents in central Brighton.
Hanover councillor Bill Randall said: "In my experience Hanover is the best and most supportive community I have lived in.
"It is extremely friendly and people look out for each other.
"The crime figures are not high and he is wrong to suggest there is a conspiracy amongst residents to keep figures low."
What do you think?
Your Say YourArgus
Flat Chest Soozie, Brunswick Square says...
4:45pm Tue 8 Jan 08
Flat Foot Soozie, Brunswick Square says...
4:53pm Tue 8 Jan 08
It certainly sounds as if somebody has put something in Mr Daly's tea.
It's unlikely he'll be voting Green.
miranda, muesli hill says...
5:01pm Tue 8 Jan 08
Pat Mustard, Craggy Ilsand says...
5:01pm Tue 8 Jan 08
This guy gets more free press from The Argus than anyone else. With a mouth on him like that and his inane and bitter spoutings about his neighbours, its no real surprise that people target his silly fad tea shop.
"Rather live in Whitehawk" Yeah? Good luck there mate. I am sure they will love someone like you, especially as you clearly have distain of the area to refer to it in such a derogatory manner.
Anne, Hanover says...
5:03pm Tue 8 Jan 08
OK - so there's a small amount some vandalism behaviour (but this is endemic throughout most large towns/cities)/ You cannot really report anything unless you see it happen and I'm sure most Hanover residents WOULD report vandalism and yobbish behaviour.
If he doesn't like the area he should move to Whitehawk. He will soon notice that there is vandalism there too.
I'm sure most Hanover residents don't actually use his cafe which has over-inflated prices.
daniel, brighton says...
5:03pm Tue 8 Jan 08
Stroller, Hove says...
5:33pm Tue 8 Jan 08
Louis, Brighton says...
5:39pm Tue 8 Jan 08
Wilftop, Hanover says...
5:57pm Tue 8 Jan 08
As for our councilors I have yet to get a decent response from one about tackling anti-social behaviour & petty crime in Hanover no matter how low they claim the crime rate is.
Flat Foot Soozie, Brunswick Square says...
6:09pm Tue 8 Jan 08
Michael, Horsham says...
6:17pm Tue 8 Jan 08
Eco Man, Kemp Town says...
6:20pm Tue 8 Jan 08
I hear that, in liberating themselves, these women send the discarded garments to Africa.
That might of course seem a bit imperialist of them. Why should the African women be shackled by such a symbol of male domination while the Hanover women get to disport themselves without shame?
But, that's the Greens for you.
dazv88, brighton says...
6:31pm Tue 8 Jan 08
and what is wrong with Whitehawk, I have lived here for years.
Flo, Hanover says...
6:43pm Tue 8 Jan 08
Jane, hanover, top of the hill says...
7:02pm Tue 8 Jan 08
argus rot, says...
7:02pm Tue 8 Jan 08
mark, brighton says...
7:04pm Tue 8 Jan 08
Lisa hanover, elm grove says...
7:14pm Tue 8 Jan 08
meandmydog, hove says...
7:17pm Tue 8 Jan 08
"They are all too busy burning their bras, doing yoga and eating wheat free bread to even notice.
Bertie, Hanover says...
7:18pm Tue 8 Jan 08
onlyme, kemptown says...
7:33pm Tue 8 Jan 08
Bertie wrote:mmmmmmm. I think you missed the point. The whole thing about this place is that it is royalist, it does have a book of manner, it does serve massive portions. What, do you want every place in brighton the same? Good luck to you guys you deserve it.
I suspect this is all sour grapes on Mr Daly\'s part, as his business is probably not viable in a residential area. Had the tearooms been open more consistently, offered more savoury food and smaller, cheaper portions than the whole high tea I suspect the tearoom would have been more successful. Not to mention dropping the fastidiousness about table manners and their overtly royalist stance. Attention seeking and PR stunts seem to be more important to the owners than providing a service. Mr Daly\'s attack on the local community is spiteful, and as someone who has probably been the subject of stereotyping as a gay man, he should really know better.
Flat Foot Soozie, Brunswick Square says...
7:43pm Tue 8 Jan 08
Eco Man wrote:The African tribeswomen do not wear secondhand Hanover bras.
I don't think all the Greens in Hanover can be burning the bras. It's hardly ecologically friendly, what with all the elastic bits and pieces giving off the dioxins.
I hear that, in liberating themselves, these women send the discarded garments to Africa.
That might of course seem a bit imperialist of them. Why should the African women be shackled by such a symbol of male domination while the Hanover women get to disport themselves without shame?
But, that's the Greens for you.
They use them as hanging baskets. Perhaps the Hanover women will start doing the same.
veronica, hanover/kemptown says...
8:09pm Tue 8 Jan 08
Bill Randall is a total waste of time and spcae. I have written to him 4 times about antisocial going's on in the park near my house and he has never once replied but he has the time to bad mouth someone who's actually doing something about the crime in the area. Mr Daly you should stand for council as im sure you would do a better yob than Bill Randall who only ever pops up when he can get his name in the paper
Brian, Brighton says...
8:56pm Tue 8 Jan 08
Arry, Arundel says...
9:24pm Tue 8 Jan 08
Oh and who cares about that mucky little cafe
PR MAD, brighton says...
9:27pm Tue 8 Jan 08
saywhatuthink, sussex says...
9:34pm Tue 8 Jan 08
liveinhanover, hanover says...
9:56pm Tue 8 Jan 08
Ian Smith, Formerly Rhodesia says...
10:02pm Tue 8 Jan 08
disappointed., Brighton says...
10:13pm Tue 8 Jan 08
mucher, everywhere says...
10:28pm Tue 8 Jan 08
saywhatuthink wrote:the most common sense comment left. If people dont start to stand up to the youth of today soon they will take over and all hell with break loose. In the 60's if someone down the road saw you kids doing something wrong they would drag them back to your house and tell the parents. These days everyone turns a blind eye
Whats wrong with saying what you think? I think they are brave to stand up to their neighbours about whats going on in that area. You can say what you like about these two but at least you know where you stand with them. They say a spades a spade and their not backwards at coming forward. Brighton has lost all its characters over the years and at least now we have another one back. Love em or hate them they add character to Brighton. Wishing you all the best xx
Me Old China, East End says...
10:31pm Tue 8 Jan 08
megainonlyme, hove says...
10:31pm Tue 8 Jan 08
PR MAD wrote:funny you should say that, they have added a special offer for this weekend on thier web site. There obviously not silly.
The Hanover issue aside these two are the 'Queens' of PR in brighton. It costs about £1800 for a full page in the argus and over the past 6 months they have had 4 of them, 100% totally free. Either they are slipping the Argus a few quid every now and again or one of them works there as a side line. My shop has never once even been mentioned in this newpaper. Whats the old saying? Theres no such thing as bad publicity! These two prove that right
claire, brighton says...
11:23pm Tue 8 Jan 08
janeagain, hanover says...
11:41pm Tue 8 Jan 08
I was surprised to read on the Argus online this evening your comments regarding the stand the two guys at the tearooms on Southover Street are taking on the yobs that are causing havoc in Hanover.
I have had the pleasure of meeting the labour councillor and your fellow green councillor Georgia but have never ever meet you before. I am unsure if you have a personal quibble with the owners of the tearoom but by stating in the newspaper that there is no crime in Hanover is at best naive.
I have lived in Hanover for 6 years and as a whole it is a nice area. However the crime in the area IS out of control and your comments brushing it under the carpet totally disgust me. Maybe where you are there is some special powers at force but living on Newhaven Street is a total nightmare for crime. We have had our car wing mirrors ripped off 9 times, my property has had graffiti on it several times, I am constantly awaken by drunks at 3am, and my neighbours house has been pelted by stones on a number of occasions.
May I suggest that if you actually get out and meet members of the community and talk about the issues you might in future refrain from making such remarks in the newspaper?
I for one am pleased that the guys are standing up for them selfs. They have brought some colour to the area, tidied up that section of Southover Street and highlighted the problem we are having.
It seems to me that local councillors just pop their heads up when they can get their names in the paper but the rest of the time do very little.
What a chump, Brighton says...
8:03am Wed 9 Jan 08
I am not suprised that this tea shop is targetted it is stranger than fiction!
j, BN1 says...
8:15am Wed 9 Jan 08
steve wrote:who does he think is this utter moron barely literate probably hasn't even heard of the word comma or full stop let alone know how to spell how do idiots like this get access to the internet it shouldn't be allowed. trying to decide what I found more offensive, the way you expressed your "views" or your pathetic assault on written English. Get back in the dole queue and shut up.
who does he think he is this shirtlifter his up a tree pink tea rooms get a life you sad muppet we dont need your sort around here good redens batey man
Spanish Gentleman, Up the Queens Park Tavern with the scary rough boys off my nut and about to terrorise Hanover residents says...
9:17am Wed 9 Jan 08
The Whitehawk that whatever his name is mr tea and scones despises is a great community and has brought more to Brighton life than a few ex Londonistas who moved here because they did not want Jack and Jocasta to go to school with black boys (though they can NEVER admit it) will ever.
Camp old dears are part of Brighton so fair play to him. Idiotic three wheel pushchair wielding Hanover trendies who are scared of their own shadow are not.
Fi, Hanover says...
10:01am Wed 9 Jan 08
Good luck to Mr Daly and his tea shop in their quest to avoid vandalism and crime...
anti-social behaviour team, says...
10:23am Wed 9 Jan 08
v, ............... says...
10:31am Wed 9 Jan 08
tobi, brighton says...
10:41am Wed 9 Jan 08
Flat Foot Soozie wrote:well flat chested floozie keep up the stupid remarks
Bra burning? How quaint! It certainly sounds as if somebody has put something in Mr Daly's tea. It's unlikely he'll be voting Green.
tobi, brighton says...
10:41am Wed 9 Jan 08
Flat Foot Soozie wrote:well flat chested floozie keep up the stupid remarks
Bra burning? How quaint! It certainly sounds as if somebody has put something in Mr Daly's tea. It's unlikely he'll be voting Green.
Spanish Gentleman, New York London Paris erm Brighton says...
11:12am Wed 9 Jan 08
Fi wrote:Fi Brighton is NOT a large city!!!! For God's sake.
I have lived in in several locations in Brighton over the years and in my personal opinion Hanover is the most community friendly place I have ever lived. The people are friendly, helpful and in spite of the huge amounts of students I enjoy the 'mixed' bag of people who live in my area. Crime is a problem everywhere in a large city and vandalism is unfortunate but no worse here than anywhere else. Good luck to Mr Daly and his tea shop in their quest to avoid vandalism and crime...
It is a relatively large seaside town. What is in the water in the reservoir off Islingword Road that makes Hanover residents so delusional they are living in some sort of metropolis?????
As for residents, they certainly would not fit the description of 'mixed bag' in any other (real) British city.
hillylane, hanover says...
12:04pm Wed 9 Jan 08
bren, brighton says...
12:28pm Wed 9 Jan 08
The tea cosy is a Brighton institution!!!! Why dont we celebrate the fact we have an additional tourist attraction in Brighton which brings in money, jobs, and national news to the area rather than knocking them down. I hope they move to bigger and better places soon and I will come to where ever you move to. Love you boys! Xx
Graham Hannaford, Kemp Town says...
1:58pm Wed 9 Jan 08
Louis, Brighton says...
2:23pm Wed 9 Jan 08
This is set to cause a constitutional stand-off which will show what Bill Randall and Georgia Wrighton are made of. Mr Daly will certainly have to move now as the area is beholden to another monarch and not to the usuper to whom he is in thrall.
Spanish Gentleman, At my renovated French farmhouse with a fantastic brie we picked up in the market and teaching my precocious children French unneccesarily and being secretly despised by the villagers who I think I am good terms says...
2:42pm Wed 9 Jan 08
Louis wrote:How much would the residents of Hanover love to find out they were part of France. Can you imagine how snobbish and pretentious it would get then. The place would simply disappear up its own derriere for good.
Documents have emerged which show that the museili mountain is in fact part of Burgundy. This is set to cause a constitutional stand-off which will show what Bill Randall and Georgia Wrighton are made of. Mr Daly will certainly have to move now as the area is beholden to another monarch and not to the usuper to whom he is in thrall.
Dave, Belgrave St says...
3:13pm Wed 9 Jan 08
quote! Police resources are streched I'm not suprized they don't give a T@ss most of the time. Get a life and move to the country!
Spanish Gentleman, Propping up the Bar in The Geese Talking About House Prices says...
3:33pm Wed 9 Jan 08
Please tell me what your definition of a large city is, as this is getting beyond a joke.
Brighton comes behind PETERBOROUGH and STOCKPORT in population.
However when the list is made up purely of delusional idiot residents, Brighton fares somewhat better.
Offiah De Santis, says...
4:57pm Wed 9 Jan 08
Spanish Gentleman wrote:Plus Brighton has no scope to grow into a Large City with its pathetic infrastructure.
Dave its not a large city mate. Please will everyone stop it. Please tell me what your definition of a large city is, as this is getting beyond a joke. Brighton comes behind PETERBOROUGH and STOCKPORT in population. However when the list is made up purely of delusional idiot residents, Brighton fares somewhat better.
Brighton is at best a large town, with such inferior roads the council can't be taken an ounce seriously.
Just The Facts, says...
5:09pm Wed 9 Jan 08
Brighton comes behind PETERBOROUGH and STOCKPORT in population.
Anything to back this claim up?
surprise, Brighton says...
5:15pm Wed 9 Jan 08
Spanish Gentleman, Mega City 1 says...
5:22pm Wed 9 Jan 08
I just made it up Just the Pedant to annoy you mate, is that what you want to hear? No its from the Office of National Statistics. Why don't you bother them about their obviously inaccurate figures and tell them that Brighton is in fact the size of Greater Mexico City and should really be the seat of the UN.
Why dig someone out so pointlessly? Why does it bother you that someone points out the obvious idiocy of claiming Brighton is a large city? OK lets all join in. I say Rottingdean is a throbbing multicultural urban centre in desperate need of its own underground and Ditchling is hosting a summit on its increased urbanisation in the 21st century with fellow major growth centres like Shanghai and Manila. lalalala.
Spanish Gentleman, Mega City 1 says...
5:23pm Wed 9 Jan 08
Just The Facts wrote:What do you care? Are you another Its A City Merchant?
Brighton comes behind PETERBOROUGH and STOCKPORT in population.Anything to back this claim up?
I just made it up Just the Pedant to annoy you mate, is that what you want to hear? No its from the Office of National Statistics. Why don't you bother them about their obviously inaccurate figures and tell them that Brighton is in fact the size of Greater Mexico City and should really be the seat of the UN.
Why dig someone out so pointlessly? Why does it bother you that someone points out the obvious idiocy of claiming Brighton is a large city? OK lets all join in. I say Rottingdean is a throbbing multicultural urban centre in desperate need of its own underground and Ditchling is hosting a summit on its increased urbanisation in the 21st century with fellow major growth centres like Shanghai and Manila. lalalala.
me, Brighton says...
5:57pm Wed 9 Jan 08
Louis, Brighton says...
6:43pm Wed 9 Jan 08
Spanish Gentleman wrote:No, they would all begin to stave and quarrel among themselves.
Louis wrote:How much would the residents of Hanover love to find out they were part of France. Can you imagine how snobbish and pretentious it would get then. The place would simply disappear up its own derriere for good.
Documents have emerged which show that the museili mountain is in fact part of Burgundy. This is set to cause a constitutional stand-off which will show what Bill Randall and Georgia Wrighton are made of. Mr Daly will certainly have to move now as the area is beholden to another monarch and not to the usuper to whom he is in thrall.
It's what happened in Passport to Pimlico.
But it would be a good idea to put barbed wire round Museli Mountain.
Spanish Gentleman, says...
7:10pm Wed 9 Jan 08
Louis wrote:We did get the reference Louis there is a Classic Comedy section in Western Road Virgin thanks.
Spanish Gentleman wrote:No, they would all begin to stave and quarrel among themselves. It's what happened in Passport to Pimlico. But it would be a good idea to put barbed wire round Museli Mountain.Louis wrote: Documents have emerged which show that the museili mountain is in fact part of Burgundy. This is set to cause a constitutional stand-off which will show what Bill Randall and Georgia Wrighton are made of. Mr Daly will certainly have to move now as the area is beholden to another monarch and not to the usuper to whom he is in thrall.How much would the residents of Hanover love to find out they were part of France. Can you imagine how snobbish and pretentious it would get then. The place would simply disappear up its own derriere for good.
I cannot even call it muesli mountain as a nickname, its as inauthentic, self-referential and contrived and self conscious as the current Hanover (and Brighton) itself.
No one ever called it that when I was a kid, in fact even the word Hanover was seldom used. It was a good laugh drinking down the hill on your way to town (not the city centre newbies) but other than that was just rows of houses that people thought were a bit pokey.
cliff, dordet says...
4:41pm Tue 8 Jan 08