ONE of the great things about Brighton and Hove is that lots of people have strong opinions and they are not afraid of coming forward and letting people hear them.

We applaud Julian Caddy for joining the debate with what we can trust is a firm desire to improve our beloved city.

We are all entitled to our opinions and as the boss of the fantastic Brighton Fringe festival his views carry an awful lot of weight.

And we need more people like him to open up about what they believe is best for the city and the seafront even though we might not agree with them, as our Seafront 2020 campaign has called for more debate.

We, however, believe it is great that there is a rich mixture of offerings for residents and tourists alike.

Even though we live here, how many of us admit to a trip to the Palace Pier at least once a year to try our luck in the amusement arcades and a go on some of the rides like the amazing Ghost Train? The pier instantly makes you feel young.

Who hasn’t held tight to the grips on the waltzers as they are told “scream if you want to go faster”?

When relatives or friends come to visit we revel in the excuse to head straight to the pier.

After we’ve overdosed on ice cream then the next day we can head out for an amazing show and our city boasts a wealth of amazing upmarket restaurants.

It is all about the vibrant mix.

Fish and chips is as important as the vegan food or the vegetarian shoe shops.

West Street has its problems but the city’s stag do economy is massively important too. And we could not do without the Dome or the Royal Pavilion museum.