Centre worry (From The Argus)

Centre worry

5:26pm Tuesday 29th December 2009 in

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Councillor David Smith claims the research resources of the Brighton History Centre will be 100% secure, rather than being “scrapped”.

But will all the books, maps, street directories, reports, cuttings collections etc be accessible?

How long will they be unavailable during the move to the library?

Will the staff at the library receive training so they can help researchers find the materials they need?

Cllr Smith is optimistic if he thinks that The Keep will be ready to receive all these resources, along with those from the East Sussex Record Office, within two years.

I understand that planning permission for the building has not yet been applied for. Has it been designed?

Even when it is built it will take some time to fit it out. I imagine that five years would be a more accurate figure. How long will these resources be unavailable to the public during the move?

Cllr Smith claims there will be “no permanent damage to services . . . [and that] any temporary inconvenience is worth bearing”. By whom?

Certainly not by David Rowland, (Letters, December 28) or by researchers and members of the many amenity societies in the city. Perhaps Cllr Smith is not a regular user of the centre, so it may be easy for him to bear.

Selma Montford Hon Secretary The Brighton Society Clermont Road Brighton