Archive

  • Homes backed at King Alfred

    Plans for a multi-million pound sports centre and hundreds of homes are going ahead despite strong opposition from neighbours. Brighton and Hove policy committee agreed in principle to a complete rebuild of the ailing King Alfred Leisure Centre in Kingsway

  • Brighton Youth Orchestra, St Mark's Chapel, Brighton, July 21

    The Brighton Youth Orchestra - or rather, its string and wind ensembles - was in celebratory mood at its weekend concert. And quite right, too. Just back from a short tour of Cornwall, it had also won a highly commended award at the Music For Youth Festival

  • Sean Lock, Komedia, Brighton, July 19

    If I had one word to sum up Sean Lock's performance, it would be "disappointing". Lock is one of the UK's top stand-ups. He has been nominated for the Perrier and won best live stand-up at the British Comedy Awards in 2000. I have seen him quite a few

  • Glass jaw

    It infuriates me when I read comments describing the Fatboy Slim crowd as "good-natured" and "generally well-behaved". The evidence to the contrary is indisputable - tonnes of glass and rubbish on Brighton beach. Obviously, as soon as the majority of

  • Popular officer moved on

    One of Brighton and Hove's most popular police officers is leaving. Chief Inspector Stuart Harrison, who helped launch permanent policing at the Clock Tower in Brighton, officers on buses and in-line skates for seafront patrols, is moving to Sussex Police

  • Council's cover-up of a dirty weekend

    Well done, Keith Taylor (July 19) for trying to stand up to a barrage of heckling during Brighton and Hove City Council's debate on the Fatboy Slim gig. As for culture councillor Ian Duncan, what culture is he from? Obviously a gullible one if he thinks

  • Good luck to Joyce

    How nice it was to see the story about Joyce Golding (The Argus Weekend, July 20). I had the pleasure of working with her during her years at Tungsten's factory. In fact, she started there the day before I did. It was always a laugh when Joyce was around

  • Rubbish that's never taken

    We read with some amusement the stories of refuse collections being disrupted by one-day strikes. We live in a block of 11 flats with a central rubbish point and ours has only been collected once in the past six weeks. That was a specially organised Saturday

  • Low wages

    I have a lot of sympathy for many of the lowest-paid council workers who have to exist on about £5 an hour. While the introduction of the minimum wage was a step in the right direction, millions of employees still earn well below the EU's decency wage

  • Van driver attacked

    A van driver was grabbed by the throat and threatened after a near miss with a car. His attacker let him go but punched and kicked the van. The incident happened at Pease Pottage Services, near Crawley, at about midday on Monday. The victim was in a red

  • At the sharp end

    Queen's Park is still my favourite open space in Brighton and Hove, despite the regular attacks from seagulls and lack of children's toilets. On Saturday I was there watching the Queen's Park Tennis Club finals and minding some small children playing

  • Between You And Me, by Vanora Leigh

    Well, that's over for another day. I think I've dislocated my shoulder, my legs feel stretched like elastic bands and I've got a headache. What I'd like now is a mug of coffee and a jam-filled, sugar-coated doughnut - but that would defeat my purpose.

  • Too fed up for rail moans

    Train services across Sussex are so abysmal passengers have given up complaining, according to a rail watchdog. The number of complaints about fares and ticketing more than doubled in the region last year. But the overall number of complaints in the South

  • Arts centre Contract to supply PO cards

    ID Data, the Lewes-based smart card manufacturer, has won a four-year contract to supply cards for the Post Office card account. The card production and personalisation is being handled by ID Data and its joint venture partner TTi. The Post Office card

  • Organic growers to hold an open day

    A group of green businesses in a 17-acre corner of an historic country park are throwing open their gates to the public next month. Stanmer Organics in Stanmer Park, Brighton, will hold an open day on Saturday, August 3. Established four years ago, the

  • Plain sailing as boat firm turns to the web

    A seaside boat business has been chosen to feature in a government drive to encourage tourism companies to use the internet. Allchorn Pleasure Boats in Eastbourne is a star in the Government's Go For IT campaign, showing how to convert web visitors into

  • Heartless

    At last, the whole world can see just what kind of person Nicholas Hoogstraten is - the man who famously described ramblers as "the scum of the earth" and people "with no stake in society". Now everyone knows what sort of stake he wanted to have in society

  • Take stock

    I want to say well done for your articles about Nicholas Hoogstraten (July 23). The man is clearly repulsive and has no morals or care for anyone or anything bar his own wealth. It was refreshing to see a newspaper have the courage to speak openly about

  • See, hear

    I am dismayed by the audacity of S.L. from Lewes. Road deaths of motorcyclists do not just boil down to "maniacs". I have had three motorcycle accidents in two years, all requiring hospital treatment. In each "accident" (as they are wrongly named), I

  • Turk hits superb century

    Neil Turk and Dominic Clapp shared an opening stand of 221 as Sussex Second XI took command on the opening day of their championship clash against Hampshire. Turk stroked his maiden championship century for the seconds and Clapp made 80 before bad light

  • Late justice

    Campaigner John Bray fought for years to clear Reg Dudley and Bob Maynard after they had been convicted of two gruesome gangland killings in the Seventies. Now the Court of Appeal has quashed their convictions and Mr Bray, from Haywards Heath, is delighted

  • Two-way view

    S.L. of Lewes obviously has a deep hatred of motorcyclists. Was this due to some childhood trauma? Please think a bit before you tar us all with the same brush. Motorcyclists, car drivers and cyclists all have their own minorities who spoil it for the

  • Pay the price for crowds

    Brighton and Hove is one of the biggest crowd-pulling cities in Britain, as the Fatboy Slim concert proved. About 250,000 people attended that event but there have been other big attractions this year, including Party in the Park and a Festival fire display

  • Comment: Ian Hart

    It wasn't that long ago that I was being rubbished in some quarters for suggesting that Rio Ferdinand had world-class potential. Sir Alex Ferguson, on this occasion, sings from the same hymn sheet as yours truly because he has taken Ferdinand across the

  • Mum's the word for Open hero

    Gary Evans received a hug and a kiss from his biggest fan yesterday. Evans captured the hearts of the nation when he came so close to Open glory at Muirfield. During his final astonishing round of 65 he hit a long range putt on the 17th and turned to

  • Tough summer for Debenhams

    Tough trading conditions sent shares in Debenhams tumbling 12 per cent after the store chain's margins suffered. Like-for-like sales across the group in the 20 weeks to July 20 were above most analyst forecasts at 6.2 per cent. But the gross margin was

  • Months to restore burned church

    Church officials say it will take six months to restore an ancient church after a blaze caused more than £500,000-worth of damage. Arsonists are believed to have set light to the 12th Century St Mary's and St Peter's Church in Wilmington, destroying a

  • Bookies ban punter for winning

    A Sussex gambler has been banned from betting at a chain of bookmakers - because he won. The ban follows a month in which Mark Fancy, 36, beat Coral with a series of football, horseracing, greyhound and golfing wagers. In May, the Brighton businessman

  • Builder's dig aimed at bullets

    Bullets which were probably relics from the Second World War have been found on a building site. Builder Michael Veal was working on an extension to a house in Mile Oak Gardens, Portslade, when he dug up four wartime bullets. He handed them over to North

  • Rail firm rejects security call

    A rail company has rejected calls for greater security on trains, saying it is not responsible for the behaviour of trouble-making passengers. Vanessa Clifton-Lawrence, 30, made the plea after a gang of teenagers verbally abused passengers as she returned

  • Rio comes to Brighton

    I cannot believe the amount of negative criticism aimed at the beach party. For one night in the year, let Brighton revel in its "beach city" status and include the seafront road as part of the party. An event such as this puts us on the map internationally

  • Will Norman's bus be renamed?

    Did I spot a bus named after Norman Cook? Will that be changed after the events of the other weekend? -Gerry Slater, Brighton

  • Homes backed at King Alfred

    Plans for a multi-million pound sports centre and hundreds of homes are going ahead despite strong opposition from neighbours. Brighton and Hove policy committee agreed in principle to a complete rebuild of the ailing King Alfred Leisure Centre in Kingsway

  • Brighton Youth Orchestra, St Mark's Chapel, Brighton, July 21

    The Brighton Youth Orchestra - or rather, its string and wind ensembles - was in celebratory mood at its weekend concert. And quite right, too. Just back from a short tour of Cornwall, it had also won a highly commended award at the Music For Youth Festival

  • Sean Lock, Komedia, Brighton, July 19

    If I had one word to sum up Sean Lock's performance, it would be "disappointing". Lock is one of the UK's top stand-ups. He has been nominated for the Perrier and won best live stand-up at the British Comedy Awards in 2000. I have seen him quite a few

  • Snakes and Ladders, Theatre Royal, Brighton, until July 27

    If undemanding but amusing summer fare is what you want, you will get it at the Theatre Royal this week. Paul Nicholas and Ian Ogilvy team up for some jolly fun in Eric Chappell's timeless comedy. It is, indeed, so timeless it could have been written

  • We should be more evolved

    If a tanker ran aground and spilled oil all over the beach, it would be classed as an ecological disaster and a fine would be levied. Surely the Fatboy Slim fiasco counts as an ecological disaster? I am astounded at the arrogance of our council. The beach

  • Some proper fun

    In 1969, there were two massive free concerts in Hyde Park, one featuring the Rolling Stones, which Mick Jagger dedicated to Brian Jones following his tragic drowning, and the other the short-lived supergroup Blind Faith with former Cream members Ginger

  • Do as you say

    Why do Brighton and Hove councillors always pass on the burden of council tax to Joe Public (The Argus, July 18)? Where do they think we are going to keep finding the extra money? If they say they cannot give the roadsweepers, refuse men, dinner ladies

  • Nothing's free

    That magic word "free" brought them from all over the South of England to see Fatboy Slim in Brighton. Unfortunately, as we all know, nothing is free and someone has to pay to clear up all the rubbish left by the hordes of visitors - the same suckers

  • Scots way, hey

    Don't stop the party, just follow Edinburgh's example. The famous Hogmanay street party has always been popular but, by the late Nineties, so many people were turning up the authorities and emergency services could barely cope. With the Millennium fast

  • Glass jaw

    It infuriates me when I read comments describing the Fatboy Slim crowd as "good-natured" and "generally well-behaved". The evidence to the contrary is indisputable - tonnes of glass and rubbish on Brighton beach. Obviously, as soon as the majority of

  • Once bitten

    I have lived in Brighton for 34 years and for the first time I went to last week's council meeting and sat in the public gallery. What an other-worldly experience it was. In a question to the leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, Ken Bodfish, a member

  • Test-drive thief strikes six times

    A serial motorbike thief who scours newspaper adverts for potential victims has now struck six times in the past three months. Sussex police are urging bike owners to be on their guard to prevent the conman claiming any more victims. The thief has duped

  • Bid to build artificial reef

    The creation of the UK's first artificial reef has moved a step closer. Councillor Geoff Howitt has suggested sinking a bus, boat, cars or tyres off the coast of Shoreham to act as a breeding ground for fish and to attract scuba divers. Adur District

  • At the sharp end

    Queen's Park is still my favourite open space in Brighton and Hove, despite the regular attacks from seagulls and lack of children's toilets. On Saturday I was there watching the Queen's Park Tennis Club finals and minding some small children playing

  • Too fed up for rail moans

    Train services across Sussex are so abysmal passengers have given up complaining, according to a rail watchdog. The number of complaints about fares and ticketing more than doubled in the region last year. But the overall number of complaints in the South

  • Arts centre Contract to supply PO cards

    ID Data, the Lewes-based smart card manufacturer, has won a four-year contract to supply cards for the Post Office card account. The card production and personalisation is being handled by ID Data and its joint venture partner TTi. The Post Office card

  • Organic growers to hold an open day

    A group of green businesses in a 17-acre corner of an historic country park are throwing open their gates to the public next month. Stanmer Organics in Stanmer Park, Brighton, will hold an open day on Saturday, August 3. Established four years ago, the

  • Plain sailing as boat firm turns to the web

    A seaside boat business has been chosen to feature in a government drive to encourage tourism companies to use the internet. Allchorn Pleasure Boats in Eastbourne is a star in the Government's Go For IT campaign, showing how to convert web visitors into

  • Two dead on beach

    Police are trying to trace relatives of a woman found bound and gagged half-way down cliffs at a notorious suicide blackspot. The woman was found at Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, along with the body of Elizabeth Taylor, 39, from Eastbourne. Police, who

  • Driver hit by armed robber

    A motorist had his car stolen by a knife-wielding carjacker as he drove home from visiting friends. The un-named man, who is in his 30s and from Hailsham, was slowing down as he approached a junction when his black Audi A4 was rammed from behind. As he

  • Despicable

    A life sentence for Hoogstraten could see him free in seven years to carry on persecuting and victimising anyone who stands in his way and adding to his ill-gotten gains. I fear, even in prison, he will still get at the people who dared to stand up to

  • Stain man

    Almost half of Eric Vinten's body is covered with tattoos and he wants the world to recognise this after his death. Mr Vinten, who lives in Bexhill, is hoping his body can be skinned when he dies and auctioned to the highest bidder. In China, skin is

  • Pay the price for crowds

    Brighton and Hove is one of the biggest crowd-pulling cities in Britain, as the Fatboy Slim concert proved. About 250,000 people attended that event but there have been other big attractions this year, including Party in the Park and a Festival fire display

  • Two sent off as tempers flare

    Crawley Town were thumped 6-0 by Second Division Brentford in an ill-tempered friendly at the Broadfield Stadium. The Bees had Ijah Anderson and Stephen Evans sent off in the second half as the game took a nasty turn. Anderson was dismissed after clashing

  • Comment: Ian Hart

    It wasn't that long ago that I was being rubbished in some quarters for suggesting that Rio Ferdinand had world-class potential. Sir Alex Ferguson, on this occasion, sings from the same hymn sheet as yours truly because he has taken Ferdinand across the

  • Evans touched heart of nation

    Gary Evans touched the heart of a nation when he focused on an adjacent television camera and declared: "That was for you mum." Evans had just scored a 50ft putt at the 17th hole to put his outrageous dream of winning the Open back on track at Muirfield

  • Mum's the word for Open hero

    Gary Evans received a hug and a kiss from his biggest fan yesterday. Evans captured the hearts of the nation when he came so close to Open glory at Muirfield. During his final astonishing round of 65 he hit a long range putt on the 17th and turned to

  • Dream chance for Wilkinson

    Shaun Wilkinson has been told to keep firing the goals which could earn him a dream Nationwide League chance. The 20-year-old from Portsmouth has been a revelation in pre-season since being switched from midfield to a central striking role. Boss Martin

  • Tattooed man to sell skin

    It sounds like the sort of legacy Hannibal Lecter would leave, but Eric Vinten is determined to cash in on his appearance after his death. When he dies, he hopes the art etched on his flesh will help provide for his four children. For Eric plans to have

  • Driver hit by armed robber

    A motorist had his car stolen by a knife-wielding carjacker as he drove home from visiting friends. The un-named man, who is in his 30s and from Hailsham, was slowing down as he approached a junction when his black Audi A4 was rammed from behind. As he

  • Tough summer for Debenhams

    Tough trading conditions sent shares in Debenhams tumbling 12 per cent after the store chain's margins suffered. Like-for-like sales across the group in the 20 weeks to July 20 were above most analyst forecasts at 6.2 per cent. But the gross margin was

  • Months to restore burned church

    Church officials say it will take six months to restore an ancient church after a blaze caused more than £500,000-worth of damage. Arsonists are believed to have set light to the 12th Century St Mary's and St Peter's Church in Wilmington, destroying a

  • Bookies ban punter for winning

    A Sussex gambler has been banned from betting at a chain of bookmakers - because he won. The ban follows a month in which Mark Fancy, 36, beat Coral with a series of football, horseracing, greyhound and golfing wagers. In May, the Brighton businessman

  • Hoogstraten: Business behind bars

    Nicholas van Hoogstraten will continue to rake in millions even from behind bars, it emerged last night. Despite his conviction for the manslaughter of rival landlord Mohammed Raja, Hoogstraten's businesses are likely to continue to thrive. While he sits

  • Tycoon 'shattered' by trial verdict

    Millionaire Nicholas van Hoogstraten has been left "numb and shattered" by his conviction for manslaughter, a friend said last night. The landlord, dubbed an evil killer, was said to be "deeply upset" after a jury found him guilty of killing rival landlord

  • Cure for summer crime blues

    Police are using a multi-pronged attack to crack down on booze-fuelled violent crime during the summer. A series of initiatives and operations in Brighton and Hove are already in place. Although officers are making headway in tackling other crimes, such

  • Builder's dig aimed at bullets

    Bullets which were probably relics from the Second World War have been found on a building site. Builder Michael Veal was working on an extension to a house in Mile Oak Gardens, Portslade, when he dug up four wartime bullets. He handed them over to North

  • How sad for them

    How depressing the only thing teenagers can look forward to for a good night out is to stand on a crowded, dirty beach watching a middle-aged bloke playing other people's records. I bet when Fatboy Slim was a teenager he did more exciting things and if

  • Sacked workman wins cash over van

    A workman who claimed he was sacked for refusing to drive a van he believed was dangerous has won his legal action for compensation. John Berry, of Dean Gardens, Portslade, was awarded £628 compensation by an employment tribunal to cover loss of wages

  • Rio comes to Brighton

    I cannot believe the amount of negative criticism aimed at the beach party. For one night in the year, let Brighton revel in its "beach city" status and include the seafront road as part of the party. An event such as this puts us on the map internationally

  • Was torso case man framed?

    Campaigners claim justice has been denied to a Brighton man wrongly implicated in two gruesome gangland killings in the Seventies. Convicted murderers Reg Dudley and Bob Maynard have finally been cleared after serving a total of 45 years in prison for

  • Good intent

    I am staying in Shepperton doing interior scenes for Last Of The Summer Wine but I can't have a cream tea because the chef has gone. I can have a bottle of wine but no cream tea. I also can't have a paracetamol and you're lucky to get an Elastoplast.

  • Popular officer moved on

    One of Brighton and Hove's most popular police officers is leaving. Chief Inspector Stuart Harrison, who helped launch permanent policing at the Clock Tower in Brighton, officers on buses and in-line skates for seafront patrols, is moving to Sussex Police

  • Headteacher leaves in style

    A headteacher was greeted by flower-waving crowds when she arrived for her last day in a silver Rolls-Royce. After 25 years, Dame Sheila Wallis retired from Davison High School for Girls in Worthing, where she started her career as a PE teacher. As she

  • Council's cover-up of a dirty weekend

    Well done, Keith Taylor (July 19) for trying to stand up to a barrage of heckling during Brighton and Hove City Council's debate on the Fatboy Slim gig. As for culture councillor Ian Duncan, what culture is he from? Obviously a gullible one if he thinks

  • Good luck to Joyce

    How nice it was to see the story about Joyce Golding (The Argus Weekend, July 20). I had the pleasure of working with her during her years at Tungsten's factory. In fact, she started there the day before I did. It was always a laugh when Joyce was around

  • Rubbish that's never taken

    We read with some amusement the stories of refuse collections being disrupted by one-day strikes. We live in a block of 11 flats with a central rubbish point and ours has only been collected once in the past six weeks. That was a specially organised Saturday

  • Low wages

    I have a lot of sympathy for many of the lowest-paid council workers who have to exist on about £5 an hour. While the introduction of the minimum wage was a step in the right direction, millions of employees still earn well below the EU's decency wage

  • Thanks for your contributions

    On behalf of all members of Crawley Lions Club, I express grateful thanks to all who supported us in the recent festival draw and to those who attended the Prom In The Park and contributed so generously to our bucket collection. These two items have benefited

  • Van driver attacked

    A van driver was grabbed by the throat and threatened after a near miss with a car. His attacker let him go but punched and kicked the van. The incident happened at Pease Pottage Services, near Crawley, at about midday on Monday. The victim was in a red

  • Between You And Me, by Vanora Leigh

    Well, that's over for another day. I think I've dislocated my shoulder, my legs feel stretched like elastic bands and I've got a headache. What I'd like now is a mug of coffee and a jam-filled, sugar-coated doughnut - but that would defeat my purpose.

  • Hypnotherapist wins a bursary

    Alain Lemaire is the first entrepreneur to receive a £250 marketing bursary awarded by the Brighton, Hove and Lewes Enterprise Agency's business class scheme. Mr Lemair trained as a therapist in England, France and the United States. He decided to concentrate

  • Arts centre print deal

    Graphic design agency Lime has won a contract to produce a monthly guide and marketing literature for The Barbican in London. The account is worth more than £300,000 a year for the design and printing. After five years of using the same format guide,

  • Headteacher leaves in style

    A HEADTEACHER was greeted by flower-waving crowds when she arrived for her last day in a silver Rolls-Royce. After 25 years, Dame Sheila Wallis retired from Davison High School for Girls in Worthing, where she started her career as a PE teacher. As she

  • Traders snub Christmas lights appeal

    Traders have failed to contribute a single penny towards an £18,000 appeal set up to raise funds for Christmas lights. For the past three months, members of Worthing Town Centre Initiative have urged traders to donate the minimum of £18,000 needed to

  • Caretaker jailed for abusing boys

    A former Catholic school caretaker who sexually abused a ten-year-old boy has been jailed for three years. John Bumstead, 69, of Harold Road, Hastings, showed no emotion as a jury at Hove Crown Court found him guilty of two counts of buggery and one of

  • £400,000 to make main road safer

    THE Highways Agency is to spend £400,000 on improving the main road into Polegate following the completion of the town's bypass. The £25 million bypass opened amid fanfare last month after more than two years of work. Highways Agency officials said the

  • Equal at last

    From the looks of things, Hoogstraten and Mr Raja both got what they deserved. -Dave Pyre, Sudeley Place, Brighton

  • Sick bully

    Brighton and Hove seems a little fresher with the news of Hoogstraten's manslaughter conviction. He is an evil, violent and arrogant tyrant and I sincerely hope he will be locked up for a long time. I only wish he could have been sent away about ten years

  • Heartless

    At last, the whole world can see just what kind of person Nicholas Hoogstraten is - the man who famously described ramblers as "the scum of the earth" and people "with no stake in society". Now everyone knows what sort of stake he wanted to have in society

  • Take stock

    I want to say well done for your articles about Nicholas Hoogstraten (July 23). The man is clearly repulsive and has no morals or care for anyone or anything bar his own wealth. It was refreshing to see a newspaper have the courage to speak openly about

  • Blue is the colour for Danny

    Daniel Hollands has signed a three-year scholarship deal with Chelsea. The 16-year-old, from Felpham, is also in line for a one-year professional contract. He said: "I'm really excited. It is the best contract you can get for someone in my position."

  • See, hear

    I am dismayed by the audacity of S.L. from Lewes. Road deaths of motorcyclists do not just boil down to "maniacs". I have had three motorcycle accidents in two years, all requiring hospital treatment. In each "accident" (as they are wrongly named), I

  • Turk hits superb century

    Neil Turk and Dominic Clapp shared an opening stand of 221 as Sussex Second XI took command on the opening day of their championship clash against Hampshire. Turk stroked his maiden championship century for the seconds and Clapp made 80 before bad light

  • Late justice

    Campaigner John Bray fought for years to clear Reg Dudley and Bob Maynard after they had been convicted of two gruesome gangland killings in the Seventies. Now the Court of Appeal has quashed their convictions and Mr Bray, from Haywards Heath, is delighted

  • Two-way view

    S.L. of Lewes obviously has a deep hatred of motorcyclists. Was this due to some childhood trauma? Please think a bit before you tar us all with the same brush. Motorcyclists, car drivers and cyclists all have their own minorities who spoil it for the

  • Hoping for Games glory

    Twelve hopefuls from Sussex compete in the biggest multi-sport event ever staged in this country when the Commenwealth Games begin in Manchester tomorrow. Big stars like Olympic gold medallists Ian Thorpe and Jonathan Edwards are taking part, but some

  • Ride safely

    I wonder how many other grey-haired teenagers masquerading as responsible adults S.L. of Lewes irritated as much as me with his callous remarks regarding the death of motorcyclists (Letters, July 19)? Because I ride a motorcycle, I assume I am included

  • Know your subject before criticising it

    It never ceases to amaze me how people who know nothing about a subject rush to air their opinions. I rode and worked with horses for more than 20 years and I went to see Spirit Of The Horse with a friend of similar experience who had also taught riding

  • Ex-caretaker jailed for sex assaults

    A former Catholic school caretaker who sexually abused a ten-year-old boy has been jailed for three years. John Bumstead, 69, of Harold Road, Hastings, showed no emotion as a jury at Hove Crown Court found him guilty of two counts of buggery and one of

  • MyTravel is on target

    MyTravel soothed investors' nerves by reassuring the City that trading was in line with expectations. The tour operator, formerly known as Airtours, includes Hove-based Panorama and Manos Holidays. Hit hard by September 11 and the subsequent slump in

  • New losses on the market

    The stock market continued to languish yesterday as early gains evaporated and investors suffered further losses. Although the FTSE 100 Index had a good start, rising nearly 100 points in the first hour of trading, the gains petered out during morning

  • Nurse uniform helped jail rapist

    A male nurse who raped a 23-year-old woman has been jailed for five years. Gary Colwell's uniform helped convict him, Lewes Crown Court heard. Colwell, 40, of South Coast Road, Peacehaven, met the woman in April this year at a nightclub. Colwell bought

  • Van driver attacked

    A van driver was grabbed by the throat and threatened after a near miss with a car. His attacker eventually let him go but then punched and kicked the van. The victim, who was in a red Miele van, had been backing out of a space at the Pease Pottage Services

  • Dumped cars blitz

    A blitz to remove abandoned cars has been approved by councillors. They hope the two-week operation will curb the rise in dumped cars in Mid Sussex, which has increased from 370 being destroyed last year to a projected total of more than 600 this year

  • Runway ruled out for ever

    Controversial plans for a second runway at Gatwick Airport have effectively been scrapped for ever. Transport Secretary Alistair Darling can only rule out development for 30 years, as that is the longest period covered by his White Paper, but expansion

  • Bad Girls in feel-good movie

    Big Pockets may star three actresses from ITV's drama Bad Girls but it is definitely a cheerful film. Charlie Day's first short film follows a day in the life of an overworked hotel porter who makes a good gesture. It is being filmed in and around Brighton

  • Rail firm rejects security call

    A rail company has rejected calls for greater security on trains, saying it is not responsible for the behaviour of trouble-making passengers. Vanessa Clifton-Lawrence, 30, made the plea after a gang of teenagers verbally abused passengers as she returned

  • Hindsight

    I do not wish to spoil other people's pleasures and can accept Normstock was intended to be a fun event that simply got out of control, as the hospitals, police, transport authorities and many people I have met who attended the event have commented. To

  • Will Norman's bus be renamed?

    Did I spot a bus named after Norman Cook? Will that be changed after the events of the other weekend? -Gerry Slater, Brighton

  • Snakes and Ladders, Theatre Royal, Brighton, until July 27

    If undemanding but amusing summer fare is what you want, you will get it at the Theatre Royal this week. Paul Nicholas and Ian Ogilvy team up for some jolly fun in Eric Chappell's timeless comedy. It is, indeed, so timeless it could have been written

  • We should be more evolved

    If a tanker ran aground and spilled oil all over the beach, it would be classed as an ecological disaster and a fine would be levied. Surely the Fatboy Slim fiasco counts as an ecological disaster? I am astounded at the arrogance of our council. The beach

  • Some proper fun

    In 1969, there were two massive free concerts in Hyde Park, one featuring the Rolling Stones, which Mick Jagger dedicated to Brian Jones following his tragic drowning, and the other the short-lived supergroup Blind Faith with former Cream members Ginger

  • Do as you say

    Why do Brighton and Hove councillors always pass on the burden of council tax to Joe Public (The Argus, July 18)? Where do they think we are going to keep finding the extra money? If they say they cannot give the roadsweepers, refuse men, dinner ladies

  • Nothing's free

    That magic word "free" brought them from all over the South of England to see Fatboy Slim in Brighton. Unfortunately, as we all know, nothing is free and someone has to pay to clear up all the rubbish left by the hordes of visitors - the same suckers

  • Scots way, hey

    Don't stop the party, just follow Edinburgh's example. The famous Hogmanay street party has always been popular but, by the late Nineties, so many people were turning up the authorities and emergency services could barely cope. With the Millennium fast

  • Good intent

    I am staying in Shepperton doing interior scenes for Last Of The Summer Wine but I can't have a cream tea because the chef has gone. I can have a bottle of wine but no cream tea. I also can't have a paracetamol and you're lucky to get an Elastoplast.

  • Once bitten

    I have lived in Brighton for 34 years and for the first time I went to last week's council meeting and sat in the public gallery. What an other-worldly experience it was. In a question to the leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, Ken Bodfish, a member

  • Headteacher leaves in style

    A headteacher was greeted by flower-waving crowds when she arrived for her last day in a silver Rolls-Royce. After 25 years, Dame Sheila Wallis retired from Davison High School for Girls in Worthing, where she started her career as a PE teacher. As she

  • Test-drive thief strikes six times

    A serial motorbike thief who scours newspaper adverts for potential victims has now struck six times in the past three months. Sussex police are urging bike owners to be on their guard to prevent the conman claiming any more victims. The thief has duped

  • Bid to build artificial reef

    The creation of the UK's first artificial reef has moved a step closer. Councillor Geoff Howitt has suggested sinking a bus, boat, cars or tyres off the coast of Shoreham to act as a breeding ground for fish and to attract scuba divers. Adur District

  • Thanks for your contributions

    On behalf of all members of Crawley Lions Club, I express grateful thanks to all who supported us in the recent festival draw and to those who attended the Prom In The Park and contributed so generously to our bucket collection. These two items have benefited

  • Hypnotherapist wins a bursary

    Alain Lemaire is the first entrepreneur to receive a £250 marketing bursary awarded by the Brighton, Hove and Lewes Enterprise Agency's business class scheme. Mr Lemair trained as a therapist in England, France and the United States. He decided to concentrate

  • Arts centre print deal

    Graphic design agency Lime has won a contract to produce a monthly guide and marketing literature for The Barbican in London. The account is worth more than £300,000 a year for the design and printing. After five years of using the same format guide,

  • Equal at last

    From the looks of things, Hoogstraten and Mr Raja both got what they deserved. -Dave Pyre, Sudeley Place, Brighton

  • Sick bully

    Brighton and Hove seems a little fresher with the news of Hoogstraten's manslaughter conviction. He is an evil, violent and arrogant tyrant and I sincerely hope he will be locked up for a long time. I only wish he could have been sent away about ten years

  • Despicable

    A life sentence for Hoogstraten could see him free in seven years to carry on persecuting and victimising anyone who stands in his way and adding to his ill-gotten gains. I fear, even in prison, he will still get at the people who dared to stand up to

  • Blue is the colour for Danny

    Daniel Hollands has signed a three-year scholarship deal with Chelsea. The 16-year-old, from Felpham, is also in line for a one-year professional contract. He said: "I'm really excited. It is the best contract you can get for someone in my position."

  • Stain man

    Almost half of Eric Vinten's body is covered with tattoos and he wants the world to recognise this after his death. Mr Vinten, who lives in Bexhill, is hoping his body can be skinned when he dies and auctioned to the highest bidder. In China, skin is

  • Hoping for Games glory

    Twelve hopefuls from Sussex compete in the biggest multi-sport event ever staged in this country when the Commenwealth Games begin in Manchester tomorrow. Big stars like Olympic gold medallists Ian Thorpe and Jonathan Edwards are taking part, but some

  • Ride safely

    I wonder how many other grey-haired teenagers masquerading as responsible adults S.L. of Lewes irritated as much as me with his callous remarks regarding the death of motorcyclists (Letters, July 19)? Because I ride a motorcycle, I assume I am included

  • Two sent off as tempers flare

    Crawley Town were thumped 6-0 by Second Division Brentford in an ill-tempered friendly at the Broadfield Stadium. The Bees had Ijah Anderson and Stephen Evans sent off in the second half as the game took a nasty turn. Anderson was dismissed after clashing

  • Know your subject before criticising it

    It never ceases to amaze me how people who know nothing about a subject rush to air their opinions. I rode and worked with horses for more than 20 years and I went to see Spirit Of The Horse with a friend of similar experience who had also taught riding

  • Evans touched heart of nation

    Gary Evans touched the heart of a nation when he focused on an adjacent television camera and declared: "That was for you mum." Evans had just scored a 50ft putt at the 17th hole to put his outrageous dream of winning the Open back on track at Muirfield

  • Dream chance for Wilkinson

    Shaun Wilkinson has been told to keep firing the goals which could earn him a dream Nationwide League chance. The 20-year-old from Portsmouth has been a revelation in pre-season since being switched from midfield to a central striking role. Boss Martin

  • Tattooed man to sell skin

    It sounds like the sort of legacy Hannibal Lecter would leave, but Eric Vinten is determined to cash in on his appearance after his death. When he dies, he hopes the art etched on his flesh will help provide for his four children. For Eric plans to have

  • Ex-caretaker jailed for sex assaults

    A former Catholic school caretaker who sexually abused a ten-year-old boy has been jailed for three years. John Bumstead, 69, of Harold Road, Hastings, showed no emotion as a jury at Hove Crown Court found him guilty of two counts of buggery and one of

  • Driver hit by armed robber

    A motorist had his car stolen by a knife-wielding carjacker as he drove home from visiting friends. The un-named man, who is in his 30s and from Hailsham, was slowing down as he approached a junction when his black Audi A4 was rammed from behind. As he

  • MyTravel is on target

    MyTravel soothed investors' nerves by reassuring the City that trading was in line with expectations. The tour operator, formerly known as Airtours, includes Hove-based Panorama and Manos Holidays. Hit hard by September 11 and the subsequent slump in

  • New losses on the market

    The stock market continued to languish yesterday as early gains evaporated and investors suffered further losses. Although the FTSE 100 Index had a good start, rising nearly 100 points in the first hour of trading, the gains petered out during morning

  • Nurse uniform helped jail rapist

    A male nurse who raped a 23-year-old woman has been jailed for five years. Gary Colwell's uniform helped convict him, Lewes Crown Court heard. Colwell, 40, of South Coast Road, Peacehaven, met the woman in April this year at a nightclub. Colwell bought

  • Hoogstraten: Business behind bars

    Nicholas van Hoogstraten will continue to rake in millions even from behind bars, it emerged last night. Despite his conviction for the manslaughter of rival landlord Mohammed Raja, Hoogstraten's businesses are likely to continue to thrive. While he sits

  • Tycoon 'shattered' by trial verdict

    Millionaire Nicholas van Hoogstraten has been left "numb and shattered" by his conviction for manslaughter, a friend said last night. The landlord, dubbed an evil killer, was said to be "deeply upset" after a jury found him guilty of killing rival landlord

  • Cure for summer crime blues

    Police are using a multi-pronged attack to crack down on booze-fuelled violent crime during the summer. A series of initiatives and operations in Brighton and Hove are already in place. Although officers are making headway in tackling other crimes, such

  • Runway ruled out for ever

    Controversial plans for a second runway at Gatwick Airport have effectively been scrapped for ever. Transport Secretary Alistair Darling can only rule out development for 30 years, as that is the longest period covered by his White Paper, but expansion

  • Bad Girls in feel-good movie

    Big Pockets may star three actresses from ITV's drama Bad Girls but it is definitely a cheerful film. Charlie Day's first short film follows a day in the life of an overworked hotel porter who makes a good gesture. It is being filmed in and around Brighton

  • How sad for them

    How depressing the only thing teenagers can look forward to for a good night out is to stand on a crowded, dirty beach watching a middle-aged bloke playing other people's records. I bet when Fatboy Slim was a teenager he did more exciting things and if

  • Hindsight

    I do not wish to spoil other people's pleasures and can accept Normstock was intended to be a fun event that simply got out of control, as the hospitals, police, transport authorities and many people I have met who attended the event have commented. To

  • Sacked workman wins cash over van

    A workman who claimed he was sacked for refusing to drive a van he believed was dangerous has won his legal action for compensation. John Berry, of Dean Gardens, Portslade, was awarded £628 compensation by an employment tribunal to cover loss of wages

  • Was torso case man framed?

    Campaigners claim justice has been denied to a Brighton man wrongly implicated in two gruesome gangland killings in the Seventies. Convicted murderers Reg Dudley and Bob Maynard have finally been cleared after serving a total of 45 years in prison for