Even more devastating news concerning the West Pier. Brighton and Hove City Council needs to approve the enabling developments today and not wait until end of February. The pier will not last this long. The council fails to realise this structure is our
Controversial plans to close a number of urban post offices in Sussex have angered residents who are expected to make their feelings known at a public meeting. The major changes announced by Royal Mail, which is losing more than £1 million a day, show
It is terrible to read about the collapse of Brighton's West Pier. Would it be possible to salvage the remains of the concert hall to be reconstructed on terra firma? I have seen old buildings rehoused in North America. It's just an idea in order to avoid
Government policy on criminal justice in this country is little more than a sick joke, what with Home Secretary David Blunkett making new edicts monthly and after a few days consigning them to the waste-paper basket once the legal profession has studied
Students facing crippling £30,000 debts are getting as few as four hours of lectures a week. Students at the University of Sussex may be among the first to be charged up to £3,000-per-year for tuition following Government proposals to introduce top-up
The home of a one of my friends and his wife was recently burgled while they were away on holiday. Several personal items were stolen and a substantial amount of float money from his local football club, where he puts in numerous voluntary hours as fundraiser
In an article published on January 22, I was quoted as being an eyewitness to a violent incident at a pub near Brighton railway station. I was not there and wish to disassociate myself from the comments attributed to me. I believe some moron has poked
Further to the story headlined "Pub wrecked by hooligans" (The Argus, January 20), I would like to point out the police did most of the damage that night. These are the facts as they happened. The Railway Bell public house was full of football supporters
Having lived in Brighton and Hove until May 2002, I feel truly sorry for any unarmed police officer in England. They are increasingly hurt these days. It is very sad to see violent crime is on the increase in the city. -Anneliese Grasmann, Frberstrasse
May I thank the "white van man" who stopped and gave us assistance on January 21 at 12.25pm when our car broke down in the pouring rain outside Hove Cemetery going westwards. We did not have a mobile phone and he did all that was necessary, stopping his
It was a delight to read the lovely letter from Mrs J Adams (January 21). Neil and I would like to thank Mrs Adams for brightening up our day. It is so nice to hear of other people who love dogs as we do. -Bonnie Owers, Brighton
Victoria Stewart, from Hove, offers congratulations on our new Life section, which has taken the place of our old Business and Evolution section on Tuesdays. She says it is "a refreshing addition". We have not forgotten business news, however, and now
Outraged pensioners are demanding more funding to save a cut-price bus travel scheme. They are furious concessionary fares with their Sussex Countycard are about scrapped on buses travelling before 9am because many older people need to get to hospital
It sounds a frustratingly familiar story. An imperious 19th Century pier is allowed to decay and disintegrate through years of neglect. Concerned residents form an action group to save it but they are too late and the pier is lost - seemingly forever.
Canny canine Bertie is a dog in 282 million. The lucky hound has used his nose to predict the last five Saturday Lotto bonus balls in a pub competition. Regulars at the Royal Coach in Shoreham are astounded by Bertie's run of fortune. The two-year-old
A man died in a pool of blood after being stabbed through the heart in a fight on a city council estate last night. Neighbours heard shouts and the revving of car engines before police raced to Birdham Road, in Moulsecoomb, Brighton, at 8pm. The 27-year-old
Police are investigating a blaze which threatened to tear through an empty house last night. Neighbours raised the alarm when they spotted the fire in the porch of a house in St Wilfred's Road, Burgess Hill, at 9pm. Firefighters say if they had arrived
Angry parents staged a protest at the gates today to draw attention to their battle to save a threatened primary school. More than 50 people stood outside Heyworth Primary School in Haywards Heath from 8.30am to 9.30am waving hand-made banners as the
A college principal has backed Government plans to shake-up the education system which could lead to A-levels being scrapped. Phil Frier, principal of Park College in Kings Drive, Eastbourne, said the UK attached too much importance to exams. He welcomed
Anoraks like me will tell you the photo above Phil Plaine's letter (January 18) is a 4-6-0 and not an Atlantic (it's not leaving Victoria station, either). An Atlantic has a wheel arrangement of 4-4-2 and the photo above, of 32424 Beachy Head, shows the
Worthing coach Ian Davies has identified the trip to Portsmouth as a key date in their bid for promotion from London Two South. Paul Todd returns in place of winger Mike Kimmer and there is a start for flanker Jodie Levett. East Grinstead's survival battle
We are just four weeks into the New Year and already bad news is coming through for the luckless senior citizens of Brighton and Hove. I think it is shocking of Roger French, managing director of Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company, to put up fares
Haywards Heath have given their starters a chance to put things right as they bid to make up for cup despair. Heath entertain Thanet Wanderers in London One keen to maintain their title chase and wipe out memories of defeat at St Mary's OB last week.
Bertie, the Labrador-bassett, has beaten huge odds to predict the last five Saturday Lotto bonus balls in a competition at the Royal Coach in Shoreham. The lucky dog has won hundreds of pounds for its owner Dave Hallett, who has donated most of it to
Pool Valley was never a good place for a coach station. A much better site is beside Brighton railway station, which is where the last local plan had it earmarked before the developers got their way with a supermarket. It is not too late to add a coach
Adie Miles is hoping to complete a double century when he runs out for Pagham against Hassocks tomorrow. The vastly experienced striker, who scored his 100th goal for Bognor a couple of seasons ago, has now made it 99 with their neighbours at Nyetimber
Forty Note Fund trustee Mike Middleton has welcomed the decision to spend most of the money raised on Albion's emergency goalkeeper. A cheque for £15,000 from the Fund is being handed over to the cash-strapped Seagullls. They are putting the money towards
Could it be that a vacant coach station means selling off Royal York Buildings is that much easier? Belief in government promises fades even further with the tragic closure of the Pool Valley coach station. The city of Brighton and Hove can't even support
Horsham are set to hand their new Swedish signing a first start after throwing him in at the Queen Street deep end. Midfielder Martin Johansson gave a glimpse of his skills in a ten-minute substitute appearance as Hornets drew with Bracknell in a mudbath
Crawley's caretaker-boss Francis Vines admits he may change a winning team when he takes charge of his first home game against Ilkeston tomorrow. Reds enjoyed their first league success since November 2 when they won 4-2 at Havant last Saturday, a perfect
The Royal York Buildings in Brighton would be a treat for visitors and residents alike were it to be returned to use as a very special hotel, restored to provide the style, ambience and decor it had when converted from houses to a 100-bed hotel in 1819
We should like to answer Anthony Cort (Letters, January 16). My father-in-law moved to Brighton in Victorian times. My mother-in-law came from the North in the Twenties. I came in the Sixties to go to college as I was keen to live in Brighton. When does
Terry White has broken his silence about why he quit as manager of St Leonards. He called the situation at the club a "mockery" and a "fiasco" and says he was left with little choice but to leave. White was asked by shareholder Andy Thomson to take a
Forty Note Fund trustee Mike Middleton has welcomed the decision to spend most of the money raised on Albion's emergency goalkeeper. A cheque for £15,000 from the Fund is being handed over to the cash-strapped Seagullls. They are putting the money towards
Albion striker Graham Barrett has hit back at claims by Preston that his agent priced him out of a permanent move to Deepdale. The on-loan Arsenal striker insists his demands were not excessive but he admits the uncertainty surrounding his future is unsettling
Hove fighter Paul Halpin is set to box on the undercard when IBO light-middleweight champion Richard Williams defends his title in March. Williams is due to fight WBF holder Andrei Pestraiev at the York Hall, Bethnal Green on March 8. Unbeaten super-featherweight
The FTSE 100 index of leading shares closed down for the ninth consecutive day last night, a record since the index began in 1984. Blue chip shares lost 55.8 points to close at 3622.2, its lowest level since December 19, 1995, as continuing fears over
A coach station in Brighton closed after losing its franchise to sell National Express tickets, it has been revealed. Howard Trevette stunned travellers by abruptly shutting his Pool Valley station in Brighton last Wednesday. He blamed Brighton and Hove
Motorists will be held up for three times longer at a rail crossing which is already one of the worst congestion blackspots in Sussex. Proposals to cut the accident rate at the A27 Beddingham rail crossing, near Lewes, include introducing full-width barriers
The price of hiring skilled workers will continue to rise unless employers invest more in training, the leader of one of the country's biggest trade unions has warned. Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Amicus, said employer groups should stop
A coach station closed after losing its franchise to sell National Express tickets. Howard Trevette stunned travellers by abruptly shutting his Pool Valley station in Brighton last Wednesday. He blamed Brighton and Hove City Council for not offering enough
Many of Britain's over-60s will experience a certain sinking feeling when they hear that the value of UK pension funds slumped 14 per cent last year. This is the worst annual performance since the economic turmoil and plunging shares of 1974. For many
More than 200 people are expected at a thanksgiving service on Sunday for the work of Sussex volunteers. The Cathedral of Our Lady and St Philip Howard, in Arundel, is the venue for the event, which will be attended by the Lord Lieutenant, Hugh Wyatt,
A dentist has come to the rescue of an animal lover who wanted a souvenir of her favourite bird. Mandy Rutherford befriended Rupert the cockerel when he was brought to Carla Lane's sanctuary, near Horsted Keynes, where she works. Rupert's beak was four
Plans for a new city academy have been thrown into doubt after a mystery businessman withdrew £2 million backing. Without the money, a merger between East Brighton College of Media Arts (Comart) and Whitehawk Primary School, is unlikely to go ahead. Schools
A man has been charged with trying to wound two police officers. Leon Lugins, 29, of Charlotte Street, Brighton, was remanded in custody by Brighton and Hove magistrates today until February 5. He is accused of attempting to cause grievous harm to two
Plans for a multi-million pound development on Brighton and Hove's biggest brownfield site have been put on hold by the Government. Brighton and Hove City Council agreed in principle to back controversial plans to redevelop Brighton station site last
A threatened private hospital has been thrown a lifeline. The NHS has agreed to spend up to £900,000 to pay for services at King Edward VII Hospital in Midhurst, to continue up until the end of this financial year. It means an extra 280 NHS patients from
A man died today after his wife was rescued from a fire at their home. Jim Rushman was pulled unconscious from his first-floor flat in Hangleton Road, Hove. His wife Sandra was helped from the building by firemen who broke down their front door after
The Argus would cost 42p if it had been under the control of Brighton and Hove City Council for the past four years, a meeting was told last night. Tory councillor Garry Peltzer Dunn made the comparison at a full council meeting to illustrate the huge
Ambulance crews are failing to regularly reach patients within the time limit demanded by the Government. Crews are expected to answer 75 per cent of life-threatening emergency calls within eight minutes. In the period April to December 2002, Sussex Ambulance
The student heckler who last night caught Tony Blair off-guard during a speech on domestic policy said today he had spoken for the country against a war with Iraq. Iain Wilson, 22, from Worthing, a student at the London School of Economics, said many
A court has given police more time to question two men being held in connection with the murder of a businessman. The pair can be quizzed until 7am tomorrow before detectives have to charge or release them. The men were arrested at around noon on Wednesday
Morning rush hour motorists were delayed today after a car flipped over in icy conditions. The Fiat Punto driver escaped uninjured after rolling the car at the South Road roundabout in Hailsham. One lane was closed as traffic officers from Polegate carried
A beautiful part of Sussex tarnished by the Sarah Payne tragedy has now had a national police paedophile sweep named after it. The high-profile investigation that trapped music mogul Jonathan King, and last week led to the arrest of TV presenter Matthew
An entrepreneur's new discount card venture could generate income for independent shops with a spin-off for charity. Rod Crothall, managing director of Brighton IT agency Synergy.com, has launched the Brighton and Hove Gold Card scheme offering discounts
The Tools For Recognition exhibition sees four artists celebrate the eclectic face of contemporary painting. They question fixed ideas about beauty and explore memory, perception and sense of self, among other things. Chriss Fraser's large canvases draw
Here's our pick of the jazz and blues acts to be seen around the county this week. ANITA WARDELL QUARTET: Atmospheric Australian jazz singer with fiery rhythm section, including Robin Aspland, (Curtis Stigers' pianist ) and US drummer Gene Calderazzo.
Hove Museum and Art Gallery reopens next month following major redevelopment. Collections of contemporary craft, toys, film, local history and paintings have all been transformed in addition to the three new galleries for temporary exhibitions. In the
It sounds a frustratingly familiar story. An imperious 19th Century pier is allowed to decay and disintegrate through years of neglect. Concerned residents form an action group to save it but they are too late and the pier is lost - seemingly forever.
The wait is nearly over. On Saturday, February 8 the Pussycat Club reopens, proudly presenting the Valentine's Red Ball. Expect three rooms of awesome tunes at the newly-refurbished Concorde 2 on Madeira Drive, courtesy of Dutch trance guru Marco V and
March 30 is some time away but a little bit of anticipation never goes amiss, especially when it comes to clubbing. Soulshyne promises nine house of "love, peace and happiness" - in other words, a few record boxes of soulful dance music - over the Babylon
Our picks of the performances include post-war family drama, classic Rattigan, a multimedia extravaganza and a talk from Booker-winning author Penelope Lively. SEPARATE TABLES, Brighton Little Theatre, January 25-February 1 This play by Terence Rattigan
Our pick of the week's musical must-sees - from rock and jazz to the sounds of Vienna and outer space. NIK TURNER'S SPACE RITUAL, Concorde 2, Brighton, January 26 This posse is made up of former members of Hawkwind, the outfit whose brand of rock spanned
'Danger! Danger! High Voltage!' Oh, yes. We may all now be dancing crazily around our living rooms as these words thunder out from the stereo but a mere two months ago they played at the Pressure Point to a small handful of only those in the know. An
Hundreds of people queue at a Hove bus stop every day not realising one of the greatest names in history is buried nearby. Think of Mount Everest and what springs to mind is Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing's heroic efforts in conquering the world's
Her food is infested with maggots and she can only sleep for five hours a day, but Brighton sailor Polly Pratt is determined to finish a gruelling round-the-world yacht race. Polly, 29, has spent 25 days thousands of miles from civilisation, on board
Charity concerts by well-known pop stars can make millions. Why doesn't the West Pier Trust, as an alternative to the long-winded commercial development enterprise, contact some big names, such as Elton John, Paul McCartney, Cliff Richard and so on, with
Even more devastating news concerning the West Pier. Brighton and Hove City Council needs to approve the enabling developments today and not wait until end of February. The pier will not last this long. The council fails to realise this structure is our
Controversial plans to close a number of urban post offices in Sussex have angered residents who are expected to make their feelings known at a public meeting. The major changes announced by Royal Mail, which is losing more than £1 million a day, show
It is terrible to read about the collapse of Brighton's West Pier. Would it be possible to salvage the remains of the concert hall to be reconstructed on terra firma? I have seen old buildings rehoused in North America. It's just an idea in order to avoid
It is three years since the Queen raised Brighton and Hove to the dignity of a city. Immediately, and very properly, the council set about adding the word "City" to its notepaper and altering a number of signs. However, no one seems to have given the
Students facing crippling £30,000 debts are getting as few as four hours of lectures a week. Students at the University of Sussex may be among the first to be charged up to £3,000-per-year for tuition following Government proposals to introduce top-up
Having lived in Brighton and Hove until May 2002, I feel truly sorry for any unarmed police officer in England. They are increasingly hurt these days. It is very sad to see violent crime is on the increase in the city. -Anneliese Grasmann, Frberstrasse
It sounds a glamorous life - working for a record company, playing in a band and writing for a magazine. But Mia Clarke has been named the hardest worker in Sussex. The budding rock guitarist catches the 6.48am train to London five days a week and doesn't
It was a delight to read the lovely letter from Mrs J Adams (January 21). Neil and I would like to thank Mrs Adams for brightening up our day. It is so nice to hear of other people who love dogs as we do. -Bonnie Owers, Brighton
Victoria Stewart, from Hove, offers congratulations on our new Life section, which has taken the place of our old Business and Evolution section on Tuesdays. She says it is "a refreshing addition". We have not forgotten business news, however, and now
Outraged pensioners are demanding more funding to save a cut-price bus travel scheme. They are furious concessionary fares with their Sussex Countycard are about scrapped on buses travelling before 9am because many older people need to get to hospital
Transgender actress Mjka Scott will be standing for the Greens in May as a city councillor. Her opponents in Queen's Park ward will include Labour city council leader Ken Bodfish. The ward covers the St James's Street area and has a large lesbian, gay
It sounds a frustratingly familiar story. An imperious 19th Century pier is allowed to decay and disintegrate through years of neglect. Concerned residents form an action group to save it but they are too late and the pier is lost - seemingly forever.
Canny canine Bertie is a dog in 282 million. The lucky hound has used his nose to predict the last five Saturday Lotto bonus balls in a pub competition. Regulars at the Royal Coach in Shoreham are astounded by Bertie's run of fortune. The two-year-old
A man died in a pool of blood after being stabbed through the heart in a fight on a city council estate last night. Neighbours heard shouts and the revving of car engines before police raced to Birdham Road, in Moulsecoomb, Brighton, at 8pm. The 27-year-old
Anoraks like me will tell you the photo above Phil Plaine's letter (January 18) is a 4-6-0 and not an Atlantic (it's not leaving Victoria station, either). An Atlantic has a wheel arrangement of 4-4-2 and the photo above, of 32424 Beachy Head, shows the
Voice of The Argus (January 22) gets into a jam in suggesting Brighton and Hove City Council is well known for not liking motorists. I use a car. I use a cycle. I use the train, buses, taxis and even my legs to walk around the city. The key point of the
Kent/Sussex Regional League leaders Brighton will be without the unavailable Graham Pruce for their visit to Mid Sussex. Skipper David Edmondson returns for Worthing as they visit Horsham. Ramiz Inga and Mark Minchell are also back but Chris Sciandro
This is an open letter to Roger French. Your award-winning bus service has just committed a great disservice to your best customers - pensioners. Why have you introduced increased fares on all-day tickets with savings if you buy a book of five tickets
Worthing coach Ian Davies has identified the trip to Portsmouth as a key date in their bid for promotion from London Two South. Paul Todd returns in place of winger Mike Kimmer and there is a start for flanker Jodie Levett. East Grinstead's survival battle
We are just four weeks into the New Year and already bad news is coming through for the luckless senior citizens of Brighton and Hove. I think it is shocking of Roger French, managing director of Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company, to put up fares
Haywards Heath have given their starters a chance to put things right as they bid to make up for cup despair. Heath entertain Thanet Wanderers in London One keen to maintain their title chase and wipe out memories of defeat at St Mary's OB last week.
Pool Valley was never a good place for a coach station. A much better site is beside Brighton railway station, which is where the last local plan had it earmarked before the developers got their way with a supermarket. It is not too late to add a coach
Sussex could soon have a new golf course if Adur Council's bid for an 18-hole pay-and-play course near Shoreham Airport gets the green light. Planners will make a final decision on Monday on the design by Dave Thomas and Associates for a 6,800-yard course
Adie Miles is hoping to complete a double century when he runs out for Pagham against Hassocks tomorrow. The vastly experienced striker, who scored his 100th goal for Bognor a couple of seasons ago, has now made it 99 with their neighbours at Nyetimber
Forty Note Fund trustee Mike Middleton has welcomed the decision to spend most of the money raised on Albion's emergency goalkeeper. A cheque for £15,000 from the Fund is being handed over to the cash-strapped Seagullls. They are putting the money towards
Crawley's caretaker-boss Francis Vines admits he may change a winning team when he takes charge of his first home game against Ilkeston tomorrow. Reds enjoyed their first league success since November 2 when they won 4-2 at Havant last Saturday, a perfect
The Royal York Buildings in Brighton would be a treat for visitors and residents alike were it to be returned to use as a very special hotel, restored to provide the style, ambience and decor it had when converted from houses to a 100-bed hotel in 1819
We should like to answer Anthony Cort (Letters, January 16). My father-in-law moved to Brighton in Victorian times. My mother-in-law came from the North in the Twenties. I came in the Sixties to go to college as I was keen to live in Brighton. When does
Nick Gifford must overcome one final hurdle next week to become eligible to take over the training licence at Downs Stables, Findon. With his background and exerience Nick is a certainty to return from Newmarket with a pass certificate in his pocket after
Clothing and home furnishings retailer Laura Ashley is to close 35 stores in Europe in the wake of difficult Christmas trading, it emerged yesterday. The group said the proposals would see it exit completely from Germany and reduce its presence in Holland
Supermarket target Safeway's six-way take-over tussle took another twist when it dropped its recommendation of the original offer from Morrisons. The UK's fourth largest supermarket chain instead told shareholders to await developments so it could review
The price of hiring skilled workers will continue to rise unless employers invest more in training, the leader of one of the country's biggest trade unions has warned. Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Amicus, said employer groups should stop
The City watchdog has published a guide to help people manage debt after revealing 20 per cent of families now owe an average of £2,000. The guide by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) - Taking Control - has been launched when many people may face
A coach station closed after losing its franchise to sell National Express tickets. Howard Trevette stunned travellers by abruptly shutting his Pool Valley station in Brighton last Wednesday. He blamed Brighton and Hove City Council for not offering enough
Many of Britain's over-60s will experience a certain sinking feeling when they hear that the value of UK pension funds slumped 14 per cent last year. This is the worst annual performance since the economic turmoil and plunging shares of 1974. For many
Health officials apologised today to the parents of 17 children who died in early infancy for letters telling them their sons and daughters were due to start school. One devastated East Sussex mother said of the error: "The loss is always going to be
A court has given police more time to question two men being held in connection with the murder of a businessman. The pair can be quizzed until 7am tomorrow before detectives have to charge or release them. The men were arrested at around noon on Wednesday
Neighbours of a seafront hotel which could be used as emergency accommodation for asylum-seekers took their fears to city leaders last night. A deputation from Saltdean went to Brighton and Hove City Council to complain about the choice of the Home Office
Worshippers are objecting to a shop which declares it is the new transgender store for the South. Councillor Heather James last night told Brighton and Hove City Council: "It claims to offer the widest range of lingerie, footwear, wigs, clothes, toys,
A man has been charged with trying to wound two police officers. Leon Lugins, 29, of Charlotte Street, Brighton, was remanded in custody by Brighton and Hove magistrates today until February 5. He is accused of attempting to cause grievous harm to two
Plans for a multi-million pound development on Brighton and Hove's biggest brownfield site have been put on hold by the Government. Brighton and Hove City Council agreed in principle to back controversial plans to redevelop Brighton station site last
A man died today after his wife was rescued from a fire at their home. Jim Rushman was pulled unconscious from his first-floor flat in Hangleton Road, Hove. His wife Sandra was helped from the building by firemen who broke down their front door after
The Argus would cost 42p if it had been under the control of Brighton and Hove City Council for the past four years, a meeting was told last night. Tory councillor Garry Peltzer Dunn made the comparison at a full council meeting to illustrate the huge
The student heckler who last night caught Tony Blair off-guard during a speech on domestic policy said today he had spoken for the country against a war with Iraq. Iain Wilson, 22, from Worthing, a student at the London School of Economics, said many
A beautiful part of Sussex tarnished by the Sarah Payne tragedy has now had a national police paedophile sweep named after it. The high-profile investigation that trapped music mogul Jonathan King, and last week led to the arrest of TV presenter Matthew
Here are cinema listings for the coming week. Just find the film you want and see where it's showing. ABOUT SCHMIDT (15) at Brighton Duke of York's, Brighton Odeon and Brighton UGC. ANITA AND ME (12A) at Littlehampton Windmill Centre. BARBARELLA (15)
An entrepreneur's new discount card venture could generate income for independent shops with a spin-off for charity. Rod Crothall, managing director of Brighton IT agency Synergy.com, has launched the Brighton and Hove Gold Card scheme offering discounts
If the night sounds as good as the hype, this gay club night should be worth a visit. I've received more emails about Coco Latte's launch in the last couple of month than about any other event. The good news is the night is almost here. The Sharp Boys
Most club nights come and go but Russ Dewbury's Jazz Rooms just keeps going. Since it was conceived in 1987, this fusion of dancefloor jazz, cosmic soul, underground funk and much, much more, has attracted a large following of discerning clubbers. Over
March 30 is some time away but a little bit of anticipation never goes amiss, especially when it comes to clubbing. Soulshyne promises nine house of "love, peace and happiness" - in other words, a few record boxes of soulful dance music - over the Babylon
Much like The Vagina Monologues, Art has been one of those West End hits that goes on forever with no one ever seeming to get bored. First shown in Paris in 1994 and brought to the UK two years later, it has kept box offices very busy ever since. The
The man who wrote the backing music to a famous Monty Python sketch and other TV and film themes is continuing to reap the rewards. Hove-based composer Paul Lewis has made a successful career from his compositions. One of his most widely-heard works features
Two men have been jailed after police caught them with more than £8,000 worth of crack cocaine. Martin Comer, 46, of Ninfield Road, Bexhill, received a four-and-a-half year sentence. James Chapman, 41, a traveller who lives at Fair Lane Travellers' Site
Charity concerts by well-known pop stars can make millions. Why doesn't the West Pier Trust, as an alternative to the long-winded commercial development enterprise, contact some big names, such as Elton John, Paul McCartney, Cliff Richard and so on, with
I am devastated to learn St Mary Magdalen Church in Coldean, Brighton, has been vandalised yet again. This is a symptom of the society we live in - a minority of mindless, heartless thugs causes havoc in what is a place of peace and reflection and a hall
How much longer can we expect to see criminals treated with kid gloves while the victims suffer? I would ask Lord Woolf but have no desire to choke on anything I might bring up when he replies. It's not just the police and courts who are soft - landlords
Government policy on criminal justice in this country is little more than a sick joke, what with Home Secretary David Blunkett making new edicts monthly and after a few days consigning them to the waste-paper basket once the legal profession has studied
The home of a one of my friends and his wife was recently burgled while they were away on holiday. Several personal items were stolen and a substantial amount of float money from his local football club, where he puts in numerous voluntary hours as fundraiser
The report "Jail fails to keep a captive audience" (The Argus, January 14) might have made interesting reading to anyone who has no prior knowledge of Ford Prison or its inmates but it would also have given them a false view of what prison life is like
In an article published on January 22, I was quoted as being an eyewitness to a violent incident at a pub near Brighton railway station. I was not there and wish to disassociate myself from the comments attributed to me. I believe some moron has poked
Further to the story headlined "Pub wrecked by hooligans" (The Argus, January 20), I would like to point out the police did most of the damage that night. These are the facts as they happened. The Railway Bell public house was full of football supporters
G Brooker (Letters, January 22) is right to draw the taxpaying public's attention to the plight of the council tenants at Denmark Road. How has Brighton and Hove City Council arrived at such a dire choice? The tenants might consider asking the council
May I thank the "white van man" who stopped and gave us assistance on January 21 at 12.25pm when our car broke down in the pouring rain outside Hove Cemetery going westwards. We did not have a mobile phone and he did all that was necessary, stopping his
As Christmas and New Year is now over, credit where it is due. A big thank-you to the dustmen (refuse collectors) in my area, who have done a grand job not only in getting back to normal collection day but also clearing all the extra rubbish that Christmas
It is now, without question, the most pathetic sight in all the thousands of miles of British coastline. The rotted and battered remains of the once splendid West Pier are a monument to local and national ineptitude and flagrant lack of care for Britain's
Brighton and Hove City Council (The Argus, January 21) should take some responsibility for traffic congestion. It has paid lip-service to improving things and refused to accept Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company is not the answer to public transport
Lewes are hoping to avoid a second successive season battling relegation. The National League resumes on Sunday with Lewes away to Formby and East Grinstead at home to Peterborough Town. Lewes are currently fourth from bottom but can be overtaken by second-bottom
Bertie, the Labrador-bassett, has beaten huge odds to predict the last five Saturday Lotto bonus balls in a competition at the Royal Coach in Shoreham. The lucky dog has won hundreds of pounds for its owner Dave Hallett, who has donated most of it to
The good news for older people is men between 60 and 65, as well as women, will from April, have a right to cut-price bus travel. But the bad news is because so many men will join the elderly concessionairies, Brighton and Hove Buses have had to impose
Could it be that a vacant coach station means selling off Royal York Buildings is that much easier? Belief in government promises fades even further with the tragic closure of the Pool Valley coach station. The city of Brighton and Hove can't even support
Horsham are set to hand their new Swedish signing a first start after throwing him in at the Queen Street deep end. Midfielder Martin Johansson gave a glimpse of his skills in a ten-minute substitute appearance as Hornets drew with Bracknell in a mudbath
The Post Office says it wants to improve its service to the public. So how is it managing that? Stamps will soon cost more. Two deliveries a day will reduce to one. Thousands of sub post offices in towns and cities will close. No wonder staff and customers
Hastings United's injury problems show no sign of improving for tomorrow's home game against Cambridge City. Manager George Wakeling revealed Stuart Myall will have a knee operation next week and miss the rest of the season. Myall, the former Albion player
Terry White has broken his silence about why he quit as manager of St Leonards. He called the situation at the club a "mockery" and a "fiasco" and says he was left with little choice but to leave. White was asked by shareholder Andy Thomson to take a
Forty Note Fund trustee Mike Middleton has welcomed the decision to spend most of the money raised on Albion's emergency goalkeeper. A cheque for £15,000 from the Fund is being handed over to the cash-strapped Seagullls. They are putting the money towards
Albion striker Graham Barrett has hit back at claims by Preston that his agent priced him out of a permanent move to Deepdale. The on-loan Arsenal striker insists his demands were not excessive but he admits the uncertainty surrounding his future is unsettling
Hove fighter Paul Halpin is set to box on the undercard when IBO light-middleweight champion Richard Williams defends his title in March. Williams is due to fight WBF holder Andrei Pestraiev at the York Hall, Bethnal Green on March 8. Unbeaten super-featherweight
A woman who left a 90-year-old man in the road to die after a hit-and-run smash won an appeal to have her jail sentence cut. Mary Merritt was driving with no insurance and without L-plates when she tried to beat a lorry across a give-way junction and
The FTSE 100 index of leading shares closed down for the ninth consecutive day last night, a record since the index began in 1984. Blue chip shares lost 55.8 points to close at 3622.2, its lowest level since December 19, 1995, as continuing fears over
A coach station in Brighton closed after losing its franchise to sell National Express tickets, it has been revealed. Howard Trevette stunned travellers by abruptly shutting his Pool Valley station in Brighton last Wednesday. He blamed Brighton and Hove
Motorists will be held up for three times longer at a rail crossing which is already one of the worst congestion blackspots in Sussex. Proposals to cut the accident rate at the A27 Beddingham rail crossing, near Lewes, include introducing full-width barriers
Supermarket group Asda yesterday agreed to pay £550,000 compensation to a woman who slipped on a mushroom at one of its stores. Asda Stores admitted liability for the accident which shopper Beverley Jackson, 44, said had left her wheelchair-bound after
A dentist has come to the rescue of an animal lover who wanted a souvenir of her favourite bird. Mandy Rutherford befriended Rupert the cockerel when he was brought to Carla Lane's sanctuary, near Horsted Keynes, where she works. Rupert's beak was four
A sprightly centenarian decided not to celebrate his 100th birthday as he did his 90th - standing on his head. Sidney Nicholls, known as Nick, stunned guests at his 90th birthday party with his headstand party trick. But he has given up that hobby after
Plans for a new city academy have been thrown into doubt after a mystery businessman withdrew £2 million backing. Without the money, a merger between East Brighton College of Media Arts (Comart) and Whitehawk Primary School, is unlikely to go ahead. Schools
A threatened private hospital has been thrown a lifeline. The NHS has agreed to spend up to £900,000 to pay for services at King Edward VII Hospital in Midhurst, to continue up until the end of this financial year. It means an extra 280 NHS patients from
Ambulance crews are failing to regularly reach patients within the time limit demanded by the Government. Crews are expected to answer 75 per cent of life-threatening emergency calls within eight minutes. In the period April to December 2002, Sussex Ambulance
The gateway to Brighton and Hove is being given a £2.2 million makeover to give drivers a better - and less congested - welcome. Brighton and Hove City Council is going ahead with the latest phases of work on the A23 near Preston Park. The environment
Two treasure hunters unearthed a Bronze Age ring, an inquest heard. Metal detector enthusiasts Brian Simpson and Ken Mordle, both from Midhurst, made the startling find when they were searching a field at West Lavant Farm, Lavant, near Chichester. Pub
The Tools For Recognition exhibition sees four artists celebrate the eclectic face of contemporary painting. They question fixed ideas about beauty and explore memory, perception and sense of self, among other things. Chriss Fraser's large canvases draw
Here's our pick of the jazz and blues acts to be seen around the county this week. ANITA WARDELL QUARTET: Atmospheric Australian jazz singer with fiery rhythm section, including Robin Aspland, (Curtis Stigers' pianist ) and US drummer Gene Calderazzo.
The Sussex Symphony, the local band for semi-professionals and amateurs, celebrates its tenth anniversary with this concert. Founder and conductor Mark Andrew James will present a programme he describes as a mixture of mischief, mayhem, intense passion
Komedia continues its fantastic series of events for children with this selection of watery stories from around the world told by Liz Fost. Frost takes on the persona of Maggie, a retired pirate running a seaside curiosity shop. She reveals a magical
Hove Museum and Art Gallery reopens next month following major redevelopment. Collections of contemporary craft, toys, film, local history and paintings have all been transformed in addition to the three new galleries for temporary exhibitions. In the
Stompaphunk had a stompin' 2002, keeping the punters happy with its mix of twisted house (and anything else worth dancing to). It was nominated for Muzik Magazine's best small club night. If there's any justice it should win this time round. Check out
The wait is nearly over. On Saturday, February 8 the Pussycat Club reopens, proudly presenting the Valentine's Red Ball. Expect three rooms of awesome tunes at the newly-refurbished Concorde 2 on Madeira Drive, courtesy of Dutch trance guru Marco V and
Worthing's 3TO has a couple of special guests this weekend. On January 24, Switch plays host to Nicky Black Market, who will be playing alongside residents Mace, Novation, Mischief and Escher. Expect heavy drum 'n' bass. Saturday night finds Pussycat
Our picks of the performances include post-war family drama, classic Rattigan, a multimedia extravaganza and a talk from Booker-winning author Penelope Lively. SEPARATE TABLES, Brighton Little Theatre, January 25-February 1 This play by Terence Rattigan
Our pick of the week's musical must-sees - from rock and jazz to the sounds of Vienna and outer space. NIK TURNER'S SPACE RITUAL, Concorde 2, Brighton, January 26 This posse is made up of former members of Hawkwind, the outfit whose brand of rock spanned
'Danger! Danger! High Voltage!' Oh, yes. We may all now be dancing crazily around our living rooms as these words thunder out from the stereo but a mere two months ago they played at the Pressure Point to a small handful of only those in the know. An
Hundreds of people queue at a Hove bus stop every day not realising one of the greatest names in history is buried nearby. Think of Mount Everest and what springs to mind is Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing's heroic efforts in conquering the world's
Campaigners are having problems booking a venue to debate lifting cannabis laws. The Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA) in Worthing wants to show the certificate 18 Green Britain video, which highlights the controversial subject of allowing use of the drug
Her food is infested with maggots and she can only sleep for five hours a day, but Brighton sailor Polly Pratt is determined to finish a gruelling round-the-world yacht race. Polly, 29, has spent 25 days thousands of miles from civilisation, on board
So, the game is up. The West Pier Trust has, in effect, admitted restoration is not and, for some time, has not been on the cards. So far as the Trust is concerned, the Pier can fall into the sea. It will not affect its plans to "rebuild" it. The "heritage
It is three years since the Queen raised Brighton and Hove to the dignity of a city. Immediately, and very properly, the council set about adding the word "City" to its notepaper and altering a number of signs. However, no one seems to have given the
I am devastated to learn St Mary Magdalen Church in Coldean, Brighton, has been vandalised yet again. This is a symptom of the society we live in - a minority of mindless, heartless thugs causes havoc in what is a place of peace and reflection and a hall
How much longer can we expect to see criminals treated with kid gloves while the victims suffer? I would ask Lord Woolf but have no desire to choke on anything I might bring up when he replies. It's not just the police and courts who are soft - landlords
The report "Jail fails to keep a captive audience" (The Argus, January 14) might have made interesting reading to anyone who has no prior knowledge of Ford Prison or its inmates but it would also have given them a false view of what prison life is like
It sounds a glamorous life - working for a record company, playing in a band and writing for a magazine. But Mia Clarke has been named the hardest worker in Sussex. The budding rock guitarist catches the 6.48am train to London five days a week and doesn't
G Brooker (Letters, January 22) is right to draw the taxpaying public's attention to the plight of the council tenants at Denmark Road. How has Brighton and Hove City Council arrived at such a dire choice? The tenants might consider asking the council
As Christmas and New Year is now over, credit where it is due. A big thank-you to the dustmen (refuse collectors) in my area, who have done a grand job not only in getting back to normal collection day but also clearing all the extra rubbish that Christmas
It is now, without question, the most pathetic sight in all the thousands of miles of British coastline. The rotted and battered remains of the once splendid West Pier are a monument to local and national ineptitude and flagrant lack of care for Britain's
Transgender actress Mjka Scott will be standing for the Greens in May as a city councillor. Her opponents in Queen's Park ward will include Labour city council leader Ken Bodfish. The ward covers the St James's Street area and has a large lesbian, gay
Two men have been jailed after police caught them with more than £8,000 worth of crack cocaine. Martin Comer, 46, of Ninfield Road, Bexhill, received a four-and-a-half year sentence. James Chapman, 41, a traveller who lives at Fair Lane Travellers' Site
Motorists will be held up for three times longer at a rail crossing which is already one of the worst congestion blackspots in Sussex. Proposals to cut the accident rate at the A27 Beddingham rail crossing, near Lewes, include introducing full-width barriers
Health officials apologised today to the parents of 17 children who died in early infancy for letters telling them their sons and daughters were due to start school. One devastated East Sussex mother said of the error: "The loss is always going to be
A man died today after his wife was rescued from a fire at their home. Jim Rushman was pulled unconscious from his first-floor flat in Hangleton Road, Hove. His wife Sandra was helped from the building by firemen who broke down their front door after
Voice of The Argus (January 22) gets into a jam in suggesting Brighton and Hove City Council is well known for not liking motorists. I use a car. I use a cycle. I use the train, buses, taxis and even my legs to walk around the city. The key point of the
Brighton and Hove City Council (The Argus, January 21) should take some responsibility for traffic congestion. It has paid lip-service to improving things and refused to accept Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company is not the answer to public transport
Kent/Sussex Regional League leaders Brighton will be without the unavailable Graham Pruce for their visit to Mid Sussex. Skipper David Edmondson returns for Worthing as they visit Horsham. Ramiz Inga and Mark Minchell are also back but Chris Sciandro
This is an open letter to Roger French. Your award-winning bus service has just committed a great disservice to your best customers - pensioners. Why have you introduced increased fares on all-day tickets with savings if you buy a book of five tickets
Lewes are hoping to avoid a second successive season battling relegation. The National League resumes on Sunday with Lewes away to Formby and East Grinstead at home to Peterborough Town. Lewes are currently fourth from bottom but can be overtaken by second-bottom
Sussex could soon have a new golf course if Adur Council's bid for an 18-hole pay-and-play course near Shoreham Airport gets the green light. Planners will make a final decision on Monday on the design by Dave Thomas and Associates for a 6,800-yard course
The good news for older people is men between 60 and 65, as well as women, will from April, have a right to cut-price bus travel. But the bad news is because so many men will join the elderly concessionairies, Brighton and Hove Buses have had to impose
The Post Office says it wants to improve its service to the public. So how is it managing that? Stamps will soon cost more. Two deliveries a day will reduce to one. Thousands of sub post offices in towns and cities will close. No wonder staff and customers
Hastings United's injury problems show no sign of improving for tomorrow's home game against Cambridge City. Manager George Wakeling revealed Stuart Myall will have a knee operation next week and miss the rest of the season. Myall, the former Albion player
Nick Gifford must overcome one final hurdle next week to become eligible to take over the training licence at Downs Stables, Findon. With his background and exerience Nick is a certainty to return from Newmarket with a pass certificate in his pocket after
A woman who left a 90-year-old man in the road to die after a hit-and-run smash won an appeal to have her jail sentence cut. Mary Merritt was driving with no insurance and without L-plates when she tried to beat a lorry across a give-way junction and
Clothing and home furnishings retailer Laura Ashley is to close 35 stores in Europe in the wake of difficult Christmas trading, it emerged yesterday. The group said the proposals would see it exit completely from Germany and reduce its presence in Holland
Supermarket target Safeway's six-way take-over tussle took another twist when it dropped its recommendation of the original offer from Morrisons. The UK's fourth largest supermarket chain instead told shareholders to await developments so it could review
Supermarket group Asda yesterday agreed to pay £550,000 compensation to a woman who slipped on a mushroom at one of its stores. Asda Stores admitted liability for the accident which shopper Beverley Jackson, 44, said had left her wheelchair-bound after
The City watchdog has published a guide to help people manage debt after revealing 20 per cent of families now owe an average of £2,000. The guide by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) - Taking Control - has been launched when many people may face
A paperboy for The Argus has won £100 worth of High Street vouchers in a competition. Arash Nateghian, 13, was picked out of 50 paperboys and girls in the Christmas draw designed to encourage them to arrange their own cover if they were away over the
Health officials apologised today to the parents of 17 children who died in early infancy for letters telling them their sons and daughters were due to start school. One devastated East Sussex mother said of the error: "The loss is always going to be
A court has given police more time to question two men being held in connection with the murder of a businessman. The pair can be quizzed until 7am tomorrow before detectives have to charge or release them. The men were arrested at around noon on Wednesday
Neighbours of a seafront hotel which could be used as emergency accommodation for asylum-seekers took their fears to city leaders last night. A deputation from Saltdean went to Brighton and Hove City Council to complain about the choice of the Home Office
A sprightly centenarian decided not to celebrate his 100th birthday as he did his 90th - standing on his head. Sidney Nicholls, known as Nick, stunned guests at his 90th birthday party with his headstand party trick. But he has given up that hobby after
Worshippers are objecting to a shop which declares it is the new transgender store for the South. Councillor Heather James last night told Brighton and Hove City Council: "It claims to offer the widest range of lingerie, footwear, wigs, clothes, toys,
A teenager described as a persistent young offender has been given one last chance to sort himself out. At Worthing Youth Court yesterday the 14-year-old was also placed under a two-year supervision order and a three-month curfew order after he admitted
A woman who left a 90-year-old man in the road to die after a hit-and-run smash won an appeal to have her jail sentence cut. Mary Merritt was driving with no insurance and without L-plates when she tried to beat a lorry across a give-way junction and
The gateway to Brighton and Hove is being given a £2.2 million makeover to give drivers a better - and less congested - welcome. Brighton and Hove City Council is going ahead with the latest phases of work on the A23 near Preston Park. The environment
Two treasure hunters unearthed a Bronze Age ring, an inquest heard. Metal detector enthusiasts Brian Simpson and Ken Mordle, both from Midhurst, made the startling find when they were searching a field at West Lavant Farm, Lavant, near Chichester. Pub
The Sussex Symphony, the local band for semi-professionals and amateurs, celebrates its tenth anniversary with this concert. Founder and conductor Mark Andrew James will present a programme he describes as a mixture of mischief, mayhem, intense passion
Komedia continues its fantastic series of events for children with this selection of watery stories from around the world told by Liz Fost. Frost takes on the persona of Maggie, a retired pirate running a seaside curiosity shop. She reveals a magical
Stompaphunk had a stompin' 2002, keeping the punters happy with its mix of twisted house (and anything else worth dancing to). It was nominated for Muzik Magazine's best small club night. If there's any justice it should win this time round. Check out
If the night sounds as good as the hype, this gay club night should be worth a visit. I've received more emails about Coco Latte's launch in the last couple of month than about any other event. The good news is the night is almost here. The Sharp Boys
Most club nights come and go but Russ Dewbury's Jazz Rooms just keeps going. Since it was conceived in 1987, this fusion of dancefloor jazz, cosmic soul, underground funk and much, much more, has attracted a large following of discerning clubbers. Over
A coach station in Brighton closed after losing its franchise to sell National Express tickets, it has been revealed. Howard Trevette stunned travellers by abruptly shutting his Pool Valley station in Brighton last Wednesday. He blamed Brighton and Hove
Worthing's 3TO has a couple of special guests this weekend. On January 24, Switch plays host to Nicky Black Market, who will be playing alongside residents Mace, Novation, Mischief and Escher. Expect heavy drum 'n' bass. Saturday night finds Pussycat
Much like The Vagina Monologues, Art has been one of those West End hits that goes on forever with no one ever seeming to get bored. First shown in Paris in 1994 and brought to the UK two years later, it has kept box offices very busy ever since. The
The man who wrote the backing music to a famous Monty Python sketch and other TV and film themes is continuing to reap the rewards. Hove-based composer Paul Lewis has made a successful career from his compositions. One of his most widely-heard works features
Campaigners are having problems booking a venue to debate lifting cannabis laws. The Legalise Cannabis Alliance (LCA) in Worthing wants to show the certificate 18 Green Britain video, which highlights the controversial subject of allowing use of the drug
Two men have been jailed after police caught them with more than £8,000 worth of crack cocaine. Martin Comer, 46, of Ninfield Road, Bexhill, received a four-and-a-half year sentence. James Chapman, 41, a traveller who lives at Fair Lane Travellers' Site
So, the game is up. The West Pier Trust has, in effect, admitted restoration is not and, for some time, has not been on the cards. So far as the Trust is concerned, the Pier can fall into the sea. It will not affect its plans to "rebuild" it. The "heritage
