Foolish words should not ruin it for the artists

Aficionados of wartime films may recognise the above quote from The Longest Day, the far-reaching movie that tells the story of the D-Day invasion from both the Allies and Axis sides.

The quote was uttered by a German colonel who was frustrated that despite thousands of enemy soldiers landing on the Normandy beaches, his commander in chief, a certain A Hitler, was asleep and therefore not able to give the order to mobilise a counter.

That German officer knew that the actions of one person would have an immeasurable impact on many thousands of others.

The quote jumped to mind this past week when I was imagining the plight of Julian Caddy, the managing director of Brighton Fringe.

His comments to this paper last week about how he “hates” the Palace Pier justifiably generated a real backlash from thousands of people, not least from yours truly who was asked to write a response.

The storm, dubbed Piergate, rolled on for days. And when you have a mild-mannered mayor of the city describing you as a “cad” to local journalists you know something is up.

Since firing off that email late on a Friday evening, I’m sure Mr Caddy has felt the past week or so has been his own Longest Day.

A week on, with the sun finally setting on the scandal, the “madness, sheer madness” appears to be turning slowly into a sense of regret and sorrow.

A Facebook post issued in Mr Caddy’s name in recent days said: “The aftermath has been perhaps the worst 24 hours of my life and, on reading the pieces and opinion, it’s easy to see why. What was I thinking? Well I wish I knew.”

He went on: “I really, truly, don’t hate the pier – it is an iconic, vital part of what makes Brighton what it is.”

Well Julian, I’m glad we got there in the end.

I mean, let's be clear, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea – and that’s fine.

But in order to maintain its status as the second most visited free attraction in the UK, the pier does need to reinvent itself.

If Mr Caddy had drawn the line there then perhaps we’d all be having a grown-up debate about the merits of the Victorian attraction and how it could be improved under the new owners.

An arts venue such as the former theatre would be a good start.

A variety of independent outlets, an expanded food offering and a promise to ensure a percentage of jobs on the attraction will go to those in the BN1, BN2 and BN3 postcodes would also go down well.

But unfortunately all of that has been lost in the media storm (for some of which, granted, I was guilty).

One influential politician told me this past week that they felt an apology was too late and they would give the fringe a miss this year.

While I can understand the sentiment, such action would be a total overreaction.

I reminded the same politician that they had said many a foolish thing over the years and surely everyone needed to be forgiven.

Yes, the comments were foolish. Yes, the comments were misguided.

But no one should take it out on those people who have paid good money to perform under the umbrella of the fringe.

Just like the pier, the month long inclusive arts festival is part of the city’s make up. A big part of that has been the drive and vision of Mr Caddy.

It would be a shame if the thousands of performers had their moment in the sun ruined by one man’s moment of sheer madness.

A FEW weeks back I had the joy of wandering around the tiny hamlet of Coombes, north of Lancing College.

The village has a thriving farm and one of the oldest churches in Sussex, giving you a sense of what a South Downs community truly looked like before we all became so urbanised.

For those who do not mind a little climb up a hill, it also has amazing views across the Adur valley across to Shoreham Airport and beyond.

If you peer a little you can also just about see the cement works at Upper Beeding. Despite being a lot closer than either the airport or the town, the tall towers and subsequent mining scar on the Downs is hidden immaculately by the contours of the land.

It’s an eco yet industrial approach to development, done well before such a term was ever dreamt up.

Such an approach should be well remembered by those who are rolling up their sleeves looking to develop the site in the coming years.