I AM NOT surprised about the report in today’s Argus concerning the jubilee bonfire being cancelled in Rottingdean. 

We have been lighting a “beacon” on official occasions in Ditchling for more years than people can remember.

This year on June 2, as in 2018, we decided to light the beacon on “Lodge Hill” instead of the actual “Ditchling Beacon”.

To do this we have to observe the following: Set up a working party group to inspect the site; appoint a "lead" person to be in charge of the activity; make protective gloves/hats available; appoint an activity leader to be responsible for safety; identify 12 marshals prior to the event; all marshals to be issued with hi-vis jackets; identify safe site giving a minimum of 25m between brazier and public and combustible material; increase the distance if wind direction requires; erect rope barrier at the appropriate distance to the prevent public getting too close; ensure adequate lighting; inspect site prior to entry of public; erect warning signs as necessary; use loudhailer to broadcast appropriate warnings if needed; have a full fire bucket immediately to hand and extinguish the fire with water before leaving site. 

That is by the way the “abbreviated list”. It should be noted that as we are not on the actual “Ditchling Beacon”, we have been officially demoted to being an “anchor beacon”, which means that we will be lighting our beacon at 9.30pm instead of 9.45pm.  

Presumably this is in order to direct people to the real “Ditchling Beacon” and is intended for people in Sussex who have trouble finding the South Downs.

Don McBeth

Grand Avenue

Hassocks