LAST Saturday, I went to see Jane McDonald in concert at the Brighton Centre. Great show, but it was nearly ruined by the bum-numbing seats and no clear view as the floor is flat, with all the seats behind each other.

This city should be ashamed of itself when it comes to entertainment venues – bar The Duke of York cinema.

In the Sixties, I was one of the managers for the Rank chain of three cinemas in Brighton’s West Street.

When Rank closed all three at one go, cinemagoers were left with another concrete mess, the Odeon Kingswest. It does have a lift, but if you can’t manage stairs. three of the cinemas are hard to get into.

No large-scale companies came to Brighton as the Theatre Royal is too small.

The old Imperial, later Essoldo, was a splendid 1930s theatre, with a full stage, pulled down for a sports shop.

Then there is the Hippodrome in Middle Street, a Frank Matcham theatre perfectly able to put on large shows – empty.

The Astoria, built as a “Super” cinema, could easily be showing films again, perhaps divided into two – empty.

For the gentleman who wanted a cinema in Hove, you have one, the Granada, Portland Road – empty.

The rumour that the Brighton Centre and the Odeon are to be pulled down and rebuilt can’t come quickly enough for me.

Mike Lang, North Road, Brighton