Saturday 19 December 2009

Brighton History Centre 2

Letter to a Councillor:-

Dear Councillor,

I am extremely upset at the news that the Brighton History Centre may close. I believe this a valuable cultural resource  of which the expertise and knowledge of the small staff form a vital element. Once this knowledge is dissipated there will be little chance of the same level of public access to the records ever being re-established.

The destined repository for the archives, the Keep, seems to be years away from completion and as it will be situated at Falmer it will not provide anything like the City centre access enjoyed at present.  Before the present History Centre was established a few years ago the archives were kept in the Old Music Library in Church Street. During this time many items appear to have gone missing. One  worries that if the archives are to moved yet again into temporary accommodation there will be little left to keep.

Neither does the Jubilee Library offer a solution. Although conveniently sited its staff would not possess the required specialist knowledge and, in any case, already seem to be fully occupied.

The Council is fond of designating this area "The Cultural Quarter". I hope you will feel able to defend one of its facilities. What could be more cultural or appropriate than Brighton's history?

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