Mitre House

Mitre House was built in 1935 on the site of the buildings on the left of this photo. This part of Western Road was always somewhat wider than the eastern end, the projecting buildings of which can be seen in the distance. Even so, judging by the kerb line, it appears that the Boots building of 1928, in neo- classical style with Ionic columns, was set back somewhat from the pre-existing building line. Beyond Boots can be seen the 1930's Stafford store.  This picture must date from the period 1929-34 but, as some work appears to have started on the corner of Spring Street, probably nearer 1934.

Mitre House was built for International Stores which occupied a large shop on the ground floor and was still there in the 1958. Next door was Moores, a prestigious car showroom: and towards Spring Street there was also the chemist, Timothy Whites; Bata,  a shoe shop; and a branch of W H Smiths. 

Coming to the present, part of Mitre House has now been unoccupied for about nine years and the upper facade is showing its age. It has also been mightily disfigured (at least from some viewpoints) by a miscellaneous collection  of aerials sprouting from its roof. However, some succour appears now to be in prospect with an application to create a 131-bedroom budget hotel being approved by the City Council’s planning committee yesterday afternoon (3 Nov 2010). (See press release)

The 1930s building is in two blocks separated by a light well  and the application relates to the northern block fronting on Hampton Street; but it seems the Western Road entrance will be used for the hotel with one of the shops being converted to a reception area.  Conversion also entails adding a fourth floor to the building.

It is to be given new steel windows; and its distinctive brick-clad facades are, unfortunately, fated to disappear under a coat of render, but this is probably the only economical way to deal with flaking brickwork

Brighton Station

Brighton's wonderful, curving train shed was built in 1882-3 to a design by H E Wallis and almost didn't see its centenary. In 1973, British Rail in conjunction with the Peachey Investment Company, came near to getting final council backing for  plans to demolish the shed and erect a 14 storey, hotel, office, hypermarket complex. The platforms were to be consigned to the nether regions, and would have surely rendered arrival and departure a subsidiary, downbeat affair.

In those days the Regency Society tended to concern itself mainly with protecting listed buildings and monitoring the few conservation areas then in existence. At a public protest meeting in 1973 the Brighton Society was launched by John Morley, then Director of the Royal Pavilion, and Selma Montford. The Society lent its support to the "Save our Station" campaign and set to work to get the station grade II listed by the government. Listing was granted in 1973.  A new ticket office was provided in 1980 and in 1987 a massive restoration project commenced. In 1988 it was included in the West Hill Conservation area. Thus the station, still in its victorian form, survives to delight us to this day. 

Pavilion ice-rink

Making good progress . . . . . 

See previous posts here and here.

The Future Car Challenge

Next Saturday, November 6th, 60 zero/low-emission vehicles will take part in the first RAC Brighton to London "Future Car Challenge". This number of entries, far exceeds expectations, and establishes, probably, the largest event of its kind.  It is intended as a very public showcase for low-energy impact vehicles and entries include all the latest electric, hybrid and low emission passenger cars, light commercial vehicles and motorcycles.

The start is at 8.30 am from Madeira Drive Brighton,  and the provisional timings thereafter are:-

• Halfway stop (Crawley) 09:30 to 10:30. 
• Finish (Pall Mall, London) 11:15 to 12:30 
• At 12.30 pm in Regent Street the vehicles will join in a special ceremonial finish and presentation of awards in different categories to those judged to have made the least energy impact during the 60-mile run.  

As a measure of the importance of this inaugural event, entries have been received from the majority of the major car manufacturers, including BMW, Citroën, FIAT, Ford, MINI, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Renault, Skoda, Smart, Tata, Toyota, Vauxhall and Volkswagen. In many cases several different models have been entered.

Several world/UK debuts will feature as a number of the participating manufacturers will use the event to showcase, live, their pre-production electric, plug-in hybrid, hydrogen and low-emission internal combustion vehicles.

Eastern Western Road - Then & Now

Then being sometime after the Regent Ballroom, whose domed roof can be seen rising above Queens Road, was built in 1923; and sometime before the properties on the far-left were demolished for road-widening and construction of the Imperial Arcade building in 1934.

Now being November 2010:-

What was, for many years, a narrow bottleneck, has long gone. The broken yellow line in the foreground corresponds approximately in the earlier photo to the, then rare, road centre markings. These can just be seen by the offside wheel of the approaching van.

The only features still remaining are the Clock Tower, and the Soper's building (1901) on the right, although in common with most other old buildings in Brighton it has lost its flagpoles. On its ground floor Sopers once had a mini-arcade of elegant curved glass and wood display windows, and free-standing enclosures. When Sopers moved out, in the 1960's, these windows were removed to the Museum where they formed inspired display cases for the costume collection.  Sadly, when the Museum was given its millenium makeover  these were jettisoned in favour of the tedious, ill-lit arrangements we have today.