To Letters Editor, Civic Brighton platform
In the no. 112 Scenic station in the series ‘Brilliant Brighton’ (Argus 24.February) the writer has made a series of mistakes
The final sentence reads: “The plans to demolish [Brighton] station in the 1970s and replace it with a hotel helped rally Brighton’s Regency Society which went on to save North Laine and countless other buildings.“ The then secretary of the Regency Society, Anthony Dale, considered Brighton Station to be an ugly building and not worth preserving.
It was then that the Brighton Society (not the Regency Society which had been formed soon after World War 2), was formed and was successful in getting the station listed, which is why you see such a handsome building today. Another group which was active in saving the station was SOS (Save Our Station) who demonstrated that the plan to cover the site with a major office development was in fact illegal.
I am not aware that the Regency Society played any role in saving North Laine, which was threatened by a major overhead motor way. In those days the Regency Society was only interested in saving what they considered to be grand buildings.
no 59 in ‘Brilliant Brighton’ states that ‘Brighton councillors may have built terrible tower blocks . . . but the poverty in central Brighton . . . was terrible’. How does building tower blocks cure poverty, poor conditions perhaps, but not poverty?
It is worth noting that the tower blocks on Albion Hill do not house any more people than the terrace houses they replaced. Shortly after the tower blocks were built they were considered unsuitable for children. The Hanover area was next on the list for wholesale demolition, but today it is a much sought after area in which to live.
Selma Montford
Hon Secretary The Brighton Society since 1974
Last sentence typo: "much sought after"
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