History Centre - Support from English Heritage

Thanks to Selma (Hon Sec. Brighton Society)for bringing this to my/our attention.

For information, you can write to David Smith at david.smith@brighton-hove.org.uk

He replied to me this morning, saying he would be discussing the decision with officials next week. My local councillor, Paul Elgood, has promised to move a budget amendment on this (if someone else doesn't get there first).

With the council now with no overall control, this deplorable decision can be reversed if we make our feelings clear. Please sign the e-petition- 148 people have already done so.

Regards

Howard

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Howard Spencer
Blue Plaques Historian
English Heritage
1 Waterhouse Square
138-142 Holborn
LONDON
EC1N 2ST

History Centre Closure - Council response

Reply from Cr. David Smith, Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation & Tourism:-
"Thank you for your email concerning the Brighton History Centre.

Our proposal to move this service from its existing location at the Brighton Museum to the Jubilee Library will, I believe, have a number of benefits.  The accessibility will be improved with an increase in opening hours for customers from 35 hours a week in Brighton History Centre to 54 hours a week in Jubilee Library.  The majority of use of the Brighton History Centre is for use of online resources or microfilm and fiche resources (family history researchers), and these can be provided in Jubilee Library, together with some of the book stock.

The service as it is currently run is only used by a limited group of people and those figures are in decline.  The History centre is unfortunately not attracting new users or younger users and the number of visits has dropped by nearly 14,000 in last five years.

We are keen to improve services and particularly to improve access.  It is also important to note that we do have additional good local history resources in all of our libraries and also in Brighton and Hove Museums and Galleries.

Once again thank you for your enquiry into the Brighton History Centre."

(I note he has not commented on the issues of security or on the possible move to the Keep.)

Previous posts on this subject are: here, here, and here.

Petition against closure of the Brighton History Centre

The fight goes on. (See earlier postings here and here). Please urgently consider signing the epetition on the City Council's website. You have to register first but it is quick and easy.

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North Victoria Garden Scheme

City Parks has fenced off a part of the north Victoria Garden in preparation for creating mixed shrub/flower beds down the centre of the grassed area. However attractive the planting may turn out to be, this shows a lack of imagination and a lack of consideration for the true needs of pedestrians.

The garden is presently surrounded by cracked, uneven, underused paving and redundant shabby railings. This could all be swept away and the area of garden extended up to the trees with extra grass and/or beds and a landscaped  path established along the centreline of the garden thus taking the pedestrian well away from the traffic and making it a much more attractive and healthy route. This surely need be no higher in regular maintenance costs than the proposed scheme and the cost of establishing the new path would surely be no greater that that of repairing the existing  paving and maintaining the railings. The extra area of grass would have the added benefit of reducing water run-off.

I do urge City Parks to reconsider these plans before any further work is done.