Transforming the Level

Note: The tour of the children's play area starts at 1.50 min.
Looks good so far but the fountain area shown at this stage doesn't seem to be extending over the whole footprint of the original boating lakes. This is important in order to give the bridges a token functionality.

Video tour of the new Level skatepark

Petition to save a 'green lung'.

Images from Google Earth.

The BHASVIC school field is a wonderful asset. A pleasure to the eye of the passer-by, and a life-enhancing resource to the 3 schools that use it for sports  and local residents for casual recreation. It has been open to the public for 30 years.

Now the field has been identified by Central Government (Education Funding Agency) as the proposed permanent site of the King's School (a Church of England Free School for pupils aged 11-18).

To oppose these plans a petition has been launched here:-

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/rt-hon-michael-gove-mp-secretary-of-state-for-education-drop-proposal-to-build-new-school-on-bhasvic-field

There is also a Facebook group and a Twitter account.

Vanishing Brightoniana

The last of the 50 year-old sign boards still remaining. They are believed to be the inspiration of Dr Clifford Musgrave, one-time Director of the Royal Pavilion Estate,  author of "Life in Brighton" and curator of the famous annual Regency Exhibitions. It is probably no exaggeration to say that these signs, being widely reproduced in publicity material over 50 years, have become world famous and one of Brighton's iconic symbols.
(Inevitably it has been graffitied with a stuck- on label.) 

The sign still remaining is in North Street. At the other entrances to the Lanes they have been replaced by these blue finger posts, which although more informative are devoid of any aesthetic or artistic value. Even the colour seems rather jarring in these particular areas  of the Old Town. It is ironic that while one Council Department concerns itself with improving the environment of the Lanes for the pedestrian visitor, another Department is eroding the attractiveness of the area.

Bedford Square - then & now

By c.1900 the Square would have been about 80 years old and apparently bearing its age quite well. Over the far right-hand (NE) corner of the Square can be seen the spire of Christ Church in Montpelier Road, burnt down in 1978 by a fire started by vandals.

By 2013 all of the properties have been grade II listed together with attached railings where they exist. Properties were added to the English Heritage list at intervals from 1952 to 1988. Evidently not soon enough in some cases as evidenced by missing canopies, balconies, balustrading and other more minor architectural details. Also listed are the two red telephone boxes (K6) halfway up on the RH side. I wonder if they still have working telephones . . . .