A 1916 advert.

Although today £3 3s seems a derisory amount, in 1916 it was nearly 4 times the average weekly wage of 16s 9d, putting  "Millionaire's Row" completely out of reach of the average wage earner. Today the average wage is  £500 per week and I guesstimate a Hove Seaside Villa, if available, would attract a rent of about £1000 per week, now only twice average wage.

Progress of a kind maybe. . . .

7 Ship Street Gardens

View from the west

Planning application BH2013/03429 proposes the demolition and rebuilding of these two quirky shops in the twitten that links Middle Street and Ship Street in the Old Town Conservation Area.

The present building first appears in the street directories in 1862 when it was occupied by a fruiterer. It was probably built on a yard or garden between nos. 6 & 8 which go back to 1856. The asbestos roof will not have been added until the 1940's or later. The proposed replacement design preserves the variation in roof line but, because a change in use to an office is also intended, only a wall and door will be presented to the twitten. This will sadly degrade the visual liveliness of the scene and the loss of retail space will reduce the footfall in the twitten. The latter factor is of special concern in that, in this type of restricted  environment, it is likely to lead to a loss of general security.

View from the east.

Proposed office building.

Subversive Design

"Chopper" 2008 by Richard Slee

The winter exhibition at the Museum, which continues until March 9, comes with a warning -  "this exhibition examines provocative and challenging themes and includes some images of nudity, violence and sex." In other words it's great fun and well worth a visit. 

"Lathe v Red", Sebastian Brajkovic, 2008.

A Ripping Yarn

From the Brighton, Hove & South Sussex Gazette for 26th December 1914.

Patcham Place stables

The stable block to Patcham Place has been Grade II listed since 1952 and, up until its disposal with Patcham Place on a long lease, was used as a Council parks depot.

The English Heritage listing description states:-
Stables. C18, at least for the central, cobble-faced portion bounded by quoins. Cobbles with dressings of yellow brick, painted brick, roof of tiles. Gabled centrepiece with central round-arched entrance with brick dressings in the form of quoins and archivolt, now painted, and semicircular windows to either side also with brick dressings; quoins to centrepiece and brick dentil cornice; keyed oculus in pediment; narrow unwindowed wings flanked by quoins; then brick extensions with flat-arched entrances to either end; hipped roof overall. Low range of brick and flint to north with hipped tiled roof. 

Planning Application BH2012/00667 from Kingspan Development
for change of use fromYouth Hostel to offices and training facilities stated:-
 . . . .  the stables area is envisaged for uses ancillary to the main building and any subsequent alterations that may be proposed to this area will be the subject of separate application in due course. It is intended that these would take the opportunity of ensuring the long term preservation of the building and a viable use in perpetuity that will preserve and enhance the character and fabric of the structure.
This application was approved in Sept 2012.

The separate application is still awaited but one feels the new occupiers  can hardly make a worse job of maintenance than the Council.