Not owning a car is a great way to stay fit, save money, and avoid loads of hassle. This is a blog with thoughts, photos, ideas and links about carfree life: walking, active travel, public transport, places and spaces - things that matter to everyone, but even more when you don’t own a car. Photos are by me unless credited. Forthcoming: book on carfree life. Meantime, get in touch via email at carfreelifeoutsidethebox@gmail.com or Twitter @carfreebrighton
Monday 19 September 2011
The Strange Case of Dave Gilmour's Hove Beach Hut
Walking along Hove seafront, I often turn my ears towards Dave Gilmour’s house, hoping to hear a bit of guitar escaping from an opened window – maybe from Comfortably Numb, surely one of the all time great guitar solos? It has been interesting to watch progress at this splendid house, where Mr G has clearly spent a shedload of money restoring it to what appears to be its original splendour. I noticed a while ago that a slightly overgrown beach hut had been installed in the little off-road parking space by the side of the house, apparently for bike storage. Now, the powers that be have ruled that the beach hut is in breach of planning rules and it must go. Clearly, rules are rules, and planning is a contentious area, especially at the moment, as this article by Simon Jenkins on the government’s proposed changes to planning guidance points out. But the beach hut ruling seems like overkill, especially when you look at what’s next door to Dave Gilmour’s house – the scarcely ornamental Spa Court, and then Benham Court. Both of which presumably received planning permission at some time. And it would be unfair to mention the other excrescences that mar the streets of our fair city – apart from the Jubilee Library, it’s hard to think of a single building in Brighton and Hove constructed since 1960 that has any merit. If in doubt, take a look at the King’s West Centre, or the Council’s very own Brighton Centre.
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TYPICAL OF BRIGHTON AND HOVE COUNCIL,THEY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THIS AFTER ALL THE RESTORATION GILMORE HAS DONE,RATHER THAN PETTY SITUATIONS LIKE THIS THEY SHOULD LOOK AT THEMSELVES,FOR EXAMPLE START FIXING THE BROKEN PAVING STONES AND MAKING HOVE LOOK NICE LIKE IT USED TO NOT RUN DOWN LIKE IT IS BECOMING, FOR EXAMPLE IT TOOK YEARS BEFORE THE COUNCIL REPLACED THE BROKEN CAST BEACH RAILING JUST ALONG FROM DAVID GIMORES HOUSE,AND AS FOR THE MESSY DANGEROUS CYCLE LANES AND WANTING TO GET RID OF HOVE LIBRARY AND BUILD A STUPID HIGH RISE BLOCK OF FLATS NEXT TO GILMORES HOUSE,ALLOWING TESCOS TO BE BUILT AND ALLOWING THEM TO RIP OUT REGENCY BRASS WINDOWS AT THERE OTHER SHOP,I COULD MENTION A THOUSAND EXAMPLES BUT THIS REALLY MEANS THE COUNCIL HAS FINALLY GONE BONKERS .RICK B
ReplyDeleteYes, i am sorry Mr Gilmore but Brighton and hove as allowed the demise of one of the greatest piers in the world the west pier and the destruction of the fine theater on the palace pier,the destruction of portland gate a wonderful art deco building of fine design and countless other betrayals in hove and brighton,but you must not have a garden shed to put your bikes in, zis is not zee vay do you hear you vill comply to za rulez.
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