7 Days of Headline with Phil Mills

Diamond Jubilee celebrations, stolen ruby ring and Amex Stadium a jewel in Sussex’s crown

It’s not often that a week’s headlines are dominated by good news, but this was one of those times. There were some amazing street parties for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations – and hats off to the villagers of Hurstpierpoint who laid on a treat fit for a queen.

Cake contests, sack races and pass the parcel for the kids, 1950/60s music, bunting, union flags, a loyal toast, a rousing rendition of ‘God Save the Queen’ and enough food and drink to sink a royal barge; it was a day for the local history books. Residents on the Craven Vale Estate in Brighton celebrated in style and marked their estate’s 60th anniversary at the same time. Members of the organising committee dressed as monarchs including Charles II, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth I and, of course Queen Elizabeth II.

Up the Lewes Road at the Amex Community Stadium in Falmer, Fatboy Slim got tens of thousands rocking with wall-to-wall music. There were comments about 45-minute queues to catch buses back into town (largely due to the closure of Falmer rail station, for safety reasons) and one or two complained some drinks ran out, but there was an avalanche of compliments – the vast majority hailed the gigs as major successes, which bodes well for future community events at the stadium.

There were some ugly moments during the week – a total of 18 people were arrested during rallies held by nationalists and UK Uncut supporters in Brighton and Hove. The majority of those arrested were in their 40s and 50s, many came from out of town, and several had their collars felt for possession of drugs.

And Latest 7 readers have been asked to help trace wedding rings stolen in a burglary at a flat in Denmark Villas, Hove, just a week before the couple’s wedding. The rings are silver, one has three rubies set into a triangle pattern, and the other has three holes drilled in a triangle pattern. Both rings have ‘Live for This’ engraved inside. Call police on 101.

Back to the good news – the city council announced that improvements at Hove’s King Alfred leisure centre have been completed including new changing rooms, new flooring, new shower cubicles and toilets and improved access for the disabled. The centre attracts more than 220,000 visitors a year.

And jazz lovers take note – the city’s Music & Arts and the dance troupe Stomp will celebrate their new hub partnership with the Brighton and Hove Big Band Summer Jazz Night at the Stomp-owned Old Market on July 19. This follows the city winning £746,000 to become one of the country’s first ‘music education hubs’ which will see a range of musical programmes with thousands of children and young people each year.

Among emails to Latest 7 came one from a Patcham resident complaining about plans to turn the Argus building in Crowhurst Road, Hollingbury, into the Brighton and Hove Bus Company’s new bus depot, “What has the council got against this area – we’re having another travellers’ camp imposed on us and now we’re going to have dozens more buses rumbling through our streets. Give us a break!”

And a senior nurse at the Royal Sussex County Hospital expressed a word of warning to the council over its plans to expand public transport and cycle lanes in Eastern Road, “They should realise a great deal of people can only bring patients to the hospital by car and many visitors come here by car from a long way away. It is already hard for them and the council’s plans will make it a darn sight more difficult – the council has to realise that not everyone can or wants to ride a bike or catch a bus.”