News in Brief

Ovett to be made a freeman of the city of Brighton and Hove
Brighton-born Olympic gold medallist Steve Ovett is due to be made a Freeman of the City of Brighton and Hove on Tuesday 24 July. Ovett, 56, won the 800 metres final at the Moscow Games in 1980, beating his great rival Seb Coe, who took silver. Coe, the mastermind behind the London Games, won the 1,500m though, with Ovett taking bronze.

Ovett, who went to Varndean School, will be honoured at a special meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council. He is also due to unveil his new statue on the seafront close to where the Brighton Marathon ends. It has been paid for by local businesses to replace one stolen from Preston Park five years ago.
Mayor Bill Randall, who proposed the honour, said, “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the Olympics in Brighton and Hove than by recognising the world-beating sporting achievements of one of its most distinguished and famous sons.”

Jewellers win glittering prize at leading awards ceremony
A jewellery shop in The Lanes has been named Boutique Retailer of the Year at the Retail Jeweller UK Jewellery Awards. The title was awarded to Baroque Bespoke Jewellery at an awards ceremony – glittering, of course – at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Leading experts from the sector judged the awards in a process that included an interview with the editor of Retail Jeweller. A secret shopper also tested the shop for their selling and customer skills. The judges were full of praise for the ‘gothically opulent store design and unique window displays’.

The trio behind the Union Street shop in Brighton – Pippa Knowles, Jason French and Kyle McIntosh – were also lauded for backing British talent. And the judges were impressed by the way they were inspiring the next generation of jewellery designers through the apprenticeships that they offer.

First base picks up first prize for £800k renovation project
First Base day centre has won a Sussex Heritage Award for the £800,000 revamp of its premises in Montpelier Place, Brighton. The day centre is based in St Stephen’s Hall, a grade II listed, 18th century church.

Architects CDMS Partners and Cheesmur Building Contractors led the renovation which involved restoring the original interiors. At the same time they fitted up-to-date facilities to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable men and women in the city.

Nikki Homewood, director of homelessness services at Brighton Housing Trust (BHT), said that the refurbishment had made an incredible difference to the space and how it was used. She said, “The redevelopment included a training kitchen facility, new showers and toilets, medical rooms and consultation rooms, all of which have made a huge difference to how we are able to work with vulnerable people to help them to move on from homelessness and towards a more positive future.”