Portslade museum campaigners given three months to come good

Campaigners who want Portslade to have its own museum have been given three months to come up with a plan.

They have pinned their hopes on the chance to use the old police station in St Andrew’s Road as a site for a museum.

And they were told that they had three months to find a way forward after a passionate plea by Councillor Alan Robins.

He spoke out at the Brighton and Hove City Council Policy and Resources Committee meeting on Thursday (1 May).

His speech gave a flavour of Portslade’s past and brought laughter to the politicians – and watching public – present at the committee meeting at Hove Town Hall.

Councillor Robins said: “Portslade has at least three distinct areas. Firstly the ancient downland village, first mentioned in the Domesday Book, built around St Nicolas Church. Its economy was based on traditional downland sheep and corn husbandry.

Councillor Alan Robins

“Today it’s a conversation area covering just under 35 acres. It contains 28 listed buildings, seven locally listed buildings, a scheduled ancient monument and an archaeologically sensitive area.

“Then there’s the port area of Portslade which grew up in the 19th century.

“And last but by no means least, Mile Oak, ‘nappy valley’, which developed in the ’60s and ’70s to provide affordable homes for young families.

“In 1800 Portslade’s population was three times the size of Hove’s and twice the size of Hove and Hangleton put together. By 1970 Portslade’s history already stretched back a thousand years.

“In 1974 Portslade was joined with Hove – and later Brighton. It was a marriage of convenience, Portslade being the last town in East Sussex.

“Portslade remains an outsider, having as much if not more in common with neighbouring Southwik and Shoreham.

“For instance, there is a great fishing tradition in Brighton but no such tradition really exists in Portslade where families either earned a living as market gardeners, catching the small rowing boat known as ‘the gassie’ across the canal to work at the gasworks or as merchant seamen, signing on the ships that docked.

“My mother was one of eight children born almost exactly two years apart – one every time my Grandad’s boat docked. Family planning, Portslade style.

“I’m not sure how many aunties and uncles I would have had if he’d worked at the gasworks and was able to get home every night.

“Like so many other people, Portslade is in my heart and soul. And with so much history, there are hundreds of artefacts and thousands of photos.

“And all we are asking is somewhere to show them to local children – there are 12 schools in Portslade – and the public.

“The old police station is ideal. There’s room for a heritage centre and the added bonus of a near complete Edwardian parochial police station, complete with cells at the back.

“Henfield, Ditchling, Steyning, Shoreham and Southwick all maintain such a centre.

“I think many of you have a misconception about what we are asking for.

Councillor Jason Kitcat

“Paula Murray, in her report, pointed out all the problems we may face and told me she does not share my optimism.

“That’s fine. I have optimism enough for both of us.

“At least two councillors here told colleagues it’s a non-starter. There’s no money.

“Well, we’re not asking for money. We’re asking for time. Give us three months to see what we can put in place. After that, if it’s a non-starter, so be it.

“I have the full backing of the Brighton and Hove Heritage Commission, all my fellow Portslade councillors and many, many residents.

“We will, of course, need access and I’d like to invite you all to come and see what I’m talking about.

“It may just be we can pull it off and give Brighton, Hove and Portslade another first class visitor centre.

“I’ll even agree to letting Jason Kitcat come and cut the ribbon when we open.

“I have printed you all a copy of what the Encyclopaedia of Hove and Portslade has to say about the old police station which you can read at your leisure.”

The council wants to use the old police station for housing and planning permission has already been granted but council leader Jason Kitcat said that circumstances had created a three-month delay.

Councillor Kitcat said that Councillor Robins and the museum campaigners could use those three months to pursue their options.