Tim Ridgway’s Latest news
PEACEFUL PROTEST?
Nearly 30 people were arrested as nationalists and counter-protesters clashed during the March for England in Brighton city centre.
Despite a high-profile policing operation costing an estimated £500,000, video footage showed glasses, tables and stools hurled by those taking part while police said two officers were injured.
Only four of the 27 arrested during the incident gave addresses in Brighton and Hove.
“Video footage showed glasses, tables and stools being hurled”
A petition urging Sussex Police to ban the march in future years has so far received more than 3,500 signatures. But with officers warning this was not possible, expect the march to return to our streets next year.
To see footage of the march visit www.thelatest.tv.
COSTLY RECRUIT
The recruitment of the person tasked with preventing further city-wide bin strikes is costing the taxpayer £11,500. Brighton and Hove City Council confirmed the sum as applications for its new £75,000-a-year head of Cityclean and City Parks closed.
The figure, which has been paid to external consultants and includes the creation of a specially-created website, can be exclusively revealed by www.thelatest.co.uk.
It comes as the threat of a further bin strike was averted after union representatives and council officials struck a deal. Mark Turner, of GMB union, described the sum as “diabolical” and “outrageous”.
The council had yet to comment on the sum at the time of going to press.
HOSPITAL REVAMP
Preparations are due to start today (May 6) for the £420 million revamp of the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.
Planning permission for the work was unanimoulsy granted by the city council more than two years ago. But it was only last week that chancellor George Osborne gave the green light for the funding to be released.
Brighton Kemptown MP Simon Kirby welcomed the announcement as great news.
But with opponents claiming the decision was a political wheeze aimed at wooing Tory votes ahead of next year’s general election, expect to hear more debates over this in the coming months. The project at the Edward Street site is expected to be complete by 2024.
NORTH LAINE IN FASHION
An upmarket department store is looking to move to Brighton’s North Laine on the site of a popular family-run business.
Established in 1880, Aird and Co tool shop has been trading from its Bond Street premises for decades.
But that looks set to change as London-based boutique Oliver Bonas has applied to make changes to the early 19th Century listed building.
Aird owner Bob Carey told The Latest he did not want to speak about the plans for a “couple of weeks” but it is understood that he is retiring. A decision will be taken by Brighton and Hove City Council on the proposal in the coming months.
ART ATTACK
It’s festival season in Brighton and Hove with every venue possible hosting some form of exhibition or concert. All it seems, apart from our city buses. Well that is about to change as Brighton and Hove Bus Company will host artwork from Univeristy of Brighton students on its in-service vehicles until May 16.
RIGHT ROYAL SHOW
Hove’s Hawaiian princess was remembered in a special performance by City College Brighton and Hove students.
To celebrate the legacy of Hawaiian Princess Ka’iulani, who lived in Cambridge Road in Hove in 1892, students took to Brighton Bandstand to perform a specially choreographed dance.
Film-making students also filmed the event for inclusion in a forthcoming exhibition about the Princess in Hove Museum.
