Behind the scenes of Latest TV with Tim Ridgway

Livid locals

I don’t often get on my high horse. But there’s nothing more likely to get me mounting my faithful steed than when tradition is mindlessly dumped to one side.

After a while out of the saddle, it only took a relatively minor thing for me to go all high ho silver. See, recently I moved to Shoreham.

It’s a nice town – full of friendly folk, a lovely beach and lots of places where you can get a decent pint. But quiet life in the seaside town was disturbed recently thanks to strange goings-on at the Ropetackle building near the Norfolk Bridge.

Virtually overnight, the letters spelling out ‘Ropetackle’ on the side of the building were removed. They were replaced with ‘Basepoint’, the name of the company that bought the building in 2012. As they might say in The Archers, a right ruckus was caused.

The company, which provides business support across the region, maintained it had done nothing wrong and got permission for the alterations. But locals get very funny about change, especially about something historical. Just ask people in Brighton about the Palace Pier. The Ropetackle holds a similar hold over the people of Shoreham.

Its name comes from a historic area of the town, where its residents used to mend fishing nets, sails and ropes. Apparently, according to someone with a lot more time on their hands than me, the title has been used since the 16th century.

Recently the area went through a sizeable redevelopment, with the creation of a new housing complex with office space and a community-run arts venue. Things have been far from easy for the latter.

But thanks to people power, the arts centre remains in use and attracts some big names from across the world of music, comedy and politics. All of which gives an indication as to why locals are foaming at the mouth at the sudden change.

Perhaps it also explains why Yours Truly decided to go all Dick Turpin and ride into town to find out what was going on.

Armed with a little camera, the first person I met was radio DJ-turned-local personality Mike Mendoza, who also happens to be the councillor for the area. He summed up what public feeling was in just a few seconds: “I’ve been inundated with calls, emails, texts, everything – it’s gone crazy. This has always been known as Ropetackle, long before these buildings were here.”

He wasn’t the only one, and within minutes I had people from all walks of life – including the mayor of Worthing – giving me chapter and verse on why change was bad, especially when no warning was given.

Think: telling a builder he’s not allowed a bacon sandwich. Or taking an ice cream from a toddler.

Every right-minded person knows you can’t just rename a local landmark overnight without causing some form of controversy. Personally, I fail to see how Basepoint thought what they were doing was acceptable.

I’m sure all the firm’s bosses thought they were doing was creating a little bit more advertising for the company which actually owns the building. But, given the hold the title has on people’s hearts, at least ask people first. Otherwise, it will lead to the inevitable outburst followed by the even more inevitable public climb-down, accompanied with a promise that what existed initially will be restored.

But, even with hindsight in my back pocket and a lofty view from my high horse, without such moments, local news wouldn’t be half as much fun, interesting or important.

I’m looking forward to covering more tales like this when Latest TV comes to freeview channel 8 this summer …

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