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SALTDEAN NEWS 2002
- Christian Aid Christmas Post
Do you take advantage of the Christian Aid Christmas Post?
For still only 10p per envelope the Christian Aid Committee
and helpers will deliver all your local cards by Christmas.
Post boxes will be situated at The Happy Shopper Foodstore
in Lustrells Vale, Glenda's Hair Fashions in Longridge Avenue
and at K & A Stores in Saltdean Vale from the beginning
of December until Tuesday 17th.
Please Note: Saltdean addresses only
Many thanks Julie
- Woman hurt in police crash - © Argus 11/12/02
Sussex Police vehicles have been involved in two separate
crashes in the Brighton area. A woman was badly hurt in
one of the accidents. A woman and her young granddaughter
had a lucky escape when a car being followed by police smashed
into their vehicle. In a second accident, a woman suffered
serious injuries when her car was in collision with a police
van. The first happened just before 3pm yesterday on South
Coast Road, Saltdean, Brighton. Police followed a white
Vauxhall Astra for 30 minutes from Uckfield to Saltdean
before the driver was eventually trapped and arrested. Seconds
before, the Astra careered into an oncoming car, injuring
the female driver. Police had used their vehicles to create
a blockade and the suspect drove on to the wrong side of
the carriageway to try and escape. It crashed into a garden
wall on the corner of Bannings Vale before striking the
driver's side of the red car and careering back on to the
Brighton-bound lane where it was pinned in by police cars.
Fire crews had to cut the roof off the Astra to reach the
man, who suffered minor injuries. He was arrested and charged
with motoring offences including driving while disqualified.
Lindsay Simpson, 47, of Newhaven, was driving metres behind
the red car and came within three feet of the Astra. He
said: "It was a scary experience. I saw the white car
come speeding over the hill, followed by police cars. I
stopped but there was one car in front of me, which was
hit. "The white car then drove past me on the grass
verge to my left. I tried to block the road so the car didn't
drive back past me. But instead, it drove back on to the
other side of the road, where police managed to stop it.
The police seemed cool, calm and very professional."
Penny Banfield, 34, watched the drama unfold from her home
in South Coast Road. She saw the little girl, who was wearing
a pink jacket, being carried away from the red car by a
policewoman, followed by her grandmother. She said: "I
was very impressed by how quickly the police arrived on
the scene to deal with things. They seemed very much in
control. "With seven police cars, two motorbikes and
a police helicopter, it almost felt like overkill. But it
was very reassuring. "The girl and the woman were obviously
quite shocked and were taken into a nearby house."
A police spokesman said: "We believe the Astra may
have hit other vehicles on its way from Uckfield during
the previous 30 minutes."
- Mum caught up in Lido brawl - © Argus 27/09/02
A mother who became caught up in a drunken poolside fight
was left dismayed after lido bosses failed to call the police.
Karen Griffiths suffered back, neck, arm and head injuries
after two brawling men fell on top of her. Mrs Griffiths
was watching her five-year-old son, Joseph, in the water
from a grassy bank at Saltdean Lido when two men behind
her began shouting, kicking and punching each other. She
reached for her mobile phone to call the police but the
men fell heavily on top of her. They continued to fight
and she was kicked in the head. Onlookers sprang to help
Mrs Griffiths and separated the men. But despite the violence
in an area crowded with children and Mrs Griffiths' injuries,
police were not called and the men were not ejected. Mrs
Griffiths, of Bevendean Avenue, Saltdean, said: "Where
is the duty of care to us, the public? "The message
this gives out is that it is okay to be drunk and disorderly
in a public area."The two men remained on the premises,
staff did not take their details or record the incident
and the police did not turn up or take details until four
days later." Mrs Griffith's husband, Philip, spoke
to the lido's manager and, after realising police had not
been called, rang them himself. The police said they would
send an officer but no one arrived and the Griffiths went
home. It took them another four days to visit. Mrs Griffiths,
a secretary, has complained to Sussex Police about their
handling of the case and to the lido, which is privately
run but owned by Brighton and Hove City Council. A spokesman
for Brighton and Hove City Council said: "We don't
run Saltdean Lido, it is a private business. But we were
very concerned to hear about this incident. "Our health
and safety department has visited the lido and advised it
to ensure staff patrol the pool to ensure order and implement
a proper system of recording incidents or injuries."
Sussex Police have apologised to Mrs Griffiths, blaming
the delays on lack of resources. Chief Inspector Peter Mills
said: "I have responded personally to Mrs Griffiths
about the incident" Tony Sarin, manager of Saltdean
Lido, said Mrs Griffiths' account was 'misleading'. He said
he and his staff had done as much as they could. "The
incident could not be predicted and I did not see it. But
once my staff told me there had been a kerfuffle, I took
Mr Griffiths to my office and gave him my phone to call
the police. "I even looked up the number for him. I
told him I had no powers to arrest anyone but if he felt
someone had done something untoward, he should call them.
"Mr Griffiths wanted the men to be ejected but I pointed
out I could not identify anyone and if I removed them from
the site they were likely to have disappeared by the time
the police arrived. Mr Griffiths agreed we should sit tight
until the police arrived. "We do have a no alcohol
policy but we cannot search people coming in. As soon as
we realised they had bottles of beer we took them from them.
Bigger, more prominent signs have since been put up."
Rottingdean and Saltdean Lions have a dozen bottles of
spirits or £100 if you prefer up for grabs on their
Xmas raffle at Smugglers Night. Also happening is an auction
in the Black Horse from 8pm.
A coffee morning will be held at the home of Mabel Gilmour
- 11 Glyndebourne Avenue (off Lustrells Vale) on Saturday
November 9th from 10 am to noon. Raffle and Bring and Buy.
All proceeds to the Childrens Society.Would boxholders please
hand in their boxes before the end of November.
- Asylum seekers & the future of the community
centre
There should be an interesting SRA meeting on Monday 28th
at 10.30 am at the community centre regarding the future
of the building.
There has also been some rumours regarding asylum seekers
at the Grand Ocean Hotel.
There seems to have been five families that have been staying
there awaiting deportation because they have had spaces
available. The hotel itself has been sold - but within the
Grand Hotel group and is in fact awaiting a £3,000,000
refurbishment according to the owners. According to my source
at the SRA - the hotel have rubbished any claims that it
is being sold to house asylum seekers and the SRA have written
to the National Association for Asylum Seekers, government
and the Hotel to confirm this in writing.
I should have more news on these points after Monday's
meeting and I will post any more info on both issues by
the evening.
- Binmen get a tenner extra - © Argus 02/09/02
Binmen in Brighton and Hove have been creaming a £10-a-week
bonus for taking their cuppa on the road. Dustmen working
rounds in outlying areas of Brighton and Hove were given
the cash sweetener as an incentive not to return to the
central depot for tea breaks. Brighton and Hove City Council
inherited the bonus when it took over control of the city's
bin rounds from Sita last summer. It cost the French-owned
firm £2,600 a year. But now the pay-out has been axed
after complaints from colleagues threatened to become a
real storm in a tea cup. The bonus was given to the team
of five men working on the Saltdean and Rottingdean rounds
in Brighton. One binman, who asked not to be named, said:
"We had a crowd out in Saltdean and Rottingdean who
were getting paid extra so they didn't take their tea breaks
back in the depot. "No one else got it. It was ridiculous."
Council bosses have announced, following talks with the
refuse team, union leaders and managers, that staff are
no longer being paid the bonus. A council spokesman said:
"The staff in Saltdean and Rottingdean are no longer
being paid extra to have their tea breaks out there. "They
got £10 each a week for this which was under an agreement
with Sita, which we inherited when we took the service in-house.
"We were aware this was unfair and following consultation
that payment is not now being made. "It was something
Sita brought in and we stopped the payment last month."
The council is trying to harmonise the working conditions
among refuse staff. The council has also reviewed rounds
to ensure refuse staff have more of an equal workload and
the service becomes more cost-effective. The authority admits
it has reduced the number of lorries on the road from 23
to 18 to save money but said by ensuring staff had an equal
workload, the service had become more efficient and cost-effective.
She said: "We've been able to become more cost-effective.
"We don't have to use so many temporary agency staff."
The council says there has been a 20 per cent increase in
productivity. Managers have praised the hard work of the
refuse staff in improving the service. The council said
there were no plans to put the service out to tender but
it had to take action to become cost-effective to be able
to prove to the Government that the service should remain
in-house.
Did anyone else see Saltdean on Faking It - the excellent
Channel 4 documentary series. Dave Lynn - Saltdean residente
extroadinaire - expertly guided the fab Spence to become
Britney Ferry.v All completely fantastic and Dave - if you
ever read this - you were just fabulous darling. Argus review
here
- ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Rottingdean Branch
With remembrance Day not far off our Poppy Appeal organiser
will be seeking help to sell poppies in
Rottingdean Saltdean Ovingdean and Brighton Marina Unlike
some flag days, poppy selling has a mostly supportive and
sympathetic public, which makes it an agreeable and rewarding
task .
Can you help?
If so, please contact. Paul Harrington, 10 Nutley avenue,
saltdean 01273 307109
He will be pleased to hear from you.
You may have noticed a crocodile of children walking to
Saltdean School each morning. This is Brighton and Hove's
first official walking bus.
We have been amazed at the public response and now have
a waiting list of children wanting to walk. To ensure the
bus is safe we insist that every four children must be accompanied
by one adult. So we need more volunteers.
Are you a parent or grand parent or a good citizen who would
be prepared to walk children to school in the morning? You
don't have to do it every day. The more volunteers we have,
the easier it is for all.
You will receive training and you will have to be police
checked. But the procedures aren't too difficult. Please
contact the website or call marina on 01273 300 116 if you
believe you can help out and make a difference. More walking
means a fitter community and less cars on our roads.
- Saltdean & Rottingdean Lions
Once again, Roedean school have been kind enough to lend
us their swimming pool for their annual swimathon on Sunday
October 20th. Perhaps you could raise money for your organization
by entering a team (2 to a maximum of 6) in a sponsored
swim? Or you could help the team(s) by either sponsorship
per lap or a fixed sun. The licensed houses of Rottingdean
are already girding their loins for the Battle of "the
Sponsors ' Cup . Last year The Plough and Black Horse worked
very hard, each raising such a goodly sun that they were
both awarded the cup !
Details - Lion Syd Snelling 301905
St. Aubyns School, in conjunction with the the Lions ,
are again offering a musical concert (with senior
citizens in mind) on the afternoon of Thursday , October
17 . Tickets , at a nominal price of £1 include tea
and biscuits plus a free raffle. A strictly limited number
of tickets are available from Caligua
and the village Post Office .
These will be available from October 5th at the doctor
surgeries in Meadow Parade in Rottingdean - 303529 and Longridge
Avenue - 305723. Please contact your surgery for an appointment.
Hello all.
I thought I would just write a small review of the virtual
festival awards in Brighton and Hove.Our Saltdean site was
nominated and some of you may have voted way back in May
this year.The Virtual Festival awards are run by the Sussex
Community Internet Project and sponsored by people such
as the Argus.Finally a team of judges voted a shortlist
dependent on such things as usability and navigation for
each site.The ceremony was great fun and although we didn't
get shortlisted there was a free bar which made up for it!The
site that won has over 60 volunteers working for it so II
felt very proud to be nominated.
Many thanks to all of you for taking an interest.
- Rottingdean Parish Council & the Undercliff-reported
in the LInk Mag
It has at last been confirmed that the final phase from
the Marina to Ovingdean will start in the Autumn with completion
in about 18 months There is an informative leaflet available
and the display of plans at Ovingdean Village Hall. New
cafe , toilets and chalets at Ovingdean Gap will be included.
- News Report from Douglas d'Enno about RNLI &
burning boat off Saltdean 23/08/02
The sound of loud 'maroon' flares disturbed seagulls at
lunchtime today when a cabin cruiser erupted in flames in
the sea off Saltdean. The thirty foot boat, with two people
on board, went on fire at half past two this afternoon.
The two crew were taken on board a passing vessel and looked
on from the deck as their boat, the 'Sirron', burnt.
Brighton Lifeboat was called to the scene after beach lifeguards
contacted the coastguard. The burning boat was close inshore
and the lifeboat lay alongside, helping the coastguards
maintain a half mile exclusion zone. The exclusion zone
was necessary because of the risk of exploding gas cylinders.
Two loud explosions took place on board the stricken vessel
at approximately four o clock.
The damaged boat continued to burn and at one stage, due
to lowering tide levels, went aground on the rocks. The
boat, still on fire, was towed into deeper waters by Brighton
Lifeboat so that Newhaven Lifeboat, which had also been
called to the scene, could spray the burning vessel with
water in an attempt to douse the flames.
Once the fire was under control, the smoldering hulk was
towed into Brighton Marina by Brighton Lifeboat, escorted
by Newhaven Lifeboat in case the fire flared up again. The
two crew members belonging to the stricken vessel followed
the lifeboats into the marina on board the boat which had
assisted them. The two casualties were unharmed
Brighton Lifeboat was crewed by Helmsman, Steve Andrews,
whose usual role is that of a fireman, and crew members
Mark Nightingale and Mark Gasson.
- Theives steal scout trailer - © Argus 09/07/02
Thieves have wrecked a Scout group's summer of fun by stealing
a £5,000 trailer. The trailer was used to carry gear
for 200 Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Ventures in Saltdean and
Rottingdean. But the youngsters have now been forced to
put their summer activities on hold until the trailer is
returned or a new one secured. The trailer was taken from
its parking place outside the 42nd Brighton Scout Group
hut in Brighton on Monday last week and has not yet been
recovered. The four-wheel Ifor Williams box trailer was
donated to the group by the Lions club two years ago. It
would be attached to the group's minibus for camping trips
and fund-raising events.Without it, the youngsters will
not be able to move tents, bikes and equipment for the various
trips and activities planned for the summer. Steve Kirk,
a Venture Scout leader, said: "As well as the summer
camps and cycle rides coming up, we also used the trailer
to raise money for the group at car boot sales. "The
trailer is so valuable to us and now everything planned
over the summer has been put on hold. "At the end of
the day, we are a charity. It annoys me people want to steal
from charities - especially when there are children involved."
The vehicle was white with Saltdean and Rottingdean Lions
written on the side. It also had a rear rolling shutter
and side door, with an H-registration number plate. Even
though the vehicle was parked in the driveway of the Scout
hut in Longridge Avenue, Saltdean, it was not covered by
insurance as it was not attached to the minibus.Mr Kirk,
from Saltdean, said: "It is hard enough to run organisations
like this without people stealing from us." Anyone
with information should contact police or call 01273 305046.
- Learn Direct Courses in Computing
These are going on all the time at Telscombe Town Council
building and are for both beginners and more advanced. Phone
585501 for details.
- Relaunch of the Saltdean Tavern
Well the new look Tavern unveiled it's new decor and menu
on August 10th to a select few lucky Saltdean residents
who had been fortunate enough to bag tickets - your friendly
webmistress here being one. We were first in the door which
proves that myself and my three lovely mates who came along
too obviously either were hungry or really had nothing better
to do of a Saturday -maybe a bit of both. The decor was
lovely - I really liked the paintings and the lamps and
actually it felt really comfortable sitting there for an
evening. In fact had they had different tables - a bit trendier
(impractical in a family pub) I would have thought we were
in a trendy Brighton wine bar somewhere. Very nice. The
staff (who all seemed quite new on the scene), were really
helpful and friendly and some experience should stand them
in good stead. The menu was roughly what you'd expect but
|I have to say the food was very nice and I would probably
eat there again. As the three courses were free we even
went for dessert but I have to say we couldn't manage much
of it. All in all we had a really nice night. The Saltdean
Tavern will have to work hard to overcome it's previous
reputation but all I can say is that it has been taken over
by the same chain that owns the Badgers Watch so it must
be OK. Oh yes and they've done up the Wacky too and recarpeted
it. My verdict - great.
One local resident emailed me - I'm not egon ronay but
here goes..............Decor was good but not too dissimilar
from what it used to be. Excellent waitress service and
friendly bar staff. Menu was limited (pasta being my staple
diet hardly had a mention) especially the puds. Definitely
out to cater for the family with kids. Tea was awful, why
can't they use fresh milk instead of that disgusting UHT
wallpaper paste. Sheila
- Rottingdean Tesco? - emailed to me by Marina Baker
15/08/2002
Just realised I've been sitting on a blinding piece of
news that affects ALL OF US!!!!!!!!
Shove it on have your say, bung it in news, print on posters
and t-shirts, shout from roof tops. Whatever. Have you heard
they're planning a Tesco Express for Rottingdean? Now I
like Tesco, they always charged for placky bags and were
the first to get serious about organics. Plus Tesco is better
value than Sainsbury's. But do we need one in Rottingdean?
I think not. They're planning to put it where the car showroom
used to be.
This means the car park will always be full. It could also
endanger the future of the fruit and veg shop which so recently
introduced a range of organic health foods which means we
no longer need travel to Infinity. Plus the butchers and
the chemist and the co-op will also be affected.
We don't need more choice in Rottingdean.A Tesco has no
place in Rottingdean. It will be used by commuters - since
Rottingdean locals are a proud bunch and will boycott -
and completely knacker the already crowded rush-hour/school
run which is running at bursting point already.
If you want to protest against this dreadful plan write
to John Ford, Brighton and Hove City Council, Norton Rod,
Hove BN3 3BQ. Quote Planning Application BH2002/01890/FP
Tesco Express Store 5-8 West St, Rottingdean
The development of the area at Looes Barn at the end of
Saltdean Vale is once again subject to an application for
housing, this time for one bungalow, seven chalet bungalows,
two houses and a rebuilt barn.
Brighton and Hove Council invite comments for the scheme
until August 27th.
- Saltdean Dog Wins Brunswick Dog Show 2002
Benji the 8 year old Lurcher who lives in Bannings Vale
with her owners Debbi and Terry, gained a First in the Prettiest
Bitch class and won overall Champion at the Brunswick Festival
Dog Show on Sunday.
Well done Benji!
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